How do I properly dry and cure my harvest?

[Smokin Moose]

Keep the drying area dark, the air well circulated and exchanged with fans, the temperatures in the lower 70's and the humidity between 50-60% with a dehumidifier, if necessary. The bud will smoke smoother if it takes around a week for the moisture to evaporate, quicker drying will harshen the taste and degrade the burning properties.

After drying, any variety benefits from a slow cure. Curing involves atmospheric oxygen to metabolize cannabinnoids and terpenes into more desirable forms. After the harvest is dry enough to create a snapping sound when stems are bent, the material is placed in sealed glass containers. Once the oxygen is consumed within them, the process slows to a halt.

The jars should be opened and aired out once or twice every 24 hours. If you smoke a bud as soon as it is drys, it is nothing like it becomes after a nice slow dry and cure. The buds must remain dry with no moisture from inner stems still dispersing, kept out of direct light and the ambient temperature/humidity should be comfortable for humans. I usually vacuum seal and refrigerate after 3 weeks, but have extended the curing time to 5 weeks, if discernable improvements were still occuring. No bud should be smoked before its time.

Peeling stems for a faster drying period

Peeling stems is a much quicker way to dry the product. The first day of drying i would normally cut all fan leaves off and score the main stem with a sharp knife. Peeling the stem exposes the inside of the stem to air, cutting drying time by 20%. You can do this scoring ritual everyday for 5 days until all is dry

 

[BILBUS]

Nice info i will use this as the harvest commandments

 

[Sensibowl]

Keep the drying area dark, the air well circulated and exchanged with fans, the temperatures in the lower 70's and the humidity between 50-60% with a dehumidifier, if necessary. The bud will smoke smoother if it takes around a week for the moisture to evaporate, quicker drying will harshen the taste and degrade the burning properties.

After drying, any variety benefits from a slow cure. Curing involves atmospheric oxygen to metabolize cannabinnoids and terpenes into more desirable forms. After the harvest is dry enough to create a snapping sound when stems are bent, the material is placed in sealed glass containers. Once the oxygen is consumed within them, the process slows to a halt.

The jars should be opened and aired out once or twice every 24 hours. If you smoke a bud as soon as it is drys, it is nothing like it becomes after a nice slow dry and cure. The buds must remain dry with no moisture from inner stems still dispersing, kept out of direct light and the ambient temperature/humidity should be comfortable for humans. I usually vacuum seal and refrigerate after 3 weeks, but have extended the curing time to 5 weeks, if discernable improvements were still occuring. No bud should be smoked before its time.

Peeling stems for a faster drying period

Peeling stems is a much quicker way to dry the product. The first day of drying i would normally cut all fan leaves off and score the main stem with a sharp knife. Peeling the stem exposes the inside of the stem to air, cutting drying time by 20%. You can do this scoring ritual everyday for 5 days until all is dry

Peeling the stems...huh. Haven't done that before. Glad I stumbled on this thread.

An oldie, but a goodie.

Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[Grandpappy Sr]

If my buds seem to dry to quickly while hanging them should I put them in a closed plastic bag overnight to redistribute moisture and then remove them the next morning and continue hanging or is this a bad idea?

 

[PaperStreet]

Nice tip about the peeling. I'll be sure to give it a go!

 

[thesnood]

If my buds seem to dry to quickly while hanging them should I put them in a closed plastic bag overnight to redistribute moisture and then remove them the next morning and continue hanging or is this a bad idea?

Pappy...plastic bags are never a good idea for fresh buds. They can cause your weed to mold and we do not want that.

i had a group of tiny buds still on stalks that i had stored in a ziplock bag with the bag OPEN and in less than a week it all had white mold on it.

Any mold is bad news, anytime you ingest mold be it eating or smoking it...it can be harmful, if not fatal.

lesson learned...no plastic baggies JARS and only after it has been cured.

 

[bunches]

My jars are waiting

 

[creamyB]

Nice info

 

[clemsontigz]

Im not new to the gig but im new to this site, I have tried it all. in Jars , In Ziplock bags , In Rubber Maid bowls with lids.. NOTHING Beats Mason Jars or Glass Jars period. Dont Grow for months to ruin it in days. Take peoples word for it and use Jars.

 

[lowandslow]

Moisture packs in the 62-65% range can help revive overdried buds if you go too far. Boveda makes a product that works great for a 1/2 quart jar. I fill 1/2 full with bud and throw in a pack...90 days later that overdried hay is usually a lot more palateable and smoother smoking.

 

[tsmit420]

Keep the drying area dark, the air well circulated and exchanged with fans, the temperatures in the lower 70's and the humidity between 50-60% with a dehumidifier, if necessary. The bud will smoke smoother if it takes around a week for the moisture to evaporate, quicker drying will harshen the taste and degrade the burning properties.

After drying, any variety benefits from a slow cure. Curing involves atmospheric oxygen to metabolize cannabinnoids and terpenes into more desirable forms. After the harvest is dry enough to create a snapping sound when stems are bent, the material is placed in sealed glass containers. Once the oxygen is consumed within them, the process slows to a halt.

The jars should be opened and aired out once or twice every 24 hours. If you smoke a bud as soon as it is drys, it is nothing like it becomes after a nice slow dry and cure. The buds must remain dry with no moisture from inner stems still dispersing, kept out of direct light and the ambient temperature/humidity should be comfortable for humans. I usually vacuum seal and refrigerate after 3 weeks, but have extended the curing time to 5 weeks, if discernable improvements were still occuring. No bud should be smoked before its time.

Peeling stems for a faster drying period

Peeling stems is a much quicker way to dry the product. The first day of drying i would normally cut all fan leaves off and score the main stem with a sharp knife. Peeling the stem exposes the inside of the stem to air, cutting drying time by 20%. You can do this scoring ritual everyday for 5 days until all is dry

there seems to be a lot of confusion on curing, first i dont think we really want the thc and terpenes to change much these are things we want to preserve as is and not degrade it there might be some benefits having it decarbed but anything already decarbed is on its way to becoming cbn. as for terpenes curing simply brings them out because its not being diluted with other grassy smells.

Here i will try to explain everything someone needs to know to experiment with curing on their own. the curing of cannabis is really a combination of three differents things 1) curing which is specifically pulling moisture from the center 2) ripening, this is a oxidative proccess powered by enzymes which degrade starches chlorophyl possibly lipids into simple forms. 3) aerobic decomposition some call it fermentation but fermentation is only anaerobic, bacteria feeds on the compounds broken down by enzymes and anything enzymes could not break down. it is possible there is some anaerobic fermentation going on as it happens in a oxygen free envriroment, fermentation usually produces bad smells which is not something we want. that being said some teas and most cigar tobaccos are fermented but in very controlled situations, fermentation may only work before plant material has been dried so you could easily end up with compost. oxygen is an enemy of thc which is why fermentation could be useful. i still have much research to do , so think of cannabis buds as a combination of a fruit and a leaf then research the types of proccessing done to leaf a fruit products after harvest

ethylene gas is used to cause the plant to produces enyzmes which quickly breaksdown clorophyll to bring out colours, neutralize acids and convert starch into sweet sugars. for smoking we still dont want sugar so thats were the bacteria comes in

 

[tsmit420]

I must add to my last statement, terpenes do change in a way, essentially their atoms bind together into forms that cant be evaporated away as easily this also raises their melting point so the bud can lose its stickyness and become easier to bust there may also be other reactions adding to this, the decarbing of thc actually lowers the melting point which is why decarbed honey oil exspecially (if its been winterized) is usually fairly runny even though the lower boiling point terpenes have mostly evaporated so thats not one of em

 

[tsmit420]

I must add to my last statement, terpenes do change in a way, essentially their atoms bind together into forms that cant be evaporated away as easily this also raises their melting point so the bud can lose its stickyness and become easier to bust there may also be other reactions adding to this, the decarbing of thc actually lowers the melting point which is why decarbed honey oil exspecially (if its been winterized) is usually fairly runny even though the lower boiling point terpenes have mostly evaporated so thats not one of em

more of a molecular binding then an atomic one

 

[Antics]

I've always been told that mold grows better in dark environments.

Why would the drying area be best kept dark? Is it a different type of mold that prefers light? What makes it best to dry in the dark, opposed to with a few lights on?

 

[JimyAppleseed]

I've always been told that mold grows better in dark environments.

Why would the drying area be best kept dark? Is it a different type of mold that prefers light? What makes it best to dry in the dark, opposed to with a few lights on?

It's the same reason you store your flowers in cool dark places: light and heat breaks down THC and other cannabinoids.

 

[Rainyday]

Anyone ever worked on a Tobacco farm back in the day? I am using a drying and curing Tobacco analogy to describe the same process for Marijuana. On a Tobacco farm, the tobacco is cut in the field (late September) and hung upside down in a barn loft. It will hang there for a couple months and sell before Christmas. A barn has plenty of air circulation. It gets cold during Oct, Nov, Dec. There's night and day... There's snow and rain, etc.. Whether you grow Marijuana in soil or in Hydro, the drying and curing process is the same as Tobacco. With Tobacco, the main thing is to keep a check on it and make sure the leaves don't dry out while it is curing. When the leaves start dying out, it's called "going out of case", which means your leaves are drying out, but the stalks are still green. If the leaves dry out, it will basically turn to dust. Just as with Marijuana, your buds will dry out and turn to dust while your stalks are still pliable. You don't want that to happen. The tobacco farmers take a clean garden sprayer with water and go in the barn and "MIST" not WET, but "MIST" the tobacco so the humidity stays in the tobacco leaves while the stalks are curing. This is called putting the tobacco "into case". Anyway, it's basically the same thing. Of course, all these you-tubes and websites want to sell you something. You have to keep Marijuana leaves "in case" so they don't completely dry out and turn to dust, while your Marijuana is curing. You don't want to freeze your Marijuana. Whether your growing in soil or in hydro, the drying and curing is the same. Unlike a barn, you have more control over a room. Get your supplies together. Room Fan, Room Humidifier, Humidity and Temperature Monitor, as well as a Garden Sprayer, Mason Jars, Q-tips. My suggestion would be to trim all the water leaves off and trim the bud before you cut the stalk. Once you cut the stalk, hang the plant(s) upside down in a room. It's just easier to work with and cure that way and less risk of mold and mildew. If your water leaves and bud are trimmed before you cut and hang it, there's plenty of air circulation on the plant. The Room fan is NOT blowing on the plant(s), but just circulating the room air, so put the fan in the back of the room on low speed. Keep a check on your plant(s) for a couple days and when you feel the leaves start drying a little, turn on the Room Humidifier. Keep checking. If your leaves don't go back "in case" Mist the plant(s). Mold and Mildew grow DARK ROOMS, so whoever is advising constant DARK ROOMS... ah.. NO. Molds grow faster in dark humid rooms. Turn the dam room light on. A regular Incandescent light bulb. It's not going to HURT your plant(s). Jezzus.. Turn the light on during the day and turn the sucker off at night. Anyway, Keep your room temperature cool and your humidity level enough your buds don't dry out. If you will just keep a regular check on them, you will learn about what levels are good for your plants in your particular zone of the world. Just keep them steady once you find a good balance. I live in a desert, so I keep my house at my comfort zone of 68 degrees. So, that's the temperature my plant(s) have to live in or die.
I adjust the humidity as needed for the plants to stay in what? "IN CASE"! I don't know why the old farmers called it that, but that's what they called it, so that's what I'm calling it. I know what it means and that's what counts. Ok, so once your stalks break and not bend, the plant is cured. You can cut the buds off and put them in Mason jars. You keep a check on them daily. When you feel it's a little dry, wet a couple Q-tips and put them in the Mason Jars. I put my Q-tips at the top mouth of the jar sideways so they hold themselves in place, but don't touch the bud. They are just there to add some moisture to the air in the Mason Jar, so the bud doesn't dry out. Set them on a shelf, NOT in direct sunlight and NOT in complete dark. Just put them on a shelf or put them in the refrigerator. Hell, I've even put bunches of them (not n Mason jars) in the crisper drawer in the refrigerator with a wet paper towel to the side for humidity regulation. You just have to keep check on them. It's not going to hurt them. It's a plant or flower just like vegetables or flowers from the store. This is the OLD SCHOOL WAY I learned from REAL FARMERS. It works and it doesn't cost a dam fortune. IT WORKS FOR DONATION MMJ TOO! Everybody has their own way I guess, but believe me when I tell you that most websites don't want you to be successful unless you buying their shyt and guess what? Your still not going to be successful unless you realize it's a plant and not some woo hoo mystical unreal thing beyond your control. Just trying to help.

 

[Antics]

The reason the dark room is suggested is because the light will break down THC, it's in the post just before yours.

 

[gwhiz]

Very good info. Gr8 to know as this will save me a ton of bud. Thanks man!

 

[SAFO1]

Thanks for the info. plants are hanging ,good air circulation .gonna have a tokeable new year. THANKS

 

[gryzzly56]

Keep the drying area dark, the air well circulated and exchanged with fans, the temperatures in the lower 70's and the humidity between 50-60% with a dehumidifier, if necessary. The bud will smoke smoother if it takes around a week for the moisture to evaporate, quicker drying will harshen the taste and degrade the burning properties.

After drying, any variety benefits from a slow cure. Curing involves atmospheric oxygen to metabolize cannabinnoids and terpenes into more desirable forms. After the harvest is dry enough to create a snapping sound when stems are bent, the material is placed in sealed glass containers. Once the oxygen is consumed within them, the process slows to a halt.

The jars should be opened and aired out once or twice every 24 hours. If you smoke a bud as soon as it is drys, it is nothing like it becomes after a nice slow dry and cure. The buds must remain dry with no moisture from inner stems still dispersing, kept out of direct light and the ambient temperature/humidity should be comfortable for humans. I usually vacuum seal and refrigerate after 3 weeks, but have extended the curing time to 5 weeks, if discernable improvements were still occuring. No bud should be smoked before its time.

Peeling stems for a faster drying period

Peeling stems is a much quicker way to dry the product. The first day of drying i would normally cut all fan leaves off and score the main stem with a sharp knife. Peelieng the stem exposes the inside of the stem to air, cutting drying time by 20%. You can do this scoring ritual everyday for 5 days until all is dry

I like the idea of scoring the stems, great info bro!