Drying and Curing Cannabis Like a Pro (+ Storage Tips)

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The best methods for optimal flavor, aroma, and potency
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If you grow cannabis, you may be wondering how to turn healthy plants into usable marijuana. This is where curing and drying your cannabis comes in. Drying simply refers to the process of airing your buds out after you’ve harvested them to remove a majority of the moisture, while curing involves drying the buds out completely to improve the flavor and aroma. For this article, we interviewed cannabis researcher and educator Riley Kirk to teach you how to dry , cure , harvest , and store cannabis buds .

Drying, Curing, and Harvesting Cannabis

Dry cannabis buds by hanging them upside down in a room at 60–70 °F (16–21 °C) and 50% humidity. Then, store them in an airtight container in a dark room at room temperature to cure them. Harvest the buds 8-10 weeks after flowering, once they’ve started to yellow, for the best results.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Dry Fresh Cannabis

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  1. Do this in a room with a limited amount of light, where it’s possible to control the humidity and temperature—a basement or windowless attic is ideal. Set up your string or wire above the ground and hang the branches up by tying them with string or clothespins.
    • Hanging the buds upside down will trick the plant into thinking it’s still alive, since the juices inside the buds won’t drain out where you clipped the branch. That way, the buds will stay healthy. [1]
    • It’s key to maintain a soft airflow wherever you’re drying the buds. Do this by setting your home thermostat on the “fan” setting or turning on a desk fan at the lowest setting and pointing it at the ceiling of the room.
    • Another option is to dry cannabis on a drying rack. To do so, trim the buds from the branches and leave a small portion of the stem attached to the buds. Evenly spread the trimmed buds on mesh drying rack shelves or screens. While the buds dry, periodically turn them slightly so they don’t flatten out.
    • The rack method is said to produce a more uniform drying and offer better airflow, while the hanging method involves less trimming, reduced handling, and is better for larger harvests, space-wise.

    Meet the wikiHow Expert

    Riley Kirk is a cannabis research scientist, natural product chemist, and social media educator based in New Hampshire.

  2. Set up a thermometer somewhere in the room. Always maintain a temperature of 60–70 °F (16–21 °C) to help the marijuana dry out evenly and gradually over time. [2]
    • If you’re drying cannabis in your home and you have central air, set it to 65 °F (18 °C) or so. Make minor adjustments depending on the specific temperature in the room you’re using.
    • Use a space heater or an air conditioner for the room if you don’t have central air.
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  3. Set up a hygrometer in the room you’re using to monitor the relative humidity. For best results, maintain a relative humidity of roughly 50% at all times. [3]
    • If you measure the relative humidity , and it’s not naturally floating around 50%, set up a humidifier or use a dehumidifier to change the overall humidity of the room.
    • If the humidity is too low, the buds will dry out too quickly, and the taste of the marijuana will be off.
    • If the humidity is too high, the buds will take too long to dry out, and mold may develop.
  4. Check in on your buds periodically and squeeze the stems of each bud. If they have any give, they need to keep drying. Once they’re brittle, try gently bending the stems. If a bud snaps and breaks, that bud is dry. If it just bends a little without breaking, it needs to keep drying. [4]
    • This process typically takes 2 weeks, but it depends on the temperature and humidity.
    • It’s usually possible to just pull the buds off the main branch once they’re dried.
    • If you are dry trimming (pruning the buds after drying but before curing), now is the point where you prune the plants, remove the sugar leaves, and clip the excess growth off.
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Cure Cannabis Buds

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  1. A glass mason jar is the most popular option, but any container with an airtight seal works. Use a clear turkey bag if you’d like. So long as the container doesn’t allow any outside air in, it can be used to cure cannabis. [5]
    • Curing cannabis involves aging and drying the harvested cannabis plant to enhance the flavor, aroma, and potency of the cannabis buds, which makes for a smoother smoking experience.
    • Turkey bags, also known as oven bags, are not the same as regular zip-lock baggies. These are larger bags that won’t leak or release moisture.
    • Some growers claim that you absolutely cannot use plastic containers because they will impact the flavor of the buds, while other growers say it’s fine to use plastic. There’s no definitive science that supports either position.
    • In theory, you only need to cure larger buds when the interior of the bud hasn’t dried out entirely. If you’ve got really small buds, curing is optional (although most growers cure all of their buds for flavor reasons).
  2. If you dry the marijuana properly, it will establish a relative humidity of 60-70% inside the container on its own, which is perfect for curing. If you want to monitor the humidity while you’re curing, though, feel free to place a hygrometer inside each container.
    • There are also specialty containers for curing that have hygrometers built into the lid. Those are a great investment if you plan on growing a lot of cannabis.
    • Even if the humidity is too high or too low, it’s difficult to correct it at this point. Try leaving the containers open and running a humidifier or dehumidifier , but be aware that mold may have already set in, or your buds may have already over-dried.
  3. You want a decent amount of air in each container, so don’t fill them up all the way. Put the lid on the container or close the airtight seal. Then, place a strip of tape or a label on each container and write down the date to track how long the process takes. [6]
    • Placing each bud flat is probably the best option. It’s okay to fill a vertical container with buds, though—it shouldn’t have a huge impact.
    • Add a humidity pack to each airtight container if you prefer. Humidity packs are small packets containing a solution usually including natural salts, purified water, and glycerin. They can help regulate humidity levels in curing containers and prevent mold or over-drying.
  4. Light of any kind will cause the cannabinoids in your buds to decompose, so it’s important to store the containers in a dark space. Avoid excess heat, and don’t place the containers in an area where they’ll be disturbed. [7]
    • The buds aren’t as sensitive to temperatures now that they’re fully dry. So long as they aren’t exposed to more than 75–80 °F (24–27 °C) or so, they’ll be fine.
    • Basements are ideal for curing marijuana buds since they’re typically cool and dark.
  5. This process is called “burping.” Every day or so, turn the buds so that no single side rests against a surface for too long. If you’re using bags, gently rotate the individual buds to expose a new side. If they’re in jars, rotate them in your hands to slowly disturb the buds and rearrange them. [8]
    • Don’t turn them so abruptly or intensely that you break the buds apart.
    • Burping helps regulate moisture and prevents mold or mildew from growing. It’s also thought to enhance the aroma, flavor, and potency of the buds. Kirk believes that burping is a way to “make sure that the buds have a way to get rid of all these volatile compounds that they produce.” [9]
  6. After the first week, open a container and take a whiff. Gently squeeze a few of the buds. If the fragrance is sweet and moist and there’s just barely a little give to the bud, you’re done. If not, reseal the container and continue to cure the buds. When you’re done curing, the buds are ready for consumption. [10]
    • Curing shouldn’t take more than 3 weeks, but it’s theoretically possible to cure marijuana for up to 6 months—there’s definitely a point where the returns start diminishing, though.
    • Think of the difference between a whiskey aged for 10 years versus 12 years. Is the 12-year whiskey better? Usually. Is it worth waiting around? That’s up to you! You’ll have perfectly good cannabis with 3 weeks of curing, but take it further if you’d like.
    • It’s possible to store the marijuana in the same airtight container after the curing process, so it can continue to cure. Freeze the marijuana to preserve the cannabinoids if you prefer. [11]
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Harvest Cannabis Buds

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  1. Indica plants should be harvested roughly 8 weeks after flowers develop, while sativa and autoflower strains need 10 weeks to reach maturity. Harvesting too early will result in low levels of THC, while harvesting too late will lead to flavorless marijuana. Once the 8-10 weeks have passed, here’s how you know it’s ready: [12]
    • The trichomes (the mushroom-shaped bumps on your buds) turn translucent. Kirk states that “the trichomes are like little factories that produce all of these different medicinal compounds. If you get your hands on a little magnifying glass, it’s possible to look at those nubs really closely and see when they start to turn a little bit of an amber color. This tells you that it's time to harvest.” [13]
    • The pistils are mostly yellow. Don’t wait for the entire bud to yellow out. Buds that are 100% yellow are too old, and they won’t taste particularly good.
    • The plant develops a swollen or plump calyx, which is the flowery, cup-like structure underneath the base of the flowers.
    • Kirk also notes that, “if you harvest cannabis plants too early, they’re not going to produce THC as efficiently as they could be. If you harvest too late, you’ll produce a lesser quality bud, which may have really sedating compounds.” [14]
  2. Chlorophyll is the lifeblood for your marijuana plants, but unfortunately, it doesn’t taste very good. A few days before you plan on harvesting the plants, turn off the grow lights. If it’s an outdoor crop, cover the plants if you prefer. This will “bleed out” some of that bitter-tasting chlorophyll. [15]
    • Many growers don’t do this, and it’s definitely optional, but it’s a good way to improve the flavor if you feel like being patient.
    • Some people prefer to do this by “flushing” the soil with excess water to pull out the excessive nutrients and minerals in the soil. This isn’t as popular a way to flush the chlorophyll, but it’s an option.
  3. Put on latex gloves to avoid contaminating the crop and grab pruning shears or trimming scissors . For each section of buds you’d like to harvest, clip the branch where it connects to the central stem of the plant. Set each small branch aside for drying. [16]
    • The size of each branch you harvest is entirely up to you.
  4. Trim your marijuana plants before drying if you’re wet trimming, or after drying the buds if you’re dry trimming. Simply clip each individual branch off of the larger plants so that you have 4–12 in (10–30 cm) lengths of stem, each with a handful of buds. Prune the sugar leaves off of each individual bud. [17]
    • Sugar leaves are the small leaves that grow out of and around the cannabis bud or flowers.
    • Don’t fully remove the buds from the branch they’re attached to. You need that branch to hang the buds and dry them out.
    • Remove the fan leaves as well, if there are any. These are the “water leaves” that stick out and develop from the body of the plant.
    • Leave only sections of the branch that contain a bunch of buds with no leaves or excess growth.
    • Wet trimming is the process of removing excess leaves from a cannabis plant right after it’s harvested (while it’s still fresh). Dry trimming occurs when you prune the buds after they’ve been harvested and dried.
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Section 4 of 4:

How to Store Harvested Cannabis Buds

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  1. 1
    Store your buds in glass mason jars in a cool, dark place. Quart-sized mason jars are the most widely used airtight containers to store weed once it’s cured. Once the buds are in the mason jars, keep them in a cool, dark place that maintains a temperature of 60-70°F (15-21°C). Buds stored properly in airtight jars can maintain their potency for a year or more. [18]
    • Glass jars also help protect the buds from moisture and air, while containing smells and preserving their potency.
    • Fill the jars about three-quarters full.
    • As an alternative, use UV-proof glass stash containers , which are ideal for storing a small amount of buds. They also protect buds from light, but can be somewhat expensive.
  2. 2
    Freeze the buds to store them long-term. If your buds are completely dry, freezing them can maintain their potency for years. Store them in glass mason jars; some growers freeze their buds by double-bagging them in freezer-safe bags and then wrapping them in aluminum foil. [19]
    • Remember to add a date label to your buds before freezing them, so you’re aware of how long they’ve been in the freezer.
    • It’s also possible to vacuum-seal the buds before storing them long-term. Make sure that the buds are completely dry before you vacuum seal them. It’s equally important that you follow the other steps for long-term storage once the buds are vacuum-sealed.
    • Vacuum-sealing helps remove oxygen, which can degrade cannabinoids like THC and terpenes. It assists in preserving potency and flavor for 1-2 years.
    • Avoid refrigerating your cannabis buds, as the fluctuating humidity levels can cause excess moisture, mold, and mildew growth.
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      Tips

      • If you’re running a marijuana business, look into getting a Cryo Cure machine once you scale up and start building your business out. These machines are expensive, but they can dry and cure a large amount of marijuana relatively quickly.
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      Warnings

      • Do not grow cannabis if it’s illegal where you live, or if it requires a license you don’t have.
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      Things You'll Need

      How to Dry Fresh Cannabis

      How to Cure Cannabis Buds

      • Airtight containers or glass mason jars
      • Humidity packs (optional)
      • Labels

      How to Store Harvested Cannabis Buds

      How to Harvest Cannabis Buds

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      References

      1. ↑ https://theweedblog.com/growing/make-thc-active-during-the-marijuana-drying-process
      2. ↑ https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/processing/how-to-dry-and-cure-cannabis-plants/article/15700202/master-the-art-of-drying-and-curing-cannabis
      3. ↑ https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/processing/how-to-dry-and-cure-cannabis-plants/article/15700202/master-the-art-of-drying-and-curing-cannabis
      4. ↑ https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/processing/how-to-dry-and-cure-cannabis-plants/article/15700202/master-the-art-of-drying-and-curing-cannabis
      5. ↑ https://cannabisnow.com/youve-grown-it-now-own-it-how-to-master-drying-curing-cannabis/
      6. ↑ https://cannabisnow.com/youve-grown-it-now-own-it-how-to-master-drying-curing-cannabis/
      7. ↑ https://cannabisnow.com/youve-grown-it-now-own-it-how-to-master-drying-curing-cannabis/
      8. ↑ https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/processing/how-to-dry-and-cure-cannabis-plants/article/15700202/master-the-art-of-drying-and-curing-cannabis
      9. ↑ Riley Kirk. Cannabis Researcher and Educator. Expert Interview
      1. ↑ https://cannabisnow.com/youve-grown-it-now-own-it-how-to-master-drying-curing-cannabis/
      2. ↑ https://www.marijuanamoment.net/this-is-the-best-way-to-store-marijuana-for-the-apocalypse-according-to-science/
      3. ↑ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-harvest-marijuana/
      4. ↑ Riley Kirk. Cannabis Researcher and Educator. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ Riley Kirk. Cannabis Researcher and Educator. Expert Interview
      6. ↑ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-harvest-marijuana/
      7. ↑ https://www.growweedeasy.com/trimming
      8. ↑ https://gpnmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/2019CannGuide_GPN1218_CannabisConundrum.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.growweedeasy.com/how-to-store-weed-so-it-stays-potent
      10. ↑ https://www.growweedeasy.com/how-to-store-weed-so-it-stays-potent

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