The Method of Cultivation
When you are looking for premium CBD products knowing where and how the plants were grown is of vital importance. After starting with good genetics, it’s the method of cultivation that largely determines the safety and the quality of the end products.
One of the reasons for this is that hemp is an incredible bioremediator (a bioremediator is a biological agent, such as a plant or bacteria that is used to remove or neutralize contaminants in water or soil). Hemp has been used to remove heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides from soil.
Hemp that is grown for human consumption should only be grown in soil that is known to contain no toxic elements that could be taken up into the plant then concentrated into the finished product. Sometimes, when hemp is grown for fiber, the leftover biomass will be used in CBD extraction. This could mean the resulting CBD product could be highly contaminated and should not be consumed by anyone.
When shopping for premium hemp flowers make sure you can source where the plants were grown and that the grower uses organic cultivation practices. Pesticides and herbicides are sometimes used needlessly on hemp plants, which are naturally resistant to many pests and diseases. These chemicals are absorbed by the plant and can be harmful to your health when ingested.
Type of Flowers
One of the interesting things about cannabis is that the plants have genders. Most plants produce either male or female flowers, although occasionally a plant will have both male and female flowers.
Female flowers grow in spike-like clusters and are covered in trichomes, the tiny crystals that produce the cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes that are the reason for hemp’s unique potency and flavors.
Male flowers grow in long clusters along the leaves of the plant and produce pollen. The male flowers turn yellow and die after blooming. The female flowers remain green until the seeds ripen, for a month or so after blooming.
To produce premium hemp flowers, only female flowering plants are wanted. If a male plant is present, and the female flowers are pollinated they will begin to produce seed and their growth will halt.
A female flower that is unfertilized will continue to grow and produce resin until time for harvest. A female plant that has not been fertilized will continue to produce more and bigger flower spikes, hoping that one of them will catch some pollen so she can make seeds and produce offspring.
Whatever your reason for smoking or ingesting hemp it is vital to make sure you know how to find the cleanest and best quality flower for both your health and enjoyment.