Harvest & Crop treatment

The big day has arrived - the golden sheaves can be harvested. With the right approach and the right accessories, you can get the most out of your harvest.

Preparations

The first steps need to be taken before the actual harvest. One to two weeks before cutting, the plants are no longer given fertiliser. Water with pH-neutral water, preferably rainwater. Amount: about three times the volume of the pot.
48 hours before harvesting: no light, no water. This prevents mould growth and makes it easier to dry later. Once these two days have passed, it's time for the actual harvest.

The harvest

After two days of water and light deprivation, the plants are finally cut and divided. Medium-sized, robust scissors are ideal. Separate the larger leaves and cuttings from the smaller, higher-quality leaves and these in turn from the petals and flowers. Keep plant material that does not appear to be "valuable" separately - there are uses for it. Then it's time for drying and further processing.

The drying process

Indoor growers already have a good option for drying their harvest in their grow box. However, there are also special drying boxes and drying racks for the gentle drying of herbs, flowers, leaves, roots and seeds. Darkness, good ventilation, a cool temperature between 15 and 20 degrees and humidity between 30 and 50 per cent are important. Depending on the moisture content, the drying phase lasts one to two weeks. Essential during this time: check regularly for mould.

Further processing

There are various devices for crushing the dried harvest, extracting pollen from the flowers and then processing the material obtained in this way to give the end product its individual flavour. Even the cuttings, the supposedly worthless parts of herbal plants, can be turned into something special with the right accessories. Extractors are suitable for producing oils and essences. Silicone mats absorb such extracts well and release them just as easily.