How to Dry and Cure your Cannabis at Home?

An important chore after harvesting your herb is to store it right for the future. Boxing your cannabis efficiently can help you preserve buds for a longer period of time.

With proper drying and curing, you can:
● Make the herb smoke smoother
● Remove the “CUT GRASS” smell
● Reduce the chances of mold and mildew build up.
● Maintain potency, flavor, and aroma of buds

Cannabis drying:

There are many methods of drying harvested cannabis.; The 3 most commonly used ones are:

1. Hanging the plant:

Hang the entire plant upside down on a wire with a clip at the end of the stem. Although it’s a slow drying method, it can help you preserve terpenes and flavonoids in the herb and also reduces harshness while smoking.

2. Cutting the branches:

Cut 13-15” branches from the harvested plant, and hang them separately on a string or wire.

3. Cannabis drying racks:

Simply cut the buds off the branches, and dry them in cannabis drying racks. This method is perfect if the stems are small enough to be hung on a wire.

Whatever the cannabis drying method you choose, make sure you keep temperature and humidity to an optimal level of:

Temperature:60-70 degree F/15-21 degree C
Humidity: 45 – 55%

However, to adjust the environmental conditions, you can use an air conditioner, heater, humidifier or dehumidifier.

Usually, it takes 4-7 days for the flowers to dry.

Your buds are now ready to be put in a jar for curing. Make sure that your plant is ready for this process. You are good to go if:

● The stems snap on bending
● The plant feels dry when touched
● Their tips can be easily plucked off

Curing the buds:

Cut the half-dried buds into small chunks and transfer them into an airtight jar without touching.
Make sure there is a small gap between them when placed in a jar.

Store the jar in a cool, dry place, and keep the buds at 60-65% relative humidity.

To check the humidity inside the jar, you can paste a small hygrometer on the inner side of the lid with some double-sided tape.

Open the jar twice a day and shake the buds a bit to refresh the air inside.

However, if you smell ammonia, it means the buds are wet and need to be dried up.

In two weeks, your buds are ready to be stored or smoked.
Using this method can ensure that you maintain their freshness and potency for extended periods of time.

Do write to us in the comment section if you have any question about cannabis growing and storage.