Curing Bud- How To Do It Correctly
Now this might be a topic that many smokers are aware of. Some might even think of themselves to be quite the expert on it. But with the explosion of topics on cannabis, for recreational or medicinal purpose, there are still a great number of people that really don’t know much.
There are many newbies on the market that before would not dare to even speak about weed in the open. Now, with all the open awareness of the goodness it holds, and I am not just referring to the high you get when smoking a joint, many still need to learn from scratch. It is almost if a Cannabis 101 course should be introduced.
Remember, not too long ago, the perspective of marijuana was very dark, behind the hand, in a corner type of experience. Those who used it before always had to do it in hideouts and most of the time were branded as losers or rebels.
Now that it is accepted in the bigger part of society, or at least recognized for the benefits it offers, a big number of people are blissfully ignorant how to grow or cure weed; that is if it is allowed where you live.
Even if you have the right to grow a plant or two, harvesting is not enough. You can also not just dry the plant out. You need to cure it. It takes months to grow the plant to perfection. And as tempted as you might be to speed the drying process up, curing takes time. Like mentioned before, cannabis is like wine. Wine has to be fermented in wooden barrels and cannabis has to be cured in a special way to bring out the best of both.
Why and when is curing necessary? After harvesting, cannabis has to be partially dried to be cured. Initially it can just be hanged freely or put in a cardboard box or bag. Drying of the buds should take about 3 to 7 days. The ambient where you live will affect the dying time. It is important that the buds don’t touch one another. It should not dry too fast, like overnight, or too slow, where parts are wet and parts are dry. The drying process is done when then thinner stems snap by touching them rather than bending. A closet is normally a good place to dry the weed, but it needs to have enough circulation and ventilation should be provided by a fan. It is vital to check for mold or mildew daily. Any part of the cannabis plant that shows signs of mold or mildew should be cut out, if not, it would ruin your harvest faster than you think.
If your climate is very dry, you could dry your weed in the open air. Never use plastic bags because mold or mildew can form. And if the bags are white plastic, even more reason to stay away as white bags are filled with bleach residue and your weed will end up being toxic.
After drying is complete the curing process can begin. Curing makes your weed milder to smoke but more potent. It also lets your weed smell nicer. The curing process is rather a slow way of fermentation and can be quite an art work at best. Use glass mason jars for curing and eventually storing. During the first 2 to 4 weeks the harshness of your weed will be reduced. It won’t smell so much like fresh cut grass and it would also reduce the effect of anxiety and heavy headaches. The lid should be opened at least once a day to let air it, but also to check if there is any sign of wetness. If the outsides of the buds are wet, leave the lid open for a time, like up to two hours, to dry them out again and continue with the curing process.
The longer your weed cure, the smoother and more potent it would get.
Why is curing done?
- Plants have chlorophyll and curing helps breaking it down to improve the taste and make it smoother when smoked
- The unique smell of each strain is magnified
- Because harshness is reduced, couching when smoking is greatly reduced
- It keeps is more sanitized and reduce the possibility of mold
- It make it more potent
Curing, especially when it is slowly done, has an effect on the composition of cannabinoids and terpenes and makes it more effective and pleasant to smoke vape or use in edibles.
There is much to learn in drying and curing weed and like fermenting wine, it becomes a personal thing. Best is to experiment, to learn from others, to try again and finally get to where it is best for you.
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