Increase the terpene concentration in your buds

Cannabis plants have a wide variety of aromas and flavours. The terpenes in the plants and flowers are responsible for this. What you can do to increase the terpene profile and thus the aroma and flavour of your buds is explained in the following article:

Choose the right genetics

Choose the right genetics and go for cannabis strains that are known to have a particularly intense aroma and the aroma you like best. Genetics determine what kind of terpenes are present in the plant. Besides genetics, there are some factors that are also crucial. Certain methods can help to increase the terpene content.

Low-stress training

With the help of low-stress training, terpene production in the flowers can be significantly increased. Low stress training (LST) therefore not only causes an increase in yield. The most important methods of low-stress training are:

• Topping
• Pruning the lower branches and topiary
• Tie, bend into shape
• Preparation for flowering, use of a scrog net
• Choose a good planting medium

To produce cannabis with a strong terpene content, i.e. aroma, you need a high-quality and special cannabis soil. A good planting soil and compost are the most important prerequisites for an increased terpene profile.

Cannabis plants cultivated in soil and compost develop more and more intense aromas than hydroponically grown plants. Even though hydroponic cultivation has many advantages, plants grown in soil have been shown to develop stronger aromas.

Finger-away

Many growers like to mess with their plants, and sometimes a little more than is necessary and good. Checking the plants and leaves and certain tasks such as pruning are fine and necessary, but you should leave it at that and above all touch the flowers as little as possible. The more the flowers are touched, the more trichomes are damaged and with them the terpenes they contain.
Keep the humidity low

For more intense aromas from your buds, it is important to keep the humidity as low as possible when growing, especially during the flowering phase. A humidity of 50% is ideal for most plants, promotes terpene production and also helps to prevent mildew.
If the humidity is lowered again to up to 30% shortly before harvesting, the production of terpenes is particularly stimulated.

Companion Plants

Surprisingly, so-called terpene communication is a documented phenomenon. Even if you can't directly increase the terpene content, partner plants have a very good effect on the terpene production of cannabis plants and can help to promote processes in the soil that are related to it.
Cannabis plants were grown next to lavender and an increased lavender aroma was observed in these cannabis plants. The same happens when cannabis plants are grown next to citrus plants.

Temperature control

When increasing the terpene content of the buds, controlling the temperature during cultivation plays an important role. Above all, the grow room should never get too hot, this can destroy terpenes. The grow room should ideally have a temperature between 23°-26° C.
In the last weeks of flowering, the terpene production can be additionally increased if the temperature is lowered to 21° C at night. This should not be overdone: a temperature of 15° C or less is counterproductive and can even be harmful to the plant.

special fertilisers that increase terpenes

Certain additives and fertilisers have been specifically designed to increase terpene production in cannabis plants. Examples of these are Big-N-Sticky from Vegamatrix, Bud Candy Advanced Nutrients, Top Candy from Top Crop or Sugar Royal from Plagron. These fertilisers contain certain sugars, amino acids and vitamins that increase aroma and flavour. Organic fertilisers with compost and guano also help to stimulate terpene production.

Final Flush by Grotek was developed for rinsing fertilisers in the last phase of cultivation. It eliminates fertiliser residues in the plant and flowers that would later lead to a bad taste and is additionally provided with different flavours (strawberry, pina colada and blueberry).

Organic fertilisers

Organic fertilisers from Vegamatrix or BAC, organic soil mixtures and additives are primarily suitable for producing cannabis with an enhanced aroma. In this area, chemical fertilisers cannot compete.

Allow flowers to mature

Let the flower ripen completely to get a full and enhanced flavour. Apart from major problems such as total invasion by pests and fungi, there is really no sensible reason to harvest earlier.
Harvesting too early not only leads to a loss in THC content, but also in terpene content. In the final phase of flowering, the most delicious terpenes are often produced in the flower.

Proper harvesting and drying

The terpene content of the dry flowers also depends strongly on the harvesting and drying process. Mistakes in drying and drying too quickly can quickly be detrimental to the good taste. Take care to dry the flowers slowly and control the humidity so that as few trichomes and terpenes as possible are destroyed.

Use clean glass jars to store the dried flowers and open the jars daily to aerate them.

More terpenes = better buds

More terpenes always make buds better and increase their quality at the same time. It's not just that the taste is better, terpenes also have an impact on the user's high, make the effect more diverse and can even increase it.