How to Achieve Terpene Rich Aroma and Flavor with Your Plant Yields

What measures do you use to determine the success of your cannabis growth? Some people choose to measure flower bud dry weight, CBD yield, and plant diameter. Other people value the aroma and flavor produced by terpenes for a superior experience when enjoying the fruits of their labor. If your goal for growing cannabis is that sensory-pleasing experience, there are ways you can achieve the terpene rich aroma and flavor you seek.

What Are Terpenes?

Terpenes are the compounds that create the characteristic aroma found in plants. Plants produce terpenes to attract pollenators or protect against predators. While often associated with cannabis, there are many other aromatic plants impacted by terpenes like lavender, herbs, and oranges. It’s what makes essential oils so powerful and aromatherapy possible! In the case of cannabis, the combination of various terpenes is what gives strains unique aromas and flavors.

Terpenes can be bioactive, meaning they may affect the body. Some people believe terpenes affect or enhance the high experienced when using cannabis. Called the Entourage Effect, it is believed terpenes enhance or alter the effects of THC and CBD consumption. Some research back up the claims, although more still needs to be done before verifying the efficacy.

Note: You might also hear the term terpenoids, which are slightly different than terpenes. Terpenes are found in live plants while terpenoids are produced when a plant dries and cures, oxidizing the terpenes. 

How to Get Terpene Rich Aroma and Flavor

Different growth stages of cannabis contribute to considerable variations in terpene compositions, so mindfully caring for your plant through each stage is critical. In fact, cannabis plants that are well cared for create the most dense and potent buds. Here are a few things you can do:

• Care for your plant appropriately at each growing stage. Plants have different needs during different stages of growth. Nutrient and light requirements, for example, change over time.
• Ensure pH levels stay steady. Cannabis plants are incredibly sensitive to pH levels. An ideal pH is between 5.8 – 6.3.
• Choose the right soil or soilless mix. While it’s subjective, many growers say the best-tasting cannabis comes from cannabis grown in soil (rather than hydroponic growing). Then, once you decide, carefully choose the right media mix, like Harvest Hero’s patent-pending products, to ensure your plants has the right growing environment.
• Optimize light quality and exposure. When it comes to growing plants, light is a key element. Cannabis is no exception. If you want to grow an enchantingly flavorful strain, you’ll need good sun or light exposure.

Increase Terpene Aroma and Flavor with Harvest Hero’s Enhanced Perlite Mix

A One-of-a-kind Mix of Perlite, Diatomaceous Earth, and Essential Nutrients

Harvest Hero’s proprietary Enhanced Perlite Mix is comprised of perlite, diatomaceous earth, and essential nutrients. This unique mix is designed to support the first weeks of plant growth by creating the right soil environment with the following:

• Perlite: Perlite is an industrial mineral formed by molten (magmatic) rock, also known as volcanic glass. Expanded perlite provides space for air and water within a soilless mix and decreases compaction. It retains water in three ways: in between individual grains, in channels leading to the cores of the grains, and on the highly irregular surfaces of each particle.
• Diatomaceous earth: Also known as “DE”, diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of single-celled aquatic plants represented in the form of microscopic diatoms that, in horticultural applications. It improves structural integrity to improve resiliency and help combat abiotic plant stressors like drought and waterlogging. In addition, diatomaceous earth adds matrix to the soil or soilless mix to increase porosity.
• Essential nutrients: The nutrient profile was carefully chosen to support the first 4 to 6 weeks of growth and provide a source of potassium and phosphorus. Nitrogen, another essential nutrient, is provided by your media of choice like coco coir. (Supplemental nitrogen is encouraged when the timing is right.)

The Enhanced Perlite mix is especially effective for increasing terpenes because of its neutral pH, which is essential for terpene production.

Proven Results

Researchers at NC State embarked on a 100+ plant grow study containing Harvest Hero Enhanced Perlite Mix along with additional test groups of Sunshine White Peat Moss mixed with horticultural perlite at a ratio of 75/25. The objective was to determine if Harvest Hero’s Enhanced Perlite Mix improves cannabis growth. The customized research project spanned 12 weeks with critical research assessments on shoot dry weight, root dry mass, analysis of leaf tissue nutrients, CBD, THC, and terpenes.

Compared to a traditional control group of perlite and peat moss, Harvest Hero Enhanced Perlite Mix resulted in: