How to get solid buds vs fluffy/airy buds?

[XanderBogaerts]

So I got my first auto grow finished, just messing around learning. I don’t count my first plant because the timing got fucked up and it threw everything off. But on both plants I’ve had very fluffy airy flowers, not solid like the bud from a dispensary. I attached a photo, maybe you can tell but is there something that is contributing to this? I got a new light for my next grow. It’s a 4x6 Tiller & Rowe 3 setting grow LED light. I didn’t get it until 3/4 through this grow so I don’t know how my crappy lights effected the plants but. It’s a quick one auto from RQS.

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

Usually fluffy buds are due to not strong enough light or high heat, but it kinda looks like a lot foxtails there which is usually from high heat and too much light. Im trying to figure out what I’m looking at though, is this a whole plant??

 

[XanderBogaerts]

Yea so it was a whole plant but those pictures are mid harvest. Here are some of the entire plant (short squatter) and my hygrometer data. I lost it halfway through so I had to get a new one and lost the initial data.

 

[Dab]

Good genetics, enough lighting, and nutrients too much N in flower will cause loose airy buds some strains are airy no matter what

 

[XanderBogaerts]

Good genetics, enough lighting, and nutrients too much N in flower will cause loose airy buds some strains are airy no matter what

Yeah I have my Northern Lights Auto just breaking into flowering(even though it was started the same time as the other “quick one” plant and the timelines were the same basically) and it looks like the flowers will be a bit denser on this plant. I harvested the first one mid October so why it’s such a big difference is confusing.

 

[BII]

Airy buds are not necessarily bad. Airiness has little to do with bud quality, potency, etc. Most consumers want hard buds (better resist breaking up); and as you cited, hard buds are easier for the dispensaries to handle.

Airy buds are composed of parts (sepals, trichomes, etc.) that haven't gunked/stuck together to form solid buds. Theoretically, with much more surface area exposed to light and air, airy buds can/should be more potent than gunked, congealed buds. Airy buds don't hold as much water and dry faster vs. solid buds, and can be a necessity if growing outdoors with mold a potential issue. Many strains, particularly sativas from tropical/humid areas, are inherently very airy.

Otherwise, it's good to get anything consumable from your first grow.

 

[Del boy]

Good genetics, enough lighting, and nutrients too much N in flower will cause loose airy buds some strains are airy no matter what

and over watering a lot will give you that result to and your enviroment also plays apart in it to

 

[Cannaficionado]

Im a little late to the party but your looking at something that number 1 is in genetics.

Some strains dont have nice dense bud structure. It can feel dense while growing but become soft and squishy during the dry, some strains are even fluffy during the grow, though not many are.

Your second factor is DLI or the amount of light your canopy receives in a 24 hour period. This imo is 2nd next to genetics. You really wanna get as even and as close to the max amount of light your plants can handle given the environment they are in. This depends on a couple things such as cultivar (auto/photo), amount of available food and water, and maintaining a good temp and humidity. If all 3 of those are dialed in right you can really ramp up your light to its max. In autos I wouldnt go above 700ppfd for 20 hours a day. That puts you right at about 50dli, photo plants can handle more 800-1000ppfd for 12 hours 50-60 dli a day in flower and in veg they can handle 400-650ppfd for 18 hours a day, about 40-50dli, though at those top ranges everything has to be pretty close to perfect.

3rd in my opinion is maintaining proper nutrient levels. If your plant dont have the food it will grow but not to its potential. If your food and water is in check along with your environment and light you give your plants the best chances for those nice dense buds.

 

[BII]

Im a little late to the party but your looking at something that number 1 is in genetics.

Some strains dont have nice dense bud structure. It can feel dense while growing but become soft and squishy during the dry, some strains are even fluffy during the grow, though not many are.

Your second factor is DLI or the amount of light your canopy receives in a 24 hour period. This imo is 2nd next to genetics. You really wanna get as even and as close to the max amount of light your plants can handle given the environment they are in. This depends on a couple things such as cultivar (auto/photo), amount of available food and water, and maintaining a good temp and humidity. If all 3 of those are dialed in right you can really ramp up your light to its max. In autos I wouldnt go above 700ppfd for 20 hours a day. That puts you right at about 50dli, photo plants can handle more 800-1000ppfd for 12 hours 50-60 dli a day in flower and in veg they can handle 400-650ppfd for 18 hours a day, about 40-50dli, though at those top ranges everything has to be pretty close to perfect.

3rd in my opinion is maintaining proper nutrient levels. If your plant dont have the food it will grow but not to its potential. If your food and water is in check along with your environment and light you give your plants the best chances for those nice dense buds.

And you should select a quality medium, whether soil or soilless, such as coco; and select base nutrients and feeding regimens suitable for your medium.