How To Increase THC: A Complete Guide On Making Weed Stronger

We’ve all wondered how to increase THC upon mastering the basics of cannabis cultivation.

You’ve been growing weed for a while. Your results are now consistent, no plant dies of stress, and you’re harvesting as much as expected. You feel like you’re not reaching the promised genetic potential, though.

Luckily, several at-home gardening practices act as natural THC boosters. Pick potent strains, grow your weed right, and employ our tricks, and each bud will drip in cannabinoids.

Join us as we discuss the details on THC production in cannabis and explain how to make your weed stronger.

What makes a plant produce THC?

Before learning about handy ways to make your weed stronger, let’s introduce you to the internal processes that make it strong in the first place. Why does THC occur in the majestic cannabis plant?

Marijuana produces cannabinoids for survival. These compounds have a protective role within the plant, safeguarding it against:

• Insects
• Frost
• Water loss
• Pollinators
• Predators

What makes THC special is its psychoactive feature. The natural THC boosters within the cannabis plant deter predators who don’t enjoy the effects of consuming the compound. The chemical is also an anti-microbial benefit, acting as an immune system that inhibits infection.

You don’t have to study how to increase THC levels to shield your plant—even minimal amounts cover this purpose. The reasons you’d enjoy more THC come after collecting the colas.

Why increase THC levels?

Before discussing how to increase THC, let’s see why you’d do it.

Increasing the psychoactive compound contents in your bud brings about the following benefits:

• A stronger high. You capitalize on every ounce of your harvest with potent buds. When you’re smoking a high-THC strain, it takes several puffs only for the effects to set in.
• Effective medical relief. THC has medicinal properties. When you make weed more potent, you find that it also manages health conditions with higher efficiency.
• Improved harvests. Apart from making the most of each bud, THC booster practices also improve the quantity and quality of your yields.

Overall, unless you’re specifically on the market for low-THC herbs, you only benefit from these potency-boosting practices. With that in mind, let’s discuss ways to do so.

How to increase THC levels in weed plants?

How to grow potent weed? With good gardening practices. We promote plant health, and the marijuana crop responds with higher cannabinoid production.

Note: We’ll start by sharing five tried-and-tested tips to make weed stronger. Our final piece of advice will consist of several techniques that could work according to anecdotal evidence from individual growers.

Choose the right genetic base

The primary factor that makes weed stronger is its genetic base. Some strains originated in areas where more THC was necessary to fix potential issues. They evolved to produce more—even in safe, controlled environments.

In simple terms, genetics delineates the potential THC range of any cultivar. Your actions during its various growing stages only determine where your bud will end up within that scope. If a crop maxes out at 20% THC, you can’t achieve 30%, no matter what you do.

How to increase THC levels in your garden, then? Start with potent strains known for their psychoactive effects.

Note: Choose feminized seed varieties for powerful pot. Growing from regular weed seeds increases pollination risks and lowers potency. The short lifecycle of autos usually makes them a bit weaker in the THC department.

Apart from the THC potential, you’ll want to consider the entourage effect. In a nutshell:

• High CBD levels repress THC, making the high less psychoactive.
• Some terpenes are THC boosters, and others inhibit it.

Look into the contents of your strain and think about your primary reason for wanting to make weed stronger. Is it the mental flight or health benefits? Or something else completely? Explore how terpenes influence the high and purchase accordingly.

Harvest at the right time

How to increase THC in your genetically promising buds? Collecting colas at the right time is the number one way to get them at their most potent.

To find the right time for a THC-laden harvest, pay close attention to your buds in the final few weeks of flowering. Plants contain peak THC levels in the final two weeks of their average flowering time. After that, this compound starts deteriorating.

Apart from checking the calendar, make your weed stronger by harvesting when it meets the following criteria:

• Most trichomes have turned milky white.
• Most pistils darkened and curled inward.
• The smell is intense near the herb.
• Most fan leaves turned yellow.
• The colas are sticky to the touch.

Maintain optimal plant health

How to increase THC levels in plants as they grow and ripen? Take good care of them. A crop that has to dedicate itself to not dying from a nutrient deficiency won’t produce potent buds.

Avoid common cultivation pitfalls, such as:

• Over and underwatering.
• Over and underfeeding.
• Cold and heat stress.
• Cannabis pests, mold, and disease.
• Light burn and irregular light cycles.

Read up on and learn good gardening practices that promote plant health. These tricks make weed stronger, more productive, and higher-quality.

Maintain proper lighting conditions

Marijuana can grow without the perfect light conditions. More light boosts yield size and potency, though.

Counterintuitively, this factor is the most relevant during the vegetative stage. Ensuring optimal light at this time lets the crop stretch and develop multiple future bud sites. It also stores energy to later use for flower production.

Be sure to keep the lights strong and consistent during flowering too. Provide enough exposure to lower-level buds through vigorous trimming and side lamp setups to make weed more potent.

Always cure your buds

Curing follows drying, and all the expert growers are doing it!

This simple process includes leaving your dried buds in glass jars for several weeks to preserve their terpene contents. It increases the aromatic qualities of your nugs, as well as the clarity of the ensuing high.

Curing is also a pivotal part of your THC booster efforts. The chemical changes within the buds strengthen existing the cannabinoid content. You’re also much less likely to develop a weed hangover after that sky-high adventure!

Bonus: Anecdotal techniques

As promised, we’ll end the list of tips on how to increase the potency of weed with anecdotal methods. These practices might work, but they don’t produce consistent enough results to get individual spots on our list. 

Here are some community favorites:

• Supplementation—some THC booster supplements might raise potency along with yield size and quality.
• Long vegging periods—vegging your crops for over eight weeks could help them vigorously produce in flowering.
• Special light spectrums—growers claim that red light in flowering can make plants stronger. We still don’t have any proof of the ideal spectrum for this purpose.

4 highest THC strains

Think about the first tip we shared on how to increase THC. You need to start with a solid genetic base that lets this cannabis compound develop in the first place.

Thanks to the wonders of modern breeding, you now have endless high-THC strains at your disposal. If you find the options overwhelming, start with these four feminized psychoactive powerhouse classics from Homegrown.

1. Bruce Banner

Bruce Banner is the Incredible Hulk of cannabis, and its mighty fist promises a stimulating high. You can easily make weed stronger by growing it from this OG Kush x Strawberry Diesel cross that puts potency first.

Strong scents hint at the wild ride ahead when you light up a Bruce Banner blunt. An energizing head rush immediately follows the initial inhale, followed by physical power that doesn’t stop for hours.

Cultivation is a beginner-friendly exercise with this strain, whose fuss-free nature makes plant health maintenance a breeze. Crops thrive in most conditions, growing environments, and mediums.

2. Do-Si-Dos

Do-Si-Dos is a sedating indica-dominant hybrid that locks you to the couch in several strong puffs. This Girl Scout Cookies x Face Off OG blend helps you make your weed stronger and more sedating than ever before.

This cultivar emanates recognizable candy scents of its Cookies family heritage. The effect profile is just as sweet for your system, relieving last hints of physical and mental tension and leaving you to melt in delight.

Standard gardening care is enough to make these beauties thrive indoors or outdoors. How to increase THC in your Do-Si-Dos crops? Grow in soil and employ the Sea of Green training technique for fat, sticky buds.

3. Gorilla Glue #4

Gorilla Glue #4 is a super-sticky hybrid that blends the best of indica and sativa worlds. Crossing Chem Sister, Sour Dubb, and Chocolate Diesel, this one is a THC booster for your garden and the gluiest strain in our selection.

A powerful and multi-layered aromatic bouquet hints at the upcoming potency of these buds. The high first reaches your brain and sends you soaring. True to its name, Gorilla Glue eventually glues you to your seat in an inescapable couch-lock.

These crops can be a bit fussy, requiring a helping hand to flourish. Learn what makes weed stronger and apply it here, with generous feedings and powerful grow lights to maximize the trichome production in flowering.

4. Hellfire OG

Hellfire OG is a sought-after classic whose hybrid characteristics guarantee a double-trouble, mind-and-body high. This OG Kush x SFV OG Kush hybrid delivers much-desired indica traits in an energizing, sativa-dominant package. 

You won’t even want to wonder how to increase THC with these cannabinoid-laden buds. Plants emanate classic ganja scents that promise incredible power. An uplifting head rush helps you tackle tasks before lulling you into your seat.

Cultivation is an intermediate challenge. Crops grow short and thrive in most environments, as long as you pay special attention to humidity levels. Although the flower-to-leaf ratio is quite high, regular trimmings are necessary.

Potent buds every time

How to get the most THC out of weed? The answer is pretty simple. Start with a great genetic base and practice good gardening techniques. Give an anecdotal idea a shot if you’re feeling adventurous.

Remember that healthy plants are happy, potent plants and work on ensuring that. Potency will naturally follow from your efforts.

Check the HMG store for a comprehensive selection of the highest-quality high-THC strains in the offer & stay tuned to our blog for guides on every gardening practice necessary to make your weed stronger.

About the author: Parker Curtis

Parker Curtis has around a decade of cannabis-growing experience, specialising in soil-less and hydro grows. He’s mastering outdoor, greenhouse, and indoor grows.