What causes trichomes to have different “texture” strain to strain?

Been growing for 3-4 years now and have gone through 3 or 4 dozen strains with a wide range of different growth types, sativa/indica, phenos, and I’ve noticed that while generally, most strains have a fairly similar trichome texture of sorts.. usually rather sticky with a high amount of tackiness, almost semi-adhesive.

Some of the strains I grow however, have VERY different feelings to the trichomes and/or oil the buds leave behind.. I have some Gorilla Biscuit plants days away from harvest, likely around 75 days right now I think(?, can’t remember exactly) but when I touch the buds or do a stem run right at a good node, it is oily.. nearly no stickiness like I usually get, and even while trimming, that strain tends to leave my fingers feeling VERY different from usual, like a very slick oily feeling with just the slightest amount of “grab” to it.

Another strain that I grew out for a while was Bodhi’s Black Lotus.. I keep 2 phenotypes at first.. one was a more purple, stronger smelling, longer flower time, bit less on yield, and a fairly normal trichome/oil texture... sticky, tacky, (gluey?) The second phenotype finished a bit quicker and yielded a bit better, but not quite the bag appeal.. However, the second phenotype also had incredibly dry and sandy feeling trichomes.

I have had a few strains/phenos that exhibited similar trichomes and it’s always a bit odd to me. Often, they are extremely trichome coated, but even when alive the residue feels different. I rarely have to clean my scissors while trimming, and when handling the buds it just leaves behind a sandy, gritty texture on my fingertips, with very little, or no, stickiness.

I have done very little research, but was interested in hearing thoughts and opinions of others on the subject.. what kinds of trichomes had you experienced? Did there seem to be any real pros or cons of the different textures as far as potency/cannabinoid contents/terpenes/concentrate production/etc...?Just wondering other thoughts on the matter. I will say it seems the strains with an excessively oily feel to them, are often quite strong smelling, and conversely, the dry gritty textured buds, are often much less pungent and generally weaker smelling, though not always.

Hope to hear some neat thoughts/ideas and experiences!! Be happy and be safe

Sandy gritty trichs are from grower error at some point, not desirable imo. Thats the difference and id guess most have noticed a more grit like texture at some point

Seems entirely possible as they tend to have a lesser smell, but it seems odd that it has been only with certain phenos and strains and time after time they produced similar textured residue and tend to be similar in potency and concentrate production.

Regardless, if it is a growing error that has repeated itself with only certain strains and phenos, what kind of error could cause that?

Also, what is it that makes the slick/oily residue?

I’m content with my product and quality, just curious to learn some neat information or hear from others perspectives happy growing all!
Be happy and be safe!

Ive grown the same strain and witnessed a diversity in trichs but always down to enviroment and small stresses.

A trich is a trich for our purposes but the thickness of cell walls and replication of cells probably makes for many different situations.

All I can really say is that with hps, the stuff peeled off gloves quite easily. With cob, it peeled off much the same but more. With a certain runner, it sticks like oily super glue and refuses to peel off with ought considerable effort (more than I care to put in half the time).

If more and stickier means good I actually don't know, I guess it's human nature to assume more is better.

The only strange memory I have is back before decent temp control. It was so cold during the winter months and I distinctly remember that sand paper type of feeling king is talking about. I'm assuming the cold temps are the culprit, solidifying things to grit. If it was just cold at that time (harvest) then I don't think it would effect much other than the texture at that point, like frozen pees perhaps. If the cold was an issue over the entire grow then ofc the entire quality has suffered.

Not much info, hope it is of some help.

FlyHigh589 said:

Been growing for 3-4 years now and have gone through 3 or 4 dozen strains with a wide range of different growth types, sativa/indica, phenos, and I’ve noticed that while generally, most strains have a fairly similar trichome texture of sorts.. usually rather sticky with a high amount of tackiness, almost semi-adhesive.

Some of the strains I grow however, have VERY different feelings to the trichomes and/or oil the buds leave behind.. I have some Gorilla Biscuit plants days away from harvest, likely around 75 days right now I think(?, can’t remember exactly) but when I touch the buds or do a stem run right at a good node, it is oily.. nearly no stickiness like I usually get, and even while trimming, that strain tends to leave my fingers feeling VERY different from usual, like a very slick oily feeling with just the slightest amount of “grab” to it.

Another strain that I grew out for a while was Bodhi’s Black Lotus.. I keep 2 phenotypes at first.. one was a more purple, stronger smelling, longer flower time, bit less on yield, and a fairly normal trichome/oil texture... sticky, tacky, (gluey?) The second phenotype finished a bit quicker and yielded a bit better, but not quite the bag appeal.. However, the second phenotype also had incredibly dry and sandy feeling trichomes.

I have had a few strains/phenos that exhibited similar trichomes and it’s always a bit odd to me. Often, they are extremely trichome coated, but even when alive the residue feels different. I rarely have to clean my scissors while trimming, and when handling the buds it just leaves behind a sandy, gritty texture on my fingertips, with very little, or no, stickiness.

I have done very little research, but was interested in hearing thoughts and opinions of others on the subject.. what kinds of trichomes had you experienced? Did there seem to be any real pros or cons of the different textures as far as potency/cannabinoid contents/terpenes/concentrate production/etc...?Just wondering other thoughts on the matter. I will say it seems the strains with an excessively oily feel to them, are often quite strong smelling, and conversely, the dry gritty textured buds, are often much less pungent and generally weaker smelling, though not always.

Hope to hear some neat thoughts/ideas and experiences!! Be happy and be safe

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I sure have to scrape and clean trimming equipment and I get a lot of finger hash. I keep 99% alcohol just to clean scissors with after scraping the hash off. Multiple times every trimming session. I’m sure I’m not alone. You’re missing something somehow.

Further I save all my quality trim and this neighbor blasts it outside after it hits -20F. We get a lot of good dab.

hotrodharley said:

I sure have to scrape and clean trimming equipment and I get a lot of finger hash. I keep 99% alcohol just to clean scissors with after scraping the hash off. Multiple times every trimming session. I’m sure I’m not alone. You’re missing something somehow.

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No, maybe I didn’t explain it right... 85% of my strains/phenos I grow are all similar to what you are describing.. VERY sticky, constantly cleaning scissors/fingertips/gloves, with an almost adhesive “snap” to it. What I’m curios about, were simply the outliers.. while MOST of my strains exhibit similar “texture” sometimes the residue left behind is quite different to the norm. Extremely Oily with little stick but MASSIVE amounts of residue left on fingers that leaves them almost “slick” feeling, and a more sandy, grittier texture are the two most common, but even then, it often seems like their are small differences in the texture and types of trichomes..

And I understand that trichomes can have large or small stalk, large or small heads, different width cell walls, etc.. just curious about everyone’s personal findings or thoughts on the topic! Thanks for anyone offering any thoughts, I enjoy reading good information and well thought out opinions happy growing all!

When the crystals are rubbed on the sandier grittier textured buds you guys have had, is there any dust created?

I have had it in a small section of bud and could not figure out if it was dried out trichs, mold or powdery mildew. I may have harvested a bit later than normal running a 12 week strain for 14 weeks.
When rubbed it created a small dust cloud.
I'm hoping it was dried out trichs. I don't usually have a problem with mold or PM and it was on small dime size section of a cola. I cut out the small section and put the rest in a crock pot for topical oil choosing not to smoke it in case it was mold or PM.

Kushash said:

When the crystals are rubbed on the sandier grittier textured buds you guys have had, is there any dust created?

I have had it in a small section of bud and could not figure out if it was dried out trichs, mold or powdery mildew. I may have harvested a bit later than normal running a 12 week strain for 14 weeks.
When rubbed it created a small dust cloud.
I'm hoping it was dried out trichs. I don't usually have a problem with mold or PM and it was on small dime size section of a cola. I cut out the small section and put the rest in a crock pot for topical oil choosing not to smoke it in case it was mold or PM.

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I just started reading and I'm pretty sure mine was a grey dusty mold that develops in late flower.

I know I messed up with air circulation and need to do some reading to avoid it in the future.

FlyHigh589 said:

Been growing for 3-4 years now and have gone through 3 or 4 dozen strains with a wide range of different growth types, sativa/indica, phenos, and I’ve noticed that while generally, most strains have a fairly similar trichome texture of sorts.. usually rather sticky with a high amount of tackiness, almost semi-adhesive.

Some of the strains I grow however, have VERY different feelings to the trichomes and/or oil the buds leave behind.. I have some Gorilla Biscuit plants days away from harvest, likely around 75 days right now I think(?, can’t remember exactly) but when I touch the buds or do a stem run right at a good node, it is oily.. nearly no stickiness like I usually get, and even while trimming, that strain tends to leave my fingers feeling VERY different from usual, like a very slick oily feeling with just the slightest amount of “grab” to it.

Another strain that I grew out for a while was Bodhi’s Black Lotus.. I keep 2 phenotypes at first.. one was a more purple, stronger smelling, longer flower time, bit less on yield, and a fairly normal trichome/oil texture... sticky, tacky, (gluey?) The second phenotype finished a bit quicker and yielded a bit better, but not quite the bag appeal.. However, the second phenotype also had incredibly dry and sandy feeling trichomes.

I have had a few strains/phenos that exhibited similar trichomes and it’s always a bit odd to me. Often, they are extremely trichome coated, but even when alive the residue feels different. I rarely have to clean my scissors while trimming, and when handling the buds it just leaves behind a sandy, gritty texture on my fingertips, with very little, or no, stickiness.

I have done very little research, but was interested in hearing thoughts and opinions of others on the subject.. what kinds of trichomes had you experienced? Did there seem to be any real pros or cons of the different textures as far as potency/cannabinoid contents/terpenes/concentrate production/etc...?Just wondering other thoughts on the matter. I will say it seems the strains with an excessively oily feel to them, are often quite strong smelling, and conversely, the dry gritty textured buds, are often much less pungent and generally weaker smelling, though not always.

Hope to hear some neat thoughts/ideas and experiences!! Be happy and be safe

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Genetics. Hash plants plants have sandy tricks, my cookies n chem has greasy tricks, some are in between. It's all genetics unless you're scorching your plants.

macsnax said:

Genetics. Hash plants plants have sandy tricks, my cookies n chem has greasy tricks, some are in between. It's all genetics unless you're scorching your plants.

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To be honest if it was genetic then put them all under a scope and classify them....

You see the problem with assuming genetics. Moisture content of the oil would be more feasable tbh

Yeah tbh ive only encountered the gritty type trichs in traditional hash making strains

Kingrow1 said:

To be honest if it was genetic then put them all under a scope and classify them....

You see the problem with assuming genetics. Moisture content of the oil would be more feasable tbh

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There's probably a lot of factors, I can only speak from my experience. Different cannabinoid content and terps have to play a factor as well.

macsnax said:

There's probably a lot of factors, I can only speak from my experience. Different cannabinoid content and terps have to play a factor as well.

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Its all good, the fact many have seen the same grit like trichs is cool

Kingrow1 said:

Its all good, the fact many have seen the same grit like trichs is cool

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I dig the sandy trichs, the feel they have to the touch is unique. Greasy trichs suck to touch, lol.

hotrodharley said:

I sure have to scrape and clean trimming equipment and I get a lot of finger hash. I keep 99% alcohol just to clean scissors with after scraping the hash off. Multiple times every trimming session. I’m sure I’m not alone. You’re missing something somehow.

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What’s the other 1%?

Nutty sKunK said:

What’s the other 1%?

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Probably water. Or whatever they add to rub to try to keep people from drinking it. But cleans like a dream.

Sorry to necro this thread but its 100% genetics.

Still a topic I think about, so happy to have it brought back up.. some of my finding since last discussed: oddly, it seems that “Cookie” strains have a higher likelihood of having the slick, oily trichome texture I had mentioned.. my Sunshine Daydream, mother’s Milk x 88HP, orange velvet underground, deep line alchemy 7 & 10 all have fairly typical trichomes, but my Ethos cookies and my blueberry bubba cookies are exhibiting the Oily and slick trichome texture.
Generally, the strains with an oily texture are VERY easy to establish the nice terpy smell again after the dry, while with the more traditionally sticky strains, curing is often imperative to regain the desired smells post-harvest.
The sandier trichome heads are almost certainly quite a bit smaller in size but in my experience; well made dry sift or bubble hash with this type of trichome produces a very very nice hash.

On a semi-related note; has anyone ever had a strain that visibly, should have been FIRE, but the high just wasn’t there? Several years back, I grew the strain Exotic Colors... one of the nicest looking Strains I’ve STILL grown... beautiful chunky buds with hints of green peppered in deep reds and purples with more visible “frost” than I had seen on most of my plants up to that point. They all smelled wonderful, stayed nice and happy and healthy, and I was CERTAIN my patients were gonna be thrilled!!! Well, bout a week after the breeders recommendation is when I generally start looking at trichomes under magnification, so I take a peak at the forest of beautiful trichomes, and it was almost all stalk with basically NO trichome heads.. was the weirdest thing... so so so many long stalks with just tiny tiny heads that apparently contained very little cannabinoids as it was the first and only strain my patients actually returned their donations lol. Would have been strange enough if it was a single plant, but it was 6 females that all had nearly no thc in the gland head. Anyhow, just an odd story I figured I’d share.