Dense Weed: How to Get Denser Buds Indoors and Outdoors
Are you a grower looking to take your harvests to the next level? Are you tired of cultivating small, loose nugs lacking in smell and flavor? We’re about to share our secrets to growing dense weed bursting in terrific trichomes and covered in gooey resin.
It’s possible to achieve thick, heavy chunks with your cannabis in a grow room or planted outdoors. Follow our steps at each stage of your plant’s life, and you’re guaranteed to grow gorgeous colas wherever you choose.
Excited to find out how to grow dense buds? Let’s get started.
Why is dense weed better than fluffy weed?
Growers of high-grade weed are never satisfied with fluffy, popcorn-like nugs. They’re unappealing for many reasons.
Airy marijuana feels feeble and is a nuisance to trim. Besides looking unappetizing, it yields fewer grams of plant matter and is low in cannabinoids. You’ll have to use a lot of your precious harvest for just one decent hit when cultivating these colas.
Dense buds feel hefty and look healthier. Being full of aromatics, they have a distinct taste. They’re often bright and colorful and more visually attractive, with a potency that makes them stand out.
These flowers may be compact, but they offer high weight and hold increased levels of THC. A little will go a long way when grinding them down for a joint or bowl.
Growing dense buds means you can pluck more product from your cannabis than if the plant produced fluffy nugs. High-quality marijuana that gives exceptional yields and a smoother smoke? Yes, please!
How to get denser buds
Don't give up if you haven't had any success growing the buds you want. There are several changes you can make to your cultivation method to improve the quality of your harvest.
Whether you’re planting your cannabis indoors or outdoors, achieving dense weed every time is possible.
How to grow dense buds indoors
Cultivating in a grow room offers an unbeatable level of control over your crops. Here are the factors you can take charge of to ensure your plants produce those big blooms you’ve been dreaming about.
Light
Managing the light that your plants receive is crucial in dense bud production. While airy buds could grow due to a lack of rays, they may also result from a glare that’s too intense.
Grow lamps must be strong enough to encourage cola development. Marijuana is a high-light requirement plant and must receive as much brightness as possible for optimum growth. Use the size of your cultivation area to calculate the wattage suitable for your space.
To maximize the glow in your tent and develop dense nugs, use reflective walls that expose the entire plant to the rays. All of your colas need to be in brightness.
Another crucial element when using lights is to place them a suitable distance away from your cannabis. Even the most powerful bulb will be ineffective if it’s in the wrong position.
Grow lamps that are too close to the leaf canopy cause terpenes to burn away and your buds to bleach. LEDs placed far from the plant decrease your yield and density.
A good way to check if your lights are at the correct distance is to try the hand test. Hold your palm amongst your plants for 30 seconds. If it’s unbearably hot for you, it’s too warm for your cannabis, and the globes should be further back.
Temperature
If you’re learning how to get denser buds, starting to regulate the temperature of your room is the most important step.
When developing in a tent that’s too hot, nugs stop fattening and become seedy. Cold conditions also hamper blooming, so it’s essential to find the balance.
Marijuana prefers temperatures of 65-80℉ while in the flowering stage. Anything above this will make buds fluffy and decrease their smell and flavor intensity.
Airflow
Without adequate ventilation, dense weed won’t develop. Airflow mimics the natural growing conditions of cannabis and promotes strong stems. Sturdy branches ensure that the plant can support the heavy nugs it develops.
As cannabis is wind-pollinated, it concentrates its energy on growing the buds exposed to fresh air. Be sure to provide plenty of circulation in your grow room, and thick blooms should be on the way.
How to make buds heavier outdoors
Marijuana flourishes when developing in its natural environment. When outside, it has unlimited fresh air, sunshine, and no limits on how large it can get.
Living in such ideal conditions, your plants should naturally produce plenty of bud sites.
Even without the control afforded by indoor cultivation, a few measures can help you grow dense buds.
Soil preparation
When sowing cannabis seeds outside, it’s vital to ensure top-quality soil. It’s highly unlikely that the existing substrate in your yard is ready for cultivation.
Enrich it by mixing in a slow-release fertilizer to make your plants flourish. A well-prepared growing medium has increased levels of aeration that encourage healthy root growth. Marijuana that has a strong base is sure to grow dense buds.
Plant placement
The location of your cannabis outdoors must be thoughtfully planned.
Plants should be in an area that receives at least eight hours of direct sun exposure each day.
Cut back any other trees or shrubs that tower over your marijuana. If it’s scorching at certain times, provide some shade to protect the crops from heat stress.
It’s also important to place each seedling a good distance away from others. Buds need areas to themselves to fill out properly. Big colas require a few inches of surrounding space that they’re not sharing with leaves or other blooms.
How to get tighter buds no matter where you grow
Wherever you choose to plant your marijuana, you should always follow a few golden rules to grow dense weed.
Add the right nutrients at each growth stage
A common reason for airy buds forming on cannabis is nutrient imbalances.
Marijuana needs large quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to spur development. The feeding ratios of these macronutrients change at each phase of the plant’s growth.
During the vegetative phase, give your seedlings high amounts of nitrogen. This mineral encourages the formation of stable branches that can easily support the enormous nugs that are sure to grow later.
In early blooming, ramp up the phosphorus and potassium levels you feed your crops. Blooms can’t develop properly without these supplements that encourage dense nugs to fatten up.
Later, increasing the amount of potassium you give your cannabis is how to make buds bigger during flowering.
As you’re near the end of growing, your plant needs high levels of this food to speed up its rate of photosynthesis. This acceleration boosts the sugars available to flowers for their final size expansion and flavor enhancement.
Prune
It seems counterintuitive to cut off blooms when trying to maximize your harvest, but pruning is how to get dense buds.
When a crop has an abundance of nodes, it’ll attempt to develop all of them. Since the flowers at the bottom don’t receive enough light to become compact, this is a waste of valuable energy.
Rather remove small nugs far from the canopy and any tiny shoots between the trunk and branches.
Trimming your marijuana enhances the fresh air and light that the plant receives and discourages mold.
Know when to harvest
Certain cannabis strains increase the size of their buds by up to 25% during their last two weeks of growth. If you can’t wait and pluck your crops early, you’ll miss out on this last burst of activity.
Knowing the perfect harvesting time could differ between growing mid-grade weed or cultivating fat, dense buds that get you salivating.
Inspect your plants with a magnifying glass to determine if the trichomes are at peak ripeness.
You could also take small samples of your blooms to see if you like how the flavor and smell have developed.
Five hard, dense bud strains that help you achieve dense buds every time
To a certain degree, the genetics of your marijuana determine the weight of the nugs you grow.
You can follow every available tip on how to get super dense buds, but if your plant is not predisposed to create big blooms, it’s unlikely to happen.
Indicas usually produce heavier flowers, while sativas tend to develop fluffy, airier ones.
If you’re determined to harvest some compact, THC-stuffed cannabis, select an indica-heavy strain known for creating chunkier plant masses.
Here are five of the best hard, dense bud strains that’ll get you the results you’re after every season.
White Rhino
These hardy and resilient seedlings grow into short, compact plants that produce enormous yields.
White Rhino Feminized is easily grown indoors and out, and it doesn’t require constant attention to flourish. Thick, gooey resin covers the flowers that appear all over the branches.
You’ll notice a strong aroma with pine hints that melt away tension and induce a feeling of serenity.
Strawberry Kush
Strawberry Kush Feminized is famous for being one of the most dense bud strains around.
Even beginner growers can achieve massive harvests of compact, resin-covered blooms that are potent and pretty. The plant is easy to maintain and thrives wherever you plant it.
The smooth smoke gives hints of fruity strawberry flavors that kick in quickly.
Skywalker OG
Skywalker OG Feminized seeds transform into gigantic plants with fat buds covered in sparkling trichomes. If you’ve been wondering how to grow the dense weed you’ve been craving, you need to try this cultivar.
Skywalker OG is a trickier crop that needs regular pruning, precise feeding, and close climate control. Don’t let this put you off, as you’ll be well-rewarded for your efforts.
Its pungent terpenes release a spicy citrus flavor that relaxes the mind and aids in a good night’s sleep.
MK Ultra
MK Ultra Feminized is a super-dense bud strain that’s simple to cultivate. The plants are low-maintenance and resilient, with natural immunity to mildew and pests.
It develops bright, colorful flowers and incredibly frosty colas surrounded by vivid foliage.
The woody pine aroma is powerful and induces a sense of serene peacefulness that’s best at the end of a long day.
Afghan
Any cultivator can grow Afghan Feminized, as its forgiving nature won’t punish you for making mistakes. Another of the well-known dense strains, a single plant provides incredibly high yields.
Potent THC fills the hefty, gooey buds with recreational and medicinal benefits. Many have reported the fragrant pine flavor of Afghan as a phenomenal pain and anxiety reliever.
Key takeaways about dense nugs
Growing thick, sticky flowers is undoubtedly one of the greatest cannabis growing achievements.
It’s not as difficult as it sounds to accomplish. With a little preparation and a lot of eagerness, you too can pick heavy, compact nugs come harvest time.
Now that you know how to grow dense buds indoors and outdoors, head to the Homegrown Cannabis Co. store. We have various strains available to cultivate into the blooms your heart desires.