As more people are embracing the Delta-8 cannabinoid, there are continuously new products on the market that allow you to enjoy its effects. Enter the Delta-8 flowers.
‘Flower,’ also called ‘bud’ or ‘nugs,’ is the smokable parts of the plant that have been dried and cured. They are often ground up and smoked through a pipe or bong. Although most of the flowers people smoke are from the marijuana plant and contain a high concentration of THC, hemp flower also exists. Delta-8 flower is hemp flower that is infused with Delta-8.
Many want to know, “what is the best Delta-8 flower?” and some also start to wonder if they can grow their own.
Smoking Delta-8 flower is a very popular way to enjoy your favorite cannabinoids. But have you wondered whether growing Delta-8 flower is a possibility? Maybe you have a green thumb, or you like the idea of growing your own cannabis. If you’re interested in learning more about growing the best Delta-8 flower, this article is for you.
What is Delta-8?
Delta-8 is one of the many cannabinoids found in cannabis and hemp plants. This cannabinoid has recently risen in popularity due to its psychoactive properties. These effects of Delta-8 are very similar to Delta-9 THC, although many report that the effects are much smoother and less potent. It’s often discussed as being a less intense high.
However, different from major cannabinoids like THC and CBD, Delta-8 is only found in minuscule amounts in the plant. As such, extracting Delta-8 directly from the plant is costly, time-consuming, and impractical to keep up with growing consumer demands. So, manufacturers have found a solution: producing Delta-8 distillate in a lab, typically by converting CBD extracted from industrial hemp into Delta-8.
The cannabinoid conversion process, known as biosynthesis, happens naturally in cannabis and hemp plants. For example, cannabinoids such as THC and CBD are created through CBGA, known as the “mother of all cannabinoids.” For instance, CBGA evolves into CBDA and then CBD over time and under the right conditions.
Similarly, scientists have found how to create Delta-8 in a lab by converting other major cannabinoids. Since Delta-9 THC is still illegal at a federal level, Delta-8 extract is typically made using hemp-derived CBD. This allows Delta-8 to be considered legal in many parts of the United States, although some states still consider Delta-8 to be illegal.
What are Delta-8 flowers?
We already talked about how Delta-8 is one of many cannabinoids found in cannabis plants. Now let’s briefly discuss what Delta-8 flowers are.
You may be thinking, “Wait, isn’t Delta-8 primarily lab-created? Are there Delta-8 plants?” If you’re confused, we don’t blame you.
When we say Delta-8 flowers, it sounds like we are referencing the bud taken from a Delta-8 plant. However, there is no such thing as a Delta-8 plant. There are also no strains of cannabis plants with a high concentration of Delta-8. As mentioned, Delta-8 is only available in tiny quantities in cannabis plants.
So how are these flowers produced? What are they?
The flowers are hemp flowers. Then, those raw hemp flowers are sprayed or dipped in Delta-8 extract to create Delta-8 flowers. So ultimately, growing Delta-8 flower means you grow hemp flowers and then coat them in Delta-8 for a higher concentration of the cannabinoid.
Hemp flowers on their own would not cause any head high because they contain only minuscule amounts of THC. But since the bud is coated with a layer of Delta-8 THC, it will cause you to experience a high and all other effects associated with Delta-8.
Growing Delta-8 Flower at Home
As we mentioned above, there is no such thing as a Delta-8 plant or a cannabis strain with a high concentration of the cannabinoid. Instead, Delta-8 flowers are made through a multi-step process which we depict below.
The simple answer to this question is yes. You can grow your own Delta-8 flowers. However, you may find that the process is quite time-consuming and can be a hassle. It’s far easier to just purchase the flower from a reputable company. But if you’re interested in giving it a try, here are the steps:
Step 1: Grow hemp flowers
Starting from scratch, making the best Delta-8 flower starts with growing your own hemp plants. These plants don’t need much tending, so they are pretty simple to grow. Hemp is known for its resilience, but you still need to watch out for pests and molds to keep the hemp healthy.
Some hemp seed varieties are more resistant to pests and molds. Not all hemp seeds are the same, so be sure to do your research before you purchase your seeds. You can find grow-at-home kits and many guides online to get you started.
As a general timeline, hemp may take around 100 days to mature and be ready for the next step: drying the flowers.
Step 2: Dry and cure the hemp flowers
The next step is drying and curing the hemp flowers. Curing the hemp is one of the most critical steps. It can take a lot of time to go through this process, but if it’s done right, you will get potent and smokable bud.
To dry the bud, separate it from the plant and hang them upside down in a cool, dark room for 5 to 15 days. Or, you can dry the buds laying down on racks.
Then it’s time to cure the flower. Curing is essential because it enhances the taste and potency and removes the rough and harsh smoke you could experience. It also allows the terpenes and cannabinoids to age and stabilize, allowing for more CBD to be produced in the plant as CBDA is converted into CBD.
The curing process involves several steps, and you may want to watch an in-depth video to fully understand each step. Simply put, you are essentially putting the trimmed flower buds in an airtight container and storing them in a dark, dry place. You must inspect the flowers twice a day to provide fresh air flow, decrease moisture, and prevent mold.
Allow the bud to cure for at least three weeks. You will know when the flower is ready based on its aroma; it will start to have a more classic cannabis smell.
Step 3: Spray hemp flowers with Delta-8
Next, you need to purchase some Delta-8 infused distillate oil. Then, spray the liquid over freshly-dried hemp flower buds. You can add a few coats of Delta-8 to increase its concentration on the bud. You’ll want to achieve a frosty look.
Congratulations! You now have made the best Delta-8 flower at home.
How companies create Delta-8 flowers
Now that you’ve seen the steps for creating your own Delta-8 flower at home let’s briefly discuss how cannabis companies go through the process if you’re interested.
Although you can simply coat your hemp flowers with Delta-8 distillate oil, if you were really trying to do the process from scratch, you’d have to create that oil yourself. However, we do not recommend this process in the slightest because it involves using some very harmful chemicals. Unless you are a scientist, you’re not likely to have access to the equipment needed to create Delta-8.
Scientists use an isomerization process to create Delta-8 THC. Isomers are compounds that have the same chemical formula but a different arrangement of atoms. Isomerization refers to transforming cannabinoids into other cannabinoids using particular chemical reactions. In this case, isomerization is used to transform CBD into its isomer, Delta-8 THC.
Challenges of growing Delta-8 flowers at home
As you can see, growing Delta-8 flower at home involves multiple steps. It is feasible to do it. However, it’s not simple.
Creating Delta-8 flower bud entirely from scratch is not an easy process, so it’s recommended that you purchase high-quality hemp flowers from a reputable company and save yourself some time and money.
Final Thoughts
Delta-8 is one of the many cannabinoids found in hemp. It has become very popular lately because it’s considered a “legal high” in many areas.
Since there are no Delta-8 plants or cannabis strains with high amounts of this cannabinoid, the flower must be created in a multi-step process. Delta-8 flower is simply hemp flower that has been coated in Delta-8 so that when it is smoked, you experience the effects of the Delta-8 along with the hemp.
The process is feasible if you want to try making your Delta-8 flowers at home. However, it can be time-consuming, so it’s probably best to save your time and purchase high-quality Delta-8 flowers from a trusted cannabis company.
To make your own Delta-8 bud, you will need to grow your hemp plants, dry the flower portion of the hemp, and then coat it in Delta-8 distillate.
If you want to experience the mild psychoactive effects of Delta-8 by smoking flower, it’s probably best to buy it from a reputable brand. This way, all you have to do is kick back and enjoy.