Increase Efficiency With Harvest Supplies, Equipment, & Machines
Having the right harvest equipment, supplies, & machines is the difference between an efficient, productive harvest and a dreadful process that ends up compromising yield & quality.
We have the supplies you need to harvest your plants properly. When you shop with Hydrobuilder, you’ll make a positive impact on the overall finished quality of your flowers, improve your efficiency, and increase your ROI. Harvest your plants faster than ever while preserving the amazing smells, flavors, and quality of your finished product. From trimming machines and hand trimming supplies, to solventless extraction equipment like rosin presses and dry sift tumblers, we've got everything you will need from the time you cut your plants down to storing the end product after trimming, drying and curing.
Choosing The Right Harvesting Supplies or Machines Makes All The Difference
While harvesting plants you’ve been growing for months is one of the most exciting times for a gardener, it also involves the most time consuming & meticulous processes – trimming. With the right harvesting equipment, though, it can be a breeze.
At Hydrobuilder, we seek to make your harvest an enjoyable experience without any of the common hassles that weigh it down. Our selection of harvest machines can automate most of your harvest.
In the past, only commercial growers could really justify investing in a harvest machine - but these days, there are harvest machines for hobbyists, too!
Throughout the following paragraphs, we’ll discuss the different types of harvest equipment & supplies, and explain how to actually harvest your plants.
You’ll Need Harvest Supplies For Each Different Stage Of The Process
Part of what makes harvest such a tricky phase is tha there are essentially three different stages, and different growers will follow them in different orders.
You need harvest supplies for each of the three stages, which are described below:
- Removing and trimming the flowers or buds
- Drying the product
- Curing the product
Removing Fruits or Buds and Trimming Flowers
Here you have two options: either cut down the entire plant at the base or remove the individual stems/flowers to hang. Before you dry your plants, you will need to trim and remove leaves and other undesired foliage. Trimming is usually advised before you dry the flowers because the leaves will curl into them making the process more difficult.
Gardeners that live in dry climates will sometimes break the trimming process into two phases: once before drying and then again before curing. The more untrimmed a flower is the slower it will dry, and rooms with low humidity will dry plants out too fast.
At Hydrobuilder we offer two ways to trim your plants:
- Hand Trimming – This is most affordable option, but very time-consuming. You will need scissors and a cleaning agent for them when they get dirty, which they will. It’s also recommended to have gloves and a trim tray to keep your hands and the surrounding area safe and clean. If you’re trimming by hand, you really only need 3-4 different harvest supplies, and storing them is easy!
- Harvest Trimming Machine – This will rapidly speed up the process and make it a much more enjoyable experience, but they can be quite expensive and some pollen lost will occur. Highly recommended if harvesting several plants at a time. Depending on the trimming machine, you may still need scissors or shears to remove stems and/or get a closer trim.
The Drying Process
The drying process, along with the curing step that comes next, this is incredibly important because it has a large influence on the quality of the finished product. A poor dry and cure will not only dramatically reduce the quality of the yield but the quantity as well. Mold can ruin a plant that took several months to grow, and you will always need to have an eye out for it even when perfect conditions are met.
You can dry in three ways:
- Hanging – You can simply hang your plants up to dry, and it’s recommended you do this in your grow tent as there are humidity and temperature conditions that need to be met. The biggest pro of this method is it’s free. However, hanging takes up a lot of space, and one plant can take up your entire grow tent.
- Drying Racks – Drying racks are a great way to condense space and give you multiple drying options. They let you both hang your plant material and allow them to lay them flat on a rack. The one negative of a drying rack is your flowers can flatten on the side that’s resting. However, simply turning them over will prevent this, and they will unflatten a bt when curing.
- Freeze Dryer Harvest Machine – Freeze-drying is the process of placing plant material in a low humidity freezer where the moisture is pulled out by CO2 around the material. They are great for reducing the drying time from days to hours and preserve flowers just as effectively as any other drying process, if not more so.
Drying should last 5-9 days under optimal conditions:
- Humidity – between 45 and 55%
- Temperature – 65 and 75°F (18-24°C)
- Airflow – A slight breeze will dry the plant material out evenly and help prevent mold.
The Perfect Cure
Technically, the curing process starts once the plant material is removed from the plant. Once your flowers have dried, you will fill airtight containers until they about 80-90% full, seal the container, and wait 24 hours. After that they will need to be periodically “burped” to remove the built-up moisture – this is done by opening the jars for around a minute. This process lasts for two weeks, but additional curing will occur up to six months – the jars will not need to be “burped”.
Why We Cure:
- Flavor and aroma – Curing is important because it breaks down the leftover minerals and sugars produced by chlorophyll. When these aren’t broken down they create a harsh and poor flavor. Curing also preserves aromatic compounds that degrade when the temperature falls under 70°F.
- Long-term storage – Curing will keep your flowers fresh and prevent loss of quality. As well, it will remove enough moisture so mold won’t grow.
You Can Cure In Two Ways:
- Jars – This provides a very affordable way to successfully cure your flowers. With this method, there is more room for human error, and in general, more work and monitoring involved. You will need a hygrometer to monitor humidity.
- Curing Harvest Machine – Because curing is an incredibly important process, a curing machine that reduces labor, automatically vents out built-up moisture (burping), and carefully controls humidity is a godsend for larger operations. You can set the parameters and walk away knowing that your cure will be perfect.
Curing can last anywhere from 2 – 4 weeks under optimal conditions:
- Humidity – Between 55 and 65%
- Temperature – 65 and 75°F (18-24°C)
- Airtight – Your container must be completely sealed.
Want a complete guide on harvesting, drying, and curing? Check out the beginners guide in our learning center!
What Are The Different Types Of Harvest Equipment & Supplies?
Trimming Machines – Trimming is often considered to be the most hated and tedious part of the growing process, and trimming one plant alone can easily take hours. That’s why we offer a wide variety of different trimming machines, that range from small trimmers great for home gardeners to commercial scale trimmers where they are an absolute necessity.
Extraction Equipment – Concentrates and edibles are quickly becoming many people’s favorite way to consume, but they come with a higher cost associated with the extraction process. That’s why we offer affordable extraction machines that make incredible high-quality tinctures and oils for home growers. Commercial operations that are looking to get a one-up on their competition will love our variety of commercial extraction machines. From presses to dry ice to dry sift we have the entire field covered.
Hand Trimming Supplies – Those that are looking to save money on harvesting equipment will love our range of scissors, trim trays, gloves, and cleaners all designed to make the whole trimming process fast, precise, and stress-free.
Drying Racks – Drying racks are a great way to conserve space and evenly dries flowers of all different sizes. Perfect for drying smaller flowers and flowers without stems that make hanging them impossible.
Curing Machines Freeze Dryers – Curing machines and freeze dryers remove human error giving you a higher quality final product without having to dedicate anywhere near the same amount of time as manual methods.
Harvest Storage – Here you’ll find jars and humidity packages for manual curing, as well as vacuum sealers for long-term storage and harvest bags designed to absorb odor and makes transferring discrete. Humidity packages will reintroduce moisture if you remove too much from the plants when they are curing or drying.
Harvesting Packages – Don’t feel like putting together a harvesting setup? No problem, because we offer you a variety of one-in-all packages because no shoe fits every foot.
Looking For Recommendations On The Best Harvest Equipment?
Harvest machines & equipment can become a pretty substantial investment - so you want to make sure you get it right the first time.
That’s why we’ve put together buying guides for each of the main types of harvest machines, to make the buying process hassle-free. Here are some of the most important reads:
No matter what type of harvest machine you’re after, we have a recommendation for your specific type of grow on one of these lists. If you’re a hobbyist grower just looking for some harvest supplies, we recommend you check out our guide on the most essential harvest accessories!
Hemp Harvesting Equipment & Supplies
Here at Hydrobuilder, we carry an abundance of hemp harvesting equipment & supplies to help you achieve your most profitable crop to date.
Whether you’re harvesting hemp flowers or just the biomass - we have what you need to achieve peak productivity and efficiency. No matter how big or small your operation is, we have the hemp harvesting equipment you need!
When you're done harvesting your plants, or even while they're still flowering, it's a good idea to get a sense of how potent your flower is. Check out our guide to selecting a potency tester and figure out the content in your harvest!
Why Buy Harvest Equipment & Supplies At Hydrobuilder?
There are so many options when it comes time to buy harvest equipment online, yet the top hobby and commercial growers around the world continue to shop with us.
We offer a wider selection than anyone else online, sourcing only the top harvest supplies online. Whether you are looking for trimming scissors and mason jars or a full blown harvest machine - we have what you need.
Our commercial cultivars love working with us because we treat them like family - and we are able to help them become more profitable by offering the products, resources, and pricing they need to take their business to the next level.
Simply put - we have the best brands & products, the best pricing, and the best resources online when it comes to harvest equipment & supplies! Grab your harvest supplies and machines from the experts today.
Essential Resources For Your Next Harvest
We really meant it when we said we have the best plant harvest resources online. Here are some of the most important ones we recommend our growers read, whether you’re a complete novice looking to learn the ropes or a seasoned green thumb looking for a quick refresher:
- How To Dry & Cure
- Flower Storage: Your Guide To Harvest Preservation
- Flushing Plants & Preparing For Harvest
- Wet Trim vs Dry Trim: Which Is Better?
- How To Increase Terpenes and Terpenoids
With the right harvest supplies & resources, you are now well equipped for your most successful harvest to date.
