Drying and Curing Cannabis

After harvesting cannabis you may think the journey is over. Yet, there are 2 important steps left, the first is drying cannabis, before then you can start curing cannabis.

You can try bud washing before you begin drying and curing.

Why is drying and curing cannabis important?

Drying your flowering cannabis serves several critical purposes, all of which contribute to the product’s quality and shelf life.

You may lower the water content of your buds by 10% to 15% by drying individual buds on a drying rack or hanging complete branches in a drying chamber. For the deepest levels of each blossom, you’ll need to cure your stockpile after this step to get rid of any remaining moisture.

What’s the best way to trim cannabis before drying and curing?

There are two primary ways to prune your buds during harvest time. Immediately after harvesting, you may use wet trimming to remove unwanted buds. On the other hand, dry trimming is the process of trimming your buds after they have dried and before they are cured. Cutting when the buds are moist is simpler, more exact, and avoids the possibility of agitation that occurs when dealing with dried buds. On the other hand, Dry trimming may produce a product deserving of a top-shelf position based only on its appearance.

What do you need to dry and cure cannabis?

Drying your flowers serves various purposes, all of which help improve the final product’s quality and shelf life.

Consider the problems of dense vs airy buds when drying cannabis, you will want your buds to be as dense as possible and avoid airy buds.

What’s the ideal humidity for drying cannabis?

Your trimmed buds will be at their best if kept in an area with sufficient airflow and relative humidity of 45–55 percent.

How to dry cannabis

The following is a guideline on how to dry cannabis:

Setting up your room

Harvested cannabis should be stored in a cool, dry place with a 55-65% humidity level in a 60-70°F temperature range. Monitor these values using an inexpensive hygrometer.

In addition to a tiny fan, you may require a dehumidifier or air conditioner. It may be necessary to modify the temperature or humidity of your environment if buds are taking too long to dry.

Find out further information on how to dry wet cannabis if your bud is excessively sticky or wet.

Trimming your cannabis

Trimming when wet necessitates using a flat rack since there will be too many cut individual buds to hang. Air flows freely through matte frames, which are circular with many mesh layers.

After a few days on the flat rack, gently crush the wet-trimmed buds to see whether they have dried. It’s best to wait until the following day to remove them if they’re still too damp.

Hanging your buds

The “traditional” method of drying buds is to hang them upside down. Plants upside-down may be suspended in various ways, some more inventive than others. Hanging buds upside-down from clothes hangers or rope or just about anything else will work on drying them. The whole plant may even be hung upside down.

How long to dry cannabis

The standard drying time is 2-7 days. Wet pruning allows for a faster drying procedure since most of the plant material is removed before drying begins.

How to dry buds without hanging

Likewise, a plain brown paper bag and a net-like bag for fruits are two of the most popular options for those who aren’t interested in the finer packaging points. Fold the top of a paper bag several times to secure it.

Shake the bag now and again to prevent the buds from becoming moldy from sitting in one spot. As a bonus, they dry more quickly as a result of this.

On cardboard or a drying pot rack, you may also lay buds down and rotate them to avoid damp areas.

How to cure cannabis

Check to see if buds are dry

Because mold and bacteria may grow in damp conditions, you may want to check more often than once per day for the first several days if you want to know how to cure cannabis. You must check on your buds at least once every 24 hours during the early stages. The jars should be opened once a day to allow the buds to get some fresh air, necessary for cannabis curing.

Place buds in the jar

Once you know how to cure cannabis, the next step is understanding where to store them. Once you’ve completed the curing cannabis process, you may keep your bud in the same jars in a cold, dark, and dry area. If you don’t have to check on your buds as regularly, be sure to maintain the pots well-sealed to stop them from drying out.

How to store cannabis once it’s dried and cured

Cannabis buds may be stored for two years if properly cured. If you have properly dry and cure cannabis, you should keep it in a cool, dark environment since mildew and other molds grow in temperatures between 77 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.