After trimming material is graded in preparation for sale. There are essentially three grades of cannabis flowers – smalls, mids, and tops. Smalls are flowers smaller than a dime. These are usually from the lower portion of the plant but also can be formed when larger flowers break apart in processing. Smalls can fetch a fine price as there are relatively fewer of them produced, and their quality is still high.
Mids is more of a quality statement, referring to the middle of the spectrum. They are also known as mid-grade. These may be discolored, overdried, irregularly sized, odorless, and/or hay-smelling. This can either be due to a mistake in cultivation, an early/late harvest, or post-harvest handling. Flowers that look amazing in the field but are dried too quickly or at too high of temperatures can easily become mids. Tops refer to the top of the plant and the flowers that receive the most sunlight and growth. These are the finest quality and often the largest size, although there is a limit. Flowers must be broken down into individual cannabis buds and not left on the stem. As noted above, beautiful-looking tops can become mids with improper dry/cure.
Combining size or quality all together makes sales more difficult. Buyers are looking specifically for smalls, mids or mid-grade, or AAA tops. Grading the crop appropriately is important to maximize value and sell the crop efficiently.