Wet trim or dry trim, what do you prefer?

I see a hell of a lot less kief when i wet trim -- nearly zero by comparison to dry trimming. So, i would argue any conclusion that says dry trmming 'saves' more thc or somehow makes it better. I can see beyond a doubt significantly more loss of trichomes whiel dry trimming. They are less brittle and don't fall off from agitation when wet. Hold it by the stem while you do it, and it shouldn't get on your hands -- at least nothing that you would have smoked anyway. But, i also don't get too close.. i get all the fan leaves, and 'haircut' the sugar leaves, but once i start smoking it, there's quite a bit of hidden and hard to get to stuff that needs to be picked out as i break it up. I'm lazy and it's just for me, so I don't worry about trimming from base of leaf stems etc. do whatever works. Even if more trichomes fall off from a dry trim, you probably won't notice a difference if you blindfolded yourself... so just do what works for you. if you aren't a drug dealer, you don't have to worry about bag appeal.

Dry gives you netter smoke. Actually Ibremove sugar leafes right before Ismoke the Bud. This way I don't have all the trychoms sitting at the bottom of my Grove bag after some weeks.

It is not just preference—dry trimming genuinely produces a superior final quality, primarily because of how the drying speed affects terpene retention and the smoothness of the smoke. When you trim a plant while it is wet, the exposed cut areas and the removal of sugar leaves cause moisture to evaporate much faster. Rapid drying leads to a harsh smoke because chlorophyll breaks down poorly and delicate aromatic terpenes evaporate into the air before they can cure. Here is how the two methods compare: Dry Trimming (Preferred for Quality) * Pros: Slower, more controlled drying process (ideally 7 to 14 days) allows chlorophyll to degrade naturally, preserves maximum terpene profiles, and protects trichomes inside the sugar leaves until the plant is handled. * Cons: Takes up more initial hanging space, and trimming dried, brittle leaves can be slightly messier. Wet Trimming (Preferred for Speed/Convenience) * Pros: Much easier on the hands, faster when dealing with large volumes, takes up significantly less space to hang, and virtually eliminates the risk of mold in very humid climates. * Cons: Buds dry too quickly (often in 3 to 5 days), resulting in hay-like aromas, harsh throat hits, and a degraded final flavor profile. What to Choose If maximum bag appeal, aroma preservation, and a smooth cure are your top priorities, dry trimming is the undisputed winner. However, if you are working in a humid environment where mold is a high risk, or you simply need to get a large harvest into smaller spaces quickly, wet trimming is a practical compromise.

It’s about half and half with me. All the big leaves come off. If the wet leaf has a long stem it comes off, if I can’t see the stem it stays on until after drying. It is best in either case to handle the bud a least as possible. The more you deal with dry product, the more your likely to lose unless your just cutting the ends of some small leaves off. The final quality of the product will depend on length and method of the cure, and how you grew the plant.

I believe it’s a game between both in my last experiences with harvest, drying and curing. Stick to the 60/60 golden rule. The more you handle the plant if dry or wet, the more deviation you get in the results. Also same rule applies, less is more and patience is key. Happy harvesting.

Wet trimming is easier, but I always dry trim. Leaving the leaves on when drying allows for the moisture to mostly escape through the leaves. Wet trimmed buds have all of the moisture leave through the buds which can also reduces terpenes. Wet trimmed buds also get more trichomes damage or knocked off. After trying both ways over many years, drying with the leaves still on, produces a better, more evenly dried result in my experience.