You've come so far. Everything is going right, and you're on the verge of becoming a professional in the burgeoning cannabis industry. You're getting ready for your first pay cheque and you've already chosen the colour of your new Ferrari from your favourite car magazine. But first you have to overcome the final hurdle: the drying process.
Drying is perhaps one of the least recognised processes. There are many opinions on how to do this step correctly, and even experts don't always agree. Many growers neglect this crucial step out of impatience and go home with an inferior product. However, careful drying not only improves the quality of the product, but also makes it more flavourful. The ironic thing is that all it takes is patience and a few extra hours of labour. Too many growers mess up this part of the process out of impatience.
The reason you dry the buds is to make sure they are ready to use. Properly dried cannabis improves potency and flavour and helps prevent mould and mildew.
The first step is to decide whether you want to trim the plant wet or dry. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
Dry trimming: Less labour intensive, more aesthetically pleasing and better for quality. The flowers dry more slowly, which minimises terpene losses.
Wet trimming: Faster, but potentially uneven drying and loss of quality. Suitable for mass production where quantity is more important than quality.
The best conditions are around 10 degrees Celsius and 60% humidity. Slow drying in a cool, humid and dark environment is ideal. At the beginning, some of the larger leaves should be removed, while the smaller sugarleaves protect the buds during drying.
The flowers must not touch each other to ensure even drying. Ensure good air circulation with fans. Everything should be done in the dark, as light can damage the cannabinoids. If there are light leaks where you are drying, you should take care of them.
Drying takes between 7 and 21 days, depending on the size of the buds and the type of trimming. Test the drying by bending a small branch - if it breaks, it's ready for the next step. To start, trim off some of the larger fan leaves, but keep the smaller sugarleaves and other vegetation. This helps to expose the buds. The sugarleaves protect the buds during drying and can help to create an ideal humidity level. If they are removed before drying, this can cause the buds to dry out faster than they should.
Keep the drying room clean to avoid contamination. Wear gloves and clean your equipment regularly. Any surgeon or nurse will tell you that you need to keep things clean if you don't want contamination. Wear gloves, use liners when collecting fresh material, and clean your equipment regularly. The more contaminants you bring in, the faster you will get into trouble.
This step stabilises the flower before ripening. Leave the flowers on the branch and cut the branches small enough to fit into a container. Open and close the container regularly to allow the moisture to escape. This process will take 3 to 6 days. Your cannabis may be dry, but there is still some moisture trapped deep inside, and it needs to be dry too. Don't fill the container too full, 75% is good. Leave it for twelve hours, opening and closing the container to allow the air to escape. Continue this until all the moisture has been removed.
Curing improves the aroma and flavour and can preserve the effect of the flowers for up to two years. This process should take 2 to 8 weeks, at a humidity of 8 to 12% and in an airtight container. Done correctly, the flowers can retain their effect for up to two years. You will need an airtight container. Some growers claim that using plastic containers spoils the flavour. There is no research to support this claim. If you want full control, place a hygrometer in the container. If you seal it airtight, the flowers will build up their own humidity. During curing, the chlorophyll will continue to break down - without curing, the flower will smell and taste like a freshly mown lawn. The room should be at room temperature and not too humid. If you keep it dark, the results will be even better.
With the right drying and curing methods, you can ensure that your cannabis reaches the best possible quality. Quality and careful processes are the key to a successful harvest. If you have any questions or need support, our consulting team is ready to help. Book a demo and learn more about how to optimise your growing methods!
