By Harrison Thacker

One of hemp’s most interesting traits is its diversity at almost all levels. From its versatile collection of physical, psychological, and even assistive benefits, the plant leads the pack in accessibility. It’s like no matter what direction you choose, you can’t go wrong. To illustrate the plant’s dynamic nature, you can even look at one of the more simple decisions — whether or not to dry it.

Wet Hemp

The decision to pick wet or dry hemp occurs when farmers go to trim it. Immediately after harvesting, hemp still holds much of the water that nourished it through growth. As a results, you’ve got wet hemp. Farmers who work with plants while they’re wet can expect a host of benefits. Plants are rich in trichomes, with robust buds. Trimming while wet can also shorten the time spent drying, ensuring an efficient turnaround. Removing wet leaves early also decreases chances of mold appearing later.

Dry Hemp

Here, farmers forego the immediacy of wet trimming in favor of a more patient approach. Waiting about two weeks after traditional drying is the best time to trim dry hemp. This happens faster if you use a drying machine. Extra leaves and plant parts that either damage,or fail to contribute to hemp’s beneficial properties get trimmed.

Dry trimming comes with its own set of advantages, including a prettier, stronger, and more flavorful product. In contrast to the wet trim, the trichomes have had time to stabilize, making them less sticky and more practical to handle. In all, trimming dried hemp has nearly as many benefits as its counterpart.

The downsides of trimming

Despite how agreeable hemp is during trimming, there are downsides to dealing with both wet and dry hemp. Both instances prove that too much of a good thing never stays a good thing. For example, when wet trimming, the plant’s trichomes are stickier than ever. The residue left from handling wet hemp can leave a trail on your fingertips and gear (use rubbing alcohol and latex gloves if you find yourself in this predicament.) Also, while the process of wet trimming can shorten the time to market, its tediousness can take long, monotonous, and physically demanding hours.

In dry trimming, the same process that makes those trichomes so much neater to handle also makes them more fragile. Too much drying, and they can break at the slightest touch. Also, not trimming the leaves immediately means that you’ll take up more space during the drying process. When working with a drying machine for hemp processing, space is a limited commodity you don’t want to waste.

Whether wet or dry, let Arbor Vita8 hemp with hemp processing

Even with their drawbacks, it’s nearly impossible to go wrong with a wet or dry approach to hemp processing. When you are ready to dry, Arbor Vita8 has the capability to dry up to 20,000 wet pounds of hemp per hour. Our capacity is tough to beat. We’ve found an idyllic method that can service needs on a truly industrial level. From seed to sale, we’re here to support our partner farmers through the entire hemp process. Contact us today to learn more.