After harvesting marijuana plants, the buds require a thorough drying and curing process. By conserving terpenes and cannabinoids while reducing chlorophyll and eliminating the plant’s vegetal flavor, these methods help to preserve and amplify tastes.
The drying phase is the initial drying of buds, which normally takes place outside—freshly harvested plants, as well as sticks, stems, branches, and leaves that are clipped off, can lose up to 75 percent of their weight due to moisture loss.
When dry trimming, the buds are dried first, then trimmed; when wet trimming, the opposite is true.
A dry should not be too rapid or too lengthy: if it is too quick, the outside of the buds will appear dry but the insides will not; if it is too long, the buds may mold.
After trimming and drying, buds are placed in airtight containers to cure. This prevents moisture loss, retaining flavors and aromas, and allowing buds to fully develop their flavor.
How Long Does Cannabis Take To Dry?
Drying time is between 2 and 7 days. Wet pruning takes less time because the majority of the plant material is removed early and there is less plant to dry.
When dry trimming cannabis, you can hang whole plants or branches upside down on a line or hanger to prevent buds from flattening or becoming deformed as they dry.
You’ll set trimmed buds on a drying rack after wet trimming.
Check drying buds or branches after two days, whether wet or dry trimming, by bending a branch or stem—if the stem snaps, the buds are entirely dry. Leave them alone if they don’t snap the next day.
Creating a Cannabis Drying Room
Keep the picked weed in a dark room with a temperature of 60-70°F and a humidity of 55-65%. You may keep track of these figures with a low-cost hygrometer.
You may need to add a dehumidifier or air conditioner as well as a small fan to circulate the air. If drying buds in your room is taking too long, you may need to change the temperature or humidity to speed up the process.
Equipment for cannabis drying rooms
- To dry buds, use a drying rack or a line.
- Temperature and humidity are measured with a hygrometer.
- AC unit with a fan (optional)
- Removes moisture from the air (optional)
How To Dry Buds Without Hanging
You’ll need a flat rack while trimming wet because you’ll have a lot of cut individual buds and won’t be able to hang them. Flat racks are circular mesh racks with multiple layers of mesh that allow for excellent airflow.
After 2-3 days, squish wet-trimmed buds drying in the flat rack to see how they’re doing. If they’re still too damp the next day, leave them and inspect them again.
How To Cure Marijuana
When the buds have dried and been clipped, the initial wetness has evaporated, and it’s time to cure your weed.
You’ll be storing finished buds in containers—typically sealed glass jars—to prevent moisture loss and retain flavors and aromas while curing. Curing can take anywhere from two weeks to a month, and humidity levels inside curing vessels should be between 55 and 65 percent.
Why Curing Marijuana Is Important
The curing process is probably the most underappreciated element of cannabis cultivation. Moisture continues to flow from the bud’s center to the outside during curing.
The flavor and quality of the smoke are affected by curing. Many terpenes, the compounds that give cannabis its distinct aroma and flavor, are extremely sensitive, degrading and evaporating at temperatures as low as 50°F. A slow, low-temperature cure will maintain terpenes better than a fast, high-temperature dry.
A thorough cure also allows you to preserve weed for longer periods of time without fear of mold, cannabinoid, or terpene deterioration. Flower that has been properly cured can be stored in an airtight jar in a cold, dark place for up to two years without losing efficacy.
Equipment Needed To Cure Cannabis
It’s best to cure cannabis in a room or location with a consistent temperature and humidity—damp, wet basements or hot, steamy attics aren’t ideal. The environment should be kept at a comfortable temperature and not overly humidified.
Because light can degrade terpenes, it’s best to be able to turn off the lights in the room or cover jars to keep light out.
To treat buds, you’ll need the following items:
- Hygrometer (for each jar) to detect temperature and humidity
- Airtight jars
The Process of Curing Marijuana Buds
It’s time to cure the buds once they’ve dried.
Place the clipped buds in a container that is airtight. You can use ceramic, metal, or wood vessels, but most people choose wide-mouth quart or half-gallon glass mason jars.
Because plastic bags are permeable to oxygen, they are unsuitable for curing. You also don’t want your marijuana to taste like plastic.
Buds should be packed loosely in containers rather than compacted or crushed. Containers should be sealed and kept in a cool, dry, dark place.
Buds will get softer after a day or two as moisture from the middle of the buds rehydrates the outer sections. If this does not occur, your cannabis has most likely been over-dried.
The humidity level within sealed jars should be between 55 and 65 percent. If you’re still dubious, a digital hygrometer (which detects moisture) may be purchased for around $20 at any hardware shop.
If the buds are excessively dry, a humidity pack, like as a Boveda pack, can be used to rehydrate them.
Leave the lid off for half a day or a full day if the buds are excessively damp before resealing them. Check the humidity levels every day, and if they’re still excessively wet, leave the lid off for a while.
Burp Your Jars
Regardless of humidity level, open the containers once or twice a day for a few minutes during the first week of curing—this is called burping. This allows moisture to escape and oxygen to be replenished inside the container.
When you open a jar and smell ammonia, it signifies the buds aren’t dry enough and anaerobic bacteria are eating them, resulting in moldy, rotten cannabis. Leave the cover off for a day and then reseal it the next day.
Burp containers only once every few days after the first week.
How Long Does It Take For Cannabis To Be Cured?
Your cannabis should be cured enough after two to four weeks in containers to provide you a tasty, aromatic, and high-quality experience. Some people like to treat for four to eight weeks, while others choose to cure for six months or longer.
How Should You Preserve Your Cannabis Buds Once They’ve Been Harvested?
You may store cannabis buds for up to two years after curing them without losing much strength. Mildew and other molds on cannabis and organic matter thrive in temperatures between 77 and 86°F, therefore properly dried and cured cannabis should be kept in a cold, dark environment like good wine or a whiskey barrel.
Cannabinoids and terpenes that have taken months to produce can be dried up by excessive heat. When these essential oils, together with plant material, become too dry, they can produce a scorching, unpleasant smoke.
Here are some suggestions for keeping buds fresh:
- Store in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight.
- Store in neutral-charged containers, such as glass mason jars.
- Monitor and manage humidity levels with hygrometers or devices like the Boveda pack.
- To reduce oxygen exposure, vacuum seal jars and containers.
- Separate strains to maintain different flavor characteristics, and date them—mixing strains is a pain.
Temperature
Decarboxylation, the process by which THCA transforms into the psychoactive THC, is similarly slowed at lower temperatures. THC degrades into CBN, a cannabinoid having a variety of actions and characteristics. Warm air also has a higher moisture content than cold air.
Humidity
To keep mildew and other mold pollutants out of your cannabis, humidity management is critical. When storing cannabis, keep it at 55-65 percent relative humidity to maintain and improve color, consistency, aroma, and flavor.
Light
UV rays damage numerous organic and synthetic compounds, including cannabis, and UV rays will harm cannabis over time. Temperature control can also be achieved by storing cannabis away from direct sunlight.