DRYING AND CURING YOUR CROP

After months of hard work choosing genetics, looking after roots, managing growth and bloom, pests, fertilisers, pruning etc… the long awaited moment has finally arrived.

Here are a few tips on how to dry and cure your crop properly as some growers fail to give this step the importance it deserves. Having arrived at this final process, you can’t afford to rush as the strength and taste of your buds will depend on how well they’re dried and cured.

Drying converts the THC from its acidic form - raw and not yet psychoactive - to its neutral psychoactive state. Drying converts at least 75% of the recently cut plant into water vapour or other gases. Even after harvest, fluids continue to circulate around the inside of the plant, albeit at a slower rate. The outside cells are the first to dry out but fluids continue to flow from the interior cells as they continue to provide moisture.

For best results, dry your buds in the dark and slowly - for between 8 to 10 days – at an ideal temperature of between 18ºC to 24ºC and humidity levels of between 45-55%. These steps are so important and, if not done correctly, all the hard work of the last few months to produce quality buds, will have been wasted. Buds that have been dried too quickly are fragile and crumble easily, losing taste, strength and fragrance.

Whether you hang the plants upside down or use a rack, it’s a good idea to ventilate the drying room once a day either with a small fan or by opening a window to allow fresh air to circulate and prevent stale air from contaminating the process.

The time it takes for them to dry depends on the temperature, humidity and the density of the buds so squeeze them every few days to check humidity levels. Bend the stalks to check when they’re ready. As soon as they snap instead of bending, they’re ready for curing. Light, heat and friction are our biggest enemies in the drying and curing process as these accelerate biodegradation.

The curing process will enhance the strength, taste and fragrance of your buds. As the last traces of chlorophyll are eliminated, many cannabinoids will transform such as THCA, which becomes active THC. Other important cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN), interact, becoming more intense.

Some elements, such as Nitrogen, which is stored in the buds’ leaves, will degrade, making consumption of these buds a much smoother and enjoyable experience (a much mellower smoke that won’t catch in your throat).

Store your buds in hermetically sealed glass containers as, unlike plastic or metal ones, these won’t contaminate with foreign odours, ensuring your buds retain all their fragrance.