It’s November, and the majority of the outdoor harvests are in for the season. Maybe you’re done trimming it all, maybe you’re not. But even if you still have a few more branches to go, you know that even after it’s all trimmed, you’ll still have one last thing to do – process the leaf trim. The resin-covered leaves that accumulate from the trimming process are their own special commodity. This is typically the material used to make hash, kief, oils and edible medicines. But sometimes, this material can sit around unprocessed because it takes a back seat to the buds. Because any form of dried Cannabis plant is regarded equally when a patient’s quantity limits are considered, it is important to turn trim material into smaller and less easily identifiable forms. 

It's that dramatic time of year again when all the outdoor Cannabis growers pray for a dry and long lasting Summer while indoor growers dance around with their rain sticks praying for Fall to come in with an early downpour. So far, the season has been excellent for outdoor growing in most areas of Northern California – the epicenter of outdoor Cannabis production in the US.

A mild start to the season eventually gave way to late summer warmth and if the heat can keep the rain away for a few more weeks, then a flood of outdoor ganja will hit the market beginning in late October. Indoor growers that have already been crushed between the rising cost of garden overhead (electricity, etc) and falling wholesale prices may have to endure many months of increased competition and rock bottom prices.

A common notion amongst the Cannabis growing community is the idea that when we propagate plants asexually, or make clones, that a clone of a clone of a clone eventually will lose vigor due a degradation of the plant's genetic integrity. Many growers, including growers with years of experience, report the effect of vigor loss on their crops after several batches of cuttings from the same variety have been put through flowering. This leads to the assumption by many that the strain has permanently lost vigor because the genetics have “mutated”, “worn out” or “slowed down.”