Breeding, Growing, Harvesting
Breed cannabis, Grow Cannabis & Dry Cannabis
Breed Cannabis– Breeding cannabis plants with the desired composition.
Grow Cannabis- Growing cannabis plants under optimal conditions.
Harvest/ Drying Cannabis: Drying cannabis plants when the level of cannabinoids and terpenes are optimal (maximal).
Stage 1. Selection and development of the appropriate plant cultivar.
The most appropriate cannabis cultivar will be grown under desired conditions. For CBD isolation and purification, these plants will probably be clones of a cultivar with high CBD (>5%) and low THC (<0.5%). The process for selection and cultivation has been established by qualified personnel. Growing cannabis plants under optimal conditions come second to choosing the correct plant cultivar. The genetics of the plant must first be determined before you grow cannabis.
Stage 2. Harvesting of the bud material from the mature Cannabis plants.
The Cannabis plants will be harvested at the time when the level of cannabinoids in the
bud material is maximal. The fresh stems (along with the leaf and twig material) will be harvested at the optimal time. Microscopic assessment will need to be used to determine when the cannabinoid content of the trichomes is maximal.
Stage 3. Drying and milling of the bud material.
The plant material will be trimmed to retain all of the cannabinoid-rich buds and to remove any other material (i.e. fan leaves, stems, etc.) The bud material from the Cannabis plants will be dried to produce a product containing <10% moisture. The dried plant material will then be milled and sieved to a fine powder (1-2mm screen). Each batch of dried Cannabis powder will be blended to homogeneity and bagged, labeled and stored at 4oC. 100Kg of Cannabis plants will produce about 20Kg of dry leaf material.
Author Dr. Craig Davis
