Shopping at different cannabis dispensaries in my local areas allows me to be very particular about the quality of weed I smoke.
I’ve learned the producers, strains and even grow methods that I prefer.
There are subtle differences in indoor grown and sungrown cannabis. There is definitely a noticeable elevation in flavor, effects and even the burn of the bud when the plant has been allowed to fully mature. Proper cultivation and processing methods are extremely important. I am willing to pay more for top shelf flower that is free of sticks and seeds. I don’t want to see any hint of webs that might indicate spider mites or fuzzy mold. I look for dense buds that provide a texture somewhere in-between sticky and dry and crumbly. The weed needs to have a vibrant green color, possibly with flecks of purple, and bright orange pistils. If the hair-like pistils are white, I know the weed was harvested prematurely. If they are a brownish-gray, the marijuana is most likely old. There needs to be an abundance of mushroom-shaped, crystal-like trichomes. Those tiny trichomes are where the cannabinoids and terpenes are found, giving the weed its potency, flavor and smell. I always give the dried flower the sniff test. The aroma of cannabis is unmistakable. Because of the terpenes, the flower can be dank, diesel, citrusy or peppery in smell. It should never smell like hay or have a musty aroma. I have been extremely satisfied with the level of flower I’ve purchased from the local dispensaries. I’ve discovered some really amazing strains.