How to Make Marijuana Smell Stronger

Co-authored by Jamie Corroon, ND, MPH and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: January 15, 2022 References

Growing marijuana is a labor of love, so it's frustrating if you get buds that smell like hay or nothing at all. Choosing a strain with a smell you love is one of the easiest ways to make your marijuana smell stronger. This is where terpenes come in—they're the plant compounds that give marijuana its unique aroma. There are lots of little growing tricks you can try to really amp up the terpene content so you'll get fantastically fragrant marijuana.

1

Choose a great-smelling strain.

Buy a strain that has the smell and flavor profile you're looking for. Sure, growing conditions can affect how your marijuana smells, but plant strain is one of the biggest indicators of smell. Shop for a strain with the smell you're after—you'll find sweet, funky, sour, or fruity strains, for instance.^{[1]
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- Still not sure what to get? Talk with a seed supplier who you trust and describe the smell you're going for.^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Jamie Corroon, ND, MPH
  Medical Director of the Center for Medical Cannabis Education
  Expert Interview. 10 March 2020.} You can also check out seed companies or forums for marijuana growers. Any of these should be able to point you in the right direction!

2

Grow your plant in nutrients designed for marijuana.

Skip standard plant soil and fertilizers which are too high in nitrogen. Instead, use gardening products made for marijuana plants. These usually help the plant produce terpenes, the compounds that make your marijuana smell its best.^{[3]
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- Generic plant soils and fertilizers can pack too much nitrogen. A nitrogen excess will help your marijuana plant put on a lot of growth, but it will reduce bud yield which is where those fantastic aroma compounds are found.

3

Keep the growing temperature around 75 °F (24 °C).

Heat can make marijuana lose its smell so 75 °F (24 °C) is the sweet spot. If the temperature in your grow room is over 80 °F (27 °C), the plant's going to be really stressed and it won't put on as many aromatic buds.^{[4]
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- Check the room's thermostat so you know it's accurate and set between 70 to 75 °F (21 to 24 °C).

4

Try low-stress training.

Bend and tie back tall branches to encourage more buds to form. You've probably noticed that most marijuana plants grow a tall main stem with buds on the end. Since the aroma compounds are in the buds, if you tie back the tall branches you can encourage flat, uniform growth. This means you'll get more and bigger buds across the plant which means more flavor!^{[5]
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- Be gentle when you bend the branches down and away from the center. You can use a twist tie or plant tie to secure the branch to a nearby branch so it doesn't pop back up.
- Start low-stress training as soon as you notice that some branches are taller than the others. The earlier you start training, the better.

5

Expose your plant to UV-B lighting during the flowering phase.

Turn on UV-B lights for 2 to 3 weeks to encourage trichome production. Aim for 12 hours of lighting while the marijuana is flowering, alternating with 12 hours of darkness. The UV-B rays help the plant make trichomes—those hairy, glittery glands that contain terpenes.^{[6]
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- The flowering phase is usually 8 to 9 weeks after planting, but your seeds should have a specific flowering timeline.
- UV-B light can cause eye inflammation so you should always wear protective goggles or glasses when you work around the light.

6

Water your plant with a supplement before harvesting.

You can buy sugar- or carbohydrate-based supplements at grow supply shops. These products can make your marijuana smell sweeter. Just dilute the product according to the manufacturer's directions and water your plant for the 2 weeks before you harvest.^{[7]
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- If you want to try a homemade supplement, dissolve 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of blackstrap molasses in 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water.

7

Flush the buds 2 weeks before harvest.

Water the plant with plain water to help the plant absorb nutrients. If you've been using supplements that help the plant put on aromatic buds, a lot of the nutrients are still in the soil. Stop adding supplements in the last 2 growing weeks and just use water. This gives the marijuana a chance to absorb the nutrients that are still in the soil.^{[8]
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- Flushing is also a great way to prevent your marijuana from smelling or tasting like chemicals or mint.

8

Harvest your marijuana 2 to 4 months after it flowers.

Experiment with harvesting a week early or late within the time frame. Check your seed strain for a specific harvesting timeframe. Then, play around with harvesting to find out what gets you the most aromatic marijuana. You may harvest a week earlier than recommended or give your plants an extra week so the aromatic compounds can develop.^{[9]
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- This is a good experiment if you've got several marijuana plants. Keep a log or journal and make notes so you know what harvesting time worked best for which strain.
- In general, marijuana plants are ready to harvest when you see the glittery crystal-like trichomes on the buds turn milky or amber.

9

Dry your harvested branches for 2 to 3 weeks.

Keep the temperature in your drying room between 60 and 68 °F (16 and 20 °C). Set the humidity to 50% so the marijuana dries slowly and evenly. This can help preserve the aromatic compounds so your marijuana smells great.^{[10]
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- If the drying room is over 75 °F (24 °C), your marijuana will lose a lot of flavor and aroma.

10

Trim the buds carefully with small scissors.

Carefully cut the buds from the stems and put them in wide-mouthed jars. Handle the buds really gently since these are covered with hairy, glittery trichomes that are packed with aromatic compounds. Fill wide-mouthed mason jars with the buds and seal them closed.^{[11]
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- Fill your jars only 75% full so they're not packed and they can continue to dry out.
- Your marijuana will continue to become flavorful as the buds cure.

11

Cure the buds in a dark, cool room for 2 to 4 weeks.

Place the jars in a room that's 70 °F (21 °C) with 60-65% humidity. The buds will keep drying and will develop more flavor and aroma. Giving the marijuana time to dry can also make it feel more potent.^{[12]
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- As the marijuana cures, it will lose the flavor compounds that make it smell like hay. Instead, it will develop scents that are common for the particular strain. For instance, your marijuana may start to smell fruity, floral, or funky.

Expert Q&A

Question

Is it better to vape or smoke?

Jamie Corroon, ND, MPH
Medical Director of the Center for Medical Cannabis Education
Dr. Jamie Corroon, ND, MPH is the founder and Medical Director of the Center for Medical Cannabis Education. Dr. Corroon is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor and clinical researcher. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Corroon advises dietary supplement and cannabis companies regarding science, regulation, and product development. He is well published in the peer-review literature, with recent publications that investigate the clinical and public health implications of the broadening acceptance of cannabis in society. He earned a Masters in Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology from San Diego State University. He also earned a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from Bastyr University, subsequently completed two years of residency at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health, and is a former adjunct professor at Bastyr University California.

Jamie Corroon, ND, MPH

Medical Director of the Center for Medical Cannabis Education

Expert Answer

Generally speaking, vaping causes less irritation to the respiratory tract than smoking, but it depends on what is being vaped. It is best to avoid vaping CBD oil unless you can access a Certificate of Analysis to verify the ingredients, and amounts, contained within the vape cartridge.