The great cannabis cultivation debate: hand- or machine-trim?

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Choosing whether to trim cannabis by hand or machine is a decision that impacts both the final aesthetic and the perceived quality of marijuana buds as well as a cultivator’s operational efficiency and the bottom line.

As the cannabis market matures and consumer preferences evolve, cultivators must evaluate consistency, cost-effectiveness and the overall value proposition of each approach.

“The industry acknowledges that hand-trimming is definitely more precise,” said David Risley, director of cultivation at Missouri-based multistate operator Shangri-La Dispensaries, which recently opened a 40,000-square-foot cultivation and manufacturing facility in Connecticut.

Many growers use both hand- and machine-trimming methods, depending on the quality of the cannabis they’re processing.

Cultivators typically trim higher-quality flower by hand but use trimming machines to save time and labor costs for lower-end strains.

“With hand-trimming, you can be gentler with the product and not disturb as many trichomes as if you put it through a machine trimmer,” said Joey Hoover, director of cultivation at Des Moines, Iowa-based Bud & Mary’s.

“People who are experienced (cannabis users) can tell the difference.”

Marijuana operators weigh efficiency versus precision

One person can trip about 1 pound of cannabis in an eight-hour shift.

A properly trained employee operating a trimming machine can trim 10-15 pounds in about an hour, Hoover said.

“If you machine trim, it’s a lot cheaper and labor costs are more efficient, but it depends on what you’re growing for and the quality of the product,” Hoover said.

Victor Hernandez, national head of cultivation for New York-headquartered multistate operator iAnthus Capital Holdings, acknowledges that while machine trimming has improved, the major differentiating factor between the two methods is how the final bud looks.

He also notes that the more the buds are touched, the less potent they will be.

Trimming with scissors, on the other hand, eliminates touch points.

“The amount of touchpoints that you get from beginning to end is a lot, and that equates to a lesser THC percentage,” Hernandez said.

“With scissor-trimming, you get the flower in its more pristine shape.”

Although cultivators incur upfront costs for trimming machines, it might be worth it for the time saved in processing and packaging plants.

Trimming machines range in price from $1,000 to about $50,000.

“The person running the machine needs to be trained on how to operate it,” Risley said.

“If they’re not getting the results they want, it’s less the machine and more the human operating the machine.”

What to look for in cannabis trimming equipment

With hand-trimming, you need a few sets of shears per trimmer, a cup of alcohol or wipes to keep scissors clean and a trim tray that has a kief tray to catch the crystals.

Trichomes can cause stickiness on the scissors, so keeping them clean is critical to ensure the trimming is precise.

“It seems value is something people are looking for, but you have traditional smokers who want to see a more manicured bud,” said David Charros, cultivation operations manager for The Cannabist Co.’s facility in Lowell, Massachusetts.

“Every touchpoint with the product comes with a percentage of degradation. You want to be mindful of the trichomes.”

Other gear for hand-trimming includes personal protective equipment such as a glove for the hand that’s holding the bud, glasses and masks to protect the flower from any illness the trimmer might have.

Charros said many companies make good shears, but his preference is Chikamasa. As for trimming machines, Charros likes GreenBroz Model M.

“It’s consistent as long as we’re within a certain range of moisture content,” Charros said. “The main variable on the processing is the amount of time and fan speeds.

“Each strain has a different bud structure and density. Some need three minutes, and some need five minutes.

“We have to make sure we’re not overprocessing the material.”

Other machine trimmers favored by cultivators include Mobius, which can feed buds into the packing line, and Python Industries, formerly Tom’s Tumbler, which offers bladeless trimmers.

Machine trimming might be faster, but speed comes at the expense of flower.

Growers who use machine trimmers lose about an ounce per pound or roughly 7% of the flower they put into them if the operator is paying attention.

“If you have an operator who gets a phone call while running the machine and leaves it on for two minutes too long, that 7% loss turns into 8%, 9% or 10%,” Hernandez said.

Margaret Jackson can be reached at margaret.jackson@mjbizdaily.com.