Curing is a 4-6 week process that puts a professional finishing touch on your buds.
Curing is one of the most important steps in the cannabis-growing process, yet is often overlooked, especially by new growers. Curing encourages the degradation and elimination of impurities such as sugars and chlorophyll from the plant material, creating a smoother smoke.
Taking the time to cure properly pays dividends in taste and quality; it is a process that separates otherwise average dried cannabis from amazing smoke you feel proud to share.
When should I start the curing process?
To begin, your cannabis must be properly dried and trimmed. Once the stems inside the buds snap easily between two fingers, with very little bending, you are ready to begin curing.
How do I cure cannabis buds?
To cure: simply place your dried and trimmed buds - free of excess leaf and stem matter - into a glass mason jar, close the top and allow to sit in a cool, dark place.
Check on your curing jars within 6 hours of first sealing them. Open the lid and smell the contents. You should smell fresh cannabis, not mould or other impurities. Gently roll the jar diagonally in your hands; hold one hand over the top to ensure buds do not fall out. While rolling the jar, watch to make sure that the buds separate from each other. If buds stick together, tap the bottom corner of the jar with the palm of your hand to loosen.
Repeat this process the next morning. Open the jars and observe buds carefully. Smell the buds. Gently roll the jars in your hands. Check moisture levels inside the jar by observing whether buds stick together.
Your goal with curing is to coax the remaining moisture out of the stems and redisperse into the buds. If your jarred cannabis contains too much moisture, expect the buds to release a sweat which appears as a fog on the glass. If you see or smell any moisture build-up inside the jars, simply remove the lids and allow that moisture to escape. This is a great time to use a product that regulates humidity, such as Boveda packs - although they are not necessary to create a perfect cure.
Repeat this process every day for 2 weeks. After two weeks, you can begin to open the jars every few days. After 4 weeks of curing, your cannabis is ready to consume. You may find, as we do, that an extra 2 weeks of curing makes the texture of your cannabis just right - for a total of 6 weeks of curing time.
Once your cannabis is cured, you can store jars in a cool, dark place or leave in the fridge or freezer. Many people swear by cool storage as it helps preserves terpenes much longer.
Remember that the longer you can hold off on sampling your buds, the better the end product will be. It is natural to want to test out the fruits of your labour as early as possible. You are encouraged to try some bud after a two-week cure and then set the rest aside to allow it to cure properly. After 6 weeks of curing, you will have a perfectly smokeable product you will be proud to have grown.
What is the ideal RH for a jar of finished cannabis buds?
To check RH, place your hygrometer inside the jar and close the lid. Your goal is to reach a consistent RH of 55%.
It is ok if RH is lower than 55% in the first few days or weeks; remember that RH inside the jar will increase incrementally over time, as stem moisture migrates into the bud material. If RH is higher than 55% - or closer to 60% - you will need to decrease moisture levels in order to stave off mould contamination. Open the jars and keep the lids off for a few hours. Re-seal and check again the next day.
How much cannabis flower should I pack into each jar?
Jars should be filled no more than ¾ full of plant material to allow space for the formation of impurity gasses. This vapor is released when the jars are opened - this is the mechanism by which curing works to transform buds and create a finished product.
Why should I choose a cool, dark location for curing cannabis?
You need to choose a cool, dark place for your cannabis to cure as both heat and light degrade trichomes. If your cannabis is exposed to these elements, trichome degradation can occur quickly, making your finished product smell like hay.