Drying & Curing for Quality

Drying & Curing for Quality - Indoor Farmer
It's important to properly dry and cure your harvest for a number of reasons; preserving your herb for long term storage, retaining your strains unique flavour and potency, prevention against spoiling and ensuring smoothness and quality. The bottom line is you worked hard to grow a quality product, but experts suggest up to 50% of the final quality is due to proper drying and curing, so it's important to do it properly.

What's the Difference Between Drying & Curing?

Drying: Removing the majority of moisture content for smoking, vaporizing or processing. Typically reduced to 20-25% of original wet weight.

Curing: Storing in closed containers for 2 weeks to 3 months to preserve and allow for breakdown of sugars and chlorophyl so final product develops high quality structure, aroma and flavour. 

Drying Process for Dry Trim (Typically 7-14 Days)
  1. Cut whole plant at base and remove large fan leaves.
  2. Hang entire plant to dry (hang branches if space is limited).
  3. Set environment around 70F (21C) and 50% Humidity.
  4. Make sure nearby lights (especially grow lights) are turned off.
  5. Turn your exhaust fan down to lowest setting to maintain correct temperature.
  6. Turn off nearby circulation fans. Our goal is to slow down the drying process.

 

Drying Tips & Tricks

  1. Humidifiers, Dehumidifiers, Air Conditioners or heaters may be required to control the environment. Drying in an outdoor space like an unheated shed is not recommended.
  2. Use a Thermometer/Hygrometer to check your environment.
  3. Make sure your drying room, tent or rack are all clean from previous use.
  4. DO NOT let humidity rise above 64% or you risk mold development during drying process.
  5. Make sure hanging plants and drying rack are secure and will not fall.
  6. If you drying area is too dry (Under 40% RH), leave more leaves on the plant and do a full plant hang dry to slow down the drying process. 
  7. If your drying area is too humid (Over 60% Humidity) separate the buds from branches and use a drying rack or mesh to help dry with less chance of mold. (Ideally do whatever you can to bring humidity below 60%).
Your drying process for a dry trim is complete when small stalks easily snap when bent without leaving "strings of fibre" (these fibres indicate moisture is still present). Avoid over drying buds to the point they crush when pressed between your fingers.

Curing Process (Minimum 2 Weeks to 3 Months)
  1. Place dried flower loosely into airtight containers (ex. CVault or Mason Jars).
  2. Pack maximum of 75% of available space leaving 25% space for air.
  3. Avoid compacting flowering into container.
  4. Store in a cool, dark place away from light and heat sources.
  5. Open your jars daily for 10 minutes for the first 1-2 weeks to release excess moisture (be sure to open jars immediately if you see moisture forming inside the container).
  6. We recommend humidity packs for long term storage, properly dried, cured and stored buds are good for up to 12 months.

 

Curing is critical to a quality final product!

  1. Curing breaks down sugars and chlorophyl inside the plant that cause a harsh, unpleasant smoke. 
  2. Curing preserves your buds terpenes (taste and aroma), resulting in a smooth, flavourful smoke.
  3. Curing prevents flower from molding, and prolongs the shelf life or your flower.
You will smell and taste the difference! Enjoy a smoother, tastier final product with none of that "hay" smell from a proper dry and cure!