So you decided to grow your cannabis, either for yourself or for commercial use it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you need to dry and cure your cannabis so you have a healthy and quality product.
But it’s also important how you do it, not just that you do it. If done incorrectly, it could have the opposite effect where cannabis would become dry, lose its CBD and THC, and be unhealthy.
In this article, we are going to cover everything you need to know about drying and curing your cannabis so let’s go.
Table of Contents
Drying Cannabis vs. Curing Cannabis
First, we need to understand the difference between drying and curing cannabis.
Drying is the process of removing moisture from your buds, which is necessary for preventing mold in your crops. You can dry your buds by hanging them up in a dark, warm room with good air circulation.
Curing on the other hand, is when you store your dried buds in an air container and let them sit for weeks or e this time, the moisture in the buds will be absorbed by terpenes (aromatic compounds) and cannabinoids like CBD and THCA that are present in the buds.
The process helps to bring out all of those wonderful flavors and aromas we love about cannabis! It’s important to note that curing should only be done after the buds have been properly dried.
To make the process even easier, be sure to use a professional trim machine so you can speed things up while keeping the quality high.
Why Do I Need to Dry and Cure My Cannabis
Drying your cannabis buds have a lot of benefits, but the most important one is that it increases the product’s quality and shelf-life.
Another reason is that freshly cut buds have a lot of moisture and if you smoke it fresh you will see how low quality that bud is, of course, if you manage to light it up. Also, if buds aren’t dried they can catch mold and nobody would like to smoke mold.
By hanging branches in your drying room or just placing individual buds on your rack water content can be reduced by up to 15%. This process of drying is removing water from the outer layers of each bud. To dry the deeper sections of the bud you will need to cure them.
Curing is of crucial importance here due to the fact that it helps your marijuana have a longer life span and saves its quality and aroma of it. It allows the buds to be stored without losing all of their flavor and potency. Also, curing is eliminating the bacteria and enzymes that are in the air and as a result of that, you have smoother and better-tasting smoke.
How to Dry Cannabis
To ensure your buds have been dried evenly, you need to ensure that the air around them can move freely. You can do this by hanging the buds on strings or using a wire rack for each individual bud. The buds need to be flipped regularly to ensure they don’t flatten on a single side.
If you’re looking for a more cost-effective solution, here are a couple of tips on how to dry your buds on a budget:
- Use a cardboard box: Line the bottom of a cardboard box with newspaper and place your buds on top. Open the box regularly to circulate air and prevent mold.
- Use a fan: Stick your buds in front of an electric fan on low speed, this will help them to dry faster while circulating air around them.
- Place in direct sunlight: Depending on where you live, you can lay your buds in direct sunlight for a few minutes each day. Make sure to rotate them regularly and keep an eye on them to prevent any sun damage or overheating.
These tips should help get the job done quickly and easily.
Humidity Level for Drying
What’s most important when drying your buds is getting the humidity level right. Too much humidity in the room can cause mold and mildew, while too little will prevent them from drying properly. Aim for 50% relative humidity (RH) during the entire process. You can use a hygrometer to measure RH levels in the room.
- Use a desiccant: Desiccants are substances that absorb moisture from the air and can be used to help dry buds quickly. Silica gel packets, rice, or even kitty litter are all good options for desiccants. Place them in a container with your buds and make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too dry.
- Control temperature: Temperature is also an important factor when drying your buds. Keep the room at a steady temperature between 65-70°F (18-21°C). This will help ensure that the humidity levels remain stable and make sure the process goes smoothly.
- Check regularly: As mentioned earlier, it’s important to keep an eye on your buds as they dry. Check them regularly to make sure the moisture content is consistent and that there’s no mold or mildew forming on the buds. If you notice any signs of mold, discard the buds immediately.
How Long Does It Take
There is more than one factor that plays a role in drying your cannabis.
Of course, the bigger they are the more time it will take, also density plays a big role in drying. The style of trimming also comes into play. In the cannabis plant, branches hold most of the water, so if you choose to include it, it will prolong the drying period.
Everything from humidit to airflow in the drying room will have an impact on the drying speed. However, on average the process takes between one and two weeks. I’s important to check on your buds every day and make sure everything is moving along properly. You may also want to check the temperature of your drying room as well.
How to Cure Cannabis
If you decide to rim the buds while they’re still wet, you need to start the process as soon as possible and monitor it closely. Once the stems are dry but still flexible, you can move on to curing your buds.
Place them in an airtight container like a Mason jar for about two weeks and open the lid once per day to let out any built-up moisture. After two weeks you can begin storing your buds in a cool and dry place. Be sure to check on them every few days, and if you notice any mold or signs of moisture accumulation, take action immediately.
Best Humidity Setting
When it comes to curing your cannabis, 60% to 65% humidity is the optimal range. Use a hygrometer to check the relative humidity (RH) levels in your drying room. If necessary, adjust moisture levels using either a dehumidifier or humidifier as needed. You may als
How Long Does It Take
A lot of cannabis growers cure it for about a month, but to get the best result in aroma and flavor we recommend curing it for at least 4 and 8 weeks at the most.
How to Store Your Marijuana
Once you finished the processes of drying and curing your marijuana you can store them in jars. Be sure to put the jars in a low-temperature, lowly-light room. You don’t need to check them constantly just make sure that your jars are well-sealed so they cant dry a lot and lose flavor.
Closing Thoughts
We are sure that you understand now why the processes of drying and curing are important for the quality of cannabis. Be sure to use the things you read in this article and you will never have a problem with your cannabis being bad quality or tasteless.
