How do I properly dry and cure my harvest?

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

by Psychotropic Nomad
submitted: 01-08-2003

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.

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I’ve all ways found that drying slow is the way to go I hang my plants in paper bags to slow down the process

I have drying screens but they dry way too quickly

After a week in the Paper bags the stem brakes easily I trim off the stems an into the jar they go
First week I open the jars 2 x’s a day after that once a day for up to a month

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A good rule of thumb I read somewhere for when to stop hang drying and start sweating in jars is if you squish a bud and it stays squished it’s still too wet, if it crumbles its too dry (duh lol), if it sort of sponges back to shape it’s right in the zone.

I’ve been using this for a while now and it works great for me. I find they’re just before the stem snapping point when I jar them and then get there with sweating/breathing over the next few days.

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