After a long growing and harvesting process, breathe a sigh of relief and finally get some rest. Oh, wait! There is another step that is as important as actually growing: drying and curing cannabis for easy storage. We will teach you how to dry and cure cannabis if you are interested.
Why do we need dry and cure cannabis? – how to dry and cure cannabis
There are a couple of reasons curing is important.
Removes excess moisture
Freshly harvested flowers are fresh and moist and are difficult to burn. If you store them without drying and curing they are susceptible to mold and disease due to excess moisture. Drying cannabis makes them easy to store and consume.
Maintains higher-quality cannabis
The unique flavor of cannabis is mainly derived from terpenes. Terpenes are very volatile so professional drying and curing can help retain this flavor while enhancing the aroma of flowers. Drying also ensures that you don’t lose too much THC content.
How do I dry cannabis? – how to dry and cure cannabis
Before we begin, we need to understand the drying conditions. The temperature you need in the drying room should be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit while humidity should be between 55%-60% RH. Try using a Thermometer & Hygrometer to monitor humidity and temperature.
One thing we need to consider before drying is pruning–if you’re looking for a quick solution and have dense buds, a bowl trimmer can really help speed up the process but old-fashioned hand trimmers are also excellent tools, especially for delicate buds. There are two types of pruning: wet pruning and dry pruning. Wet pruning means pruning directly after harvest while dry pruning is the opposite, where the cannabis has dried and then is pruned before curing.
How to dry cannabis when dry trimming
You need to hang the cut branches upside down on a drying rack or clothesline in a prepared dark room. Hanging upside down can effectively maintain the shape of the flower. Don’t overcrowd the branches—they need adequate airflow to dry faster and to make sure they don’t rot. It is best to add a small, low-volume fan in the drying room to promote air circulation. Generally, drying before you trim takes about 10 days.
How to dry cannabis when wet trimming
When you wet trim drying takes a little less time because there is a lot less mass that needs to dry—we’ve already removed the stems and leaves. Obviously, you can’t hang them to dry anymore so something like a mesh drying rack to dry them.
Whether it’s a dry trim or a wet trim, the method of checking if your girl is done drying is consistent: Just take a small branch and bend it, if it breaks easily, then it is dry, if it doesn’t, you need to wait.
How do I cure cannabis? – how to dry and cure cannabis
Curing cannabis prolongs the shelf life of cannabis without losing its flavor and smokability. Cured properly, your cannabis flower will keep for about 2 years.
Put the buds in an airtight jar
The most common container is a Mason jar but you can also use ceramic or wooden containers—don’t choose plastic because plastic seals too well meaning oxygen doesn’t get in and your plants might gather mold. There does need to be a little air exchange. The humidity level in the jar should be somewhere between 55%-65% RH—some moisture is OK and will not gather mold but still will keep the freshness of your buds.
Burp your buds
During the first week that your buds are in the jar you will need to open the container several times a day to replenish oxygen and release moisture. This technique is called burping. If you smell ammonia after opening the jar that means anaerobic bacteria are growing: act quickly by allowing the cannabis to “breathe” a bit and don’t seal the lid fully for about 24 hours, then reseal it after that time.
After the first week, you won’t need to check it every day, but you’ll still need to keep burping your weed about 2-3 times a week. Generally speaking, cannabis is cured in about 4 weeks—some growers prefer longer but this depends on your preference and strain.
Wrap-up – how to dry and cure cannabis
At this point, the process of drying and curing cannabis should be finished, but after it’s cured you’ll still have to burp your cannabis at least once every month. Whether you grow cannabis for yourself or for commercial use, drying, and curing are essential key steps. It’s not difficult but it does require a lot of patience. Make sure you pay close attention and measure carefully if the cannabis is not dry enough or is too dry.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
And be sure to check out our other blog posts for useful tips on becoming a great grower!
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