Drying and curing marijuana buds
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After harvesting your cannabis plants, the drying process begins. Drying marijuana along with curing is one of the most important steps to obtaining top-quality buds .
We could almost say that when we cut the plant we have not done more than half of the work. The steps that we are going to do next are as important as the fertilizers we have used and the quantity and quality of light that our plants have received.
The steps that we recommend following for a good drying and curing of cannabis are those that we will see below.
Trimming cannabis buds
This process consists of cutting the leaves of the plants, leaving only the small resinous leaves around the buds. We must do it when we have just cut the plant, although some prefer to cut them when the plant is still alive, specifically in its last days of life, which means that so much work does not accumulate on harvest day.
Drying cannabis plants
Once we have left the plant clean of leaves, we must look for a dry, cool, and dark place with some ventilation. We can hang the already manicured branches on threads or on clotheslines like someone hanging clothes, or use the modern circular net dryers that you can find in specialized stores. This process should take between two or three weeks depending on the climatic conditions of the location. The slower this process is, the better the drying will be and the more the aromas and flavors of the plants will be maintained. If you leave the stems of the branches, the drying process will take a few days, while if you remove the buds and dry them without any branches you will save some time.
An excellent option for those of you who use grow cabinets is to dry in the same cabinets and thus take advantage of the air renewal and filtration installation that you will have set up for cultivation. In this way, the plants are dried under controlled conditions and their odor is eliminated by the carbon filter and the air extraction system so that they do not raise any suspicion due to unwanted odors (which, we must take into account, can be really intense during the drying phase).
Finally, it is recommended that the temperature in the drying space be kept relatively cool, around 20ºC at most would be ideal. A higher temperature will accelerate the drying process (which reduces the final quality) and can cause the evaporation of the most volatile terpenes. Regarding humidity, the ideal would be to keep it around 50%; If it is less, we will dry too quickly, while if it is greater, the drying process can take longer than necessary. If dehumidifiers are used, it must be taken into account that they usually release heat, which will cause the temperature in the drying room to increase.
Cannabis curing
When the herb that we have in the drying process is crisp enough (we can check this by trying to bend a twig. If it breaks well, it is ready. If it bends without breaking, it is still green) we will proceed to the curing process. During this process, the flower will gain consistency and the nuances in the aroma will be refined, achieving a first-class product in just a few weeks.
To start carrying out this process we need airtight glass or plastic containers, although sometimes wood is also used (if this is the case, make sure it does not have any type of paint or varnish). You have to think that this process is like a very slow drying, so if the chosen container is completely airtight it will have to be opened daily for a few minutes, while if it is not (wooden box) the flowers will cure without any problems. need to open it every day, although it is advisable to do so from time to time. For example, Tight VAC containers represent one of the most professional and used options today.
Once the flowers are at the correct drying point to begin curing, they are placed inside the containers so that they are as full as possible, although without compressing the buds with your fingers. During the first few hours, the flowers will likely become slightly moist again; If this is the case, it is best to leave the container open for a few hours before closing it again. The ideal from here is to leave the containers in a cool, dry, and dark place and open them for a few minutes each day.
If during this process you notice that your flowers are too dry, an excellent option is to put a fresh leaf (ideally cannabis, although it can be lettuce. Just make sure it is not from a particularly aromatic plant) inside the jar for a few hours. After a while, you will see how the flowers have absorbed the moisture from the fresh leaf, leaving them with an ideal degree of humidity. Another very good option is to use Boveda or Integra Boost bags, which will help you achieve perfect humidity inside the containers.
The curing process usually lasts between two and four weeks and we will conclude it once the buds have the ideal drying point and consistency. To store cured flowers for long periods of time, it is best to freeze them in airtight or vacuum containers. After a few hours of thawing, you'll see that your buds smell and taste just like the day you froze them!
Happy harvest!
