Proper curing can have many benefits for the consumer including better tasting buds as well as an increase in potency. Proper drying releases the terpenes and cannabinoids from the plant, which is a difficult process that can be lengthy.
Pros and cons of water curing
Water curing also separates out the impurities from your AVB, leaving you with more pure and therefore more potent cannabis relative to its volume. As for cons? There will be a slight, and I mean slight, decrease in potency of your end product.
When you pick that weed up from the ground and let it dry slowly in an airtight container, your buds will gain about half as much mass as they lose because of the evaporating water weight. So, if you have a 3:1 wet-to-dry weed ratio, 1 oz of fresh buds will eventually become 1.5 oz of dried buds.
In general, the drying stage takes about 7–12 days, depending on the above factors. During this time, your buds will lose a lot of water, meaning they'll shrink in size and lose a lot of weight, too.
The buds are trimmed from their branches and stored in jars or any other sealable container for curing. They are then placed in a dark, dry place for at least 2-3 weeks, sometimes much longer. Good cures aim for the Goldilocks Zone of 45-55% humidity in a climate between 60-70° F, also with no sunlight.
While the cannabis flowers are still soft from the moisture, cultivators take the time to trim the sugar leaves and make the buds more visually appealing. This step also helps to speed up the drying process, which can take anywhere from a few days to three weeks, depending on the environment.
You can harvest your plant by either cutting the entire plant down at once, cutting the stems down one by one while keeping the buds attached to them, or by removing the individual buds from your plant.
If you over-dry your cannabis, it'll be more likely to go moldy, so it's important to monitor the drying process closely. If your buds are too dry, they'll be more likely to crumble when you try to break them up for smoking, so it's important to take them out of the drying chamber before they become too dry.
Loose, sponge-like flowers can be highly disappointing. Caused by a combination of poor genetics, inadequate nutrients, swings in temperature/humidity, insufficient lighting, and stress, loose buds are hardly worth harvesting. Soft, fluffy flowers can also be deceiving.
You can tell they are ready when the outside of the buds feels dry to the touch. If you used the hanging method, it is ready when stems snap clean off versus bending or tearing. It is important to note that if your buds are dry sooner than 3 or 4 days, it means that they dried a little too fast.
The bigger the leaf area, the bigger your buds will be. Nitrogen is the nutrient needed most for this green growth. When plants reach their mature size and begin flowering, they need more phosphorus, the nutrient most essential for budding.
Increasing the amount of CO₂ in your grow room can help you grow bigger, denser buds. By doing so, you'll help plants photosynthesise faster and encourage them to take up more nutrients and water. Unfortunately, supplementing with CO₂ isn't cheap, and it can drive up the humidity in small spaces.
Cure Your Weed to Enhance Aroma
Curing cannabis buds vastly improves their aroma and helps to preserve terpenes. Chemical changes occur in the flowers during this time; the chlorophyll breaks down—removing the grassy flavour—allowing terpenes and other aromatics to dominate when it's time to smoke.
From the moment your plant is harvested it begins degrading as enzymes and aerobic bacteria break down excess sugars and starches. Curing your cannabis forces the plant to use up any sugars, starches, and excessive nutrients before the bud has completely dried out and trapped them within the plant.
Slabs & Wall Curing
So water should be slugged at least for 7 days over the slabs and should be watched that it is not dried at any point of time, because it weakens the strength. For walls proper water curing should be done, at least three times a day.
This occurs when plants lose their moisture content, curl up, and feel fragile and crunchy to the touch. Several environmental factors give rise to this issue—nutrient problems, too much water, and excess heat are just a few of the common culprits.
A bud hardener is an additive you can use at the end of the flower cycle to tighten up your flowers and pack on weight. They are typically used in the final 3 weeks or so of the grow cycle and contain a mix of macronutrients, micronutrients, minerals, essential oils, etc.
Buds gain a lot of size, weight, and density during the last few weeks before harvest time. That means if you harvest your plants a few weeks early, they will be significantly smaller and less dense than they could be. Early-harvested buds also aren't as potent and may give some people a headache.
Mold can also develop while your buds are being dried and cured. There are methods growers use to help prevent bud rot. Wait until after a dry spell before harvesting your plants. Outdoor plants should not be harvested if there has been any rain during the last three days.
If you find mold on buds while they're drying, these buds should be discarded as they are no longer safe for human consumption. Even if there's no rot present on a recently harvested crop, you're not necessarily in the clear — bud mold can still develop while your crops are drying.
Simple brown paper bags, like the kind you get from the bakery, are perfect for drying buds. Especially popcorn buds. If you place a handful or two of freshly manicured smaller nuggets into a paper bag and leave them to dry for 2–3 days your halfway there.
Some growers choose to remove all fan leaves before hanging the branches to dry, while others leave some fan leaves on the branches. Leaving fan leaves on the branches can slow down the drying process.
Nighttime provides darkness, keeping cannabis on somewhat of a natural clock. This is why indoor growers need to make a deliberate effort to not only create long, bright days but also emulate dark cycles for cannabis to grow large full buds.
You'll want a somewhat slower drying period, so if you operate in a low humidity environment, you'll definitely want to dry trim. Finally, if you're curing before you trim, then the excess leaves can somewhat protect your nuggets while drying and curing.