Curing cannabis

Curing is done during the cannabis harvest (meaning immediately after removing plant from the ground), and by the time you’ve purchased it, it’s either been cured, or it hasn’t. There’s not much you can do about it. Curing accomplishes the following:

Breaks down chlorophyll and improves taste.
Gets rid of the “cut grass” smell common on newly harvested buds.
Brings out the flavors and smell of each strain.
Reduces harshness of smoking.
Reduces the chance of mold.

After the stalks are cut, they’re often hung upside down in a prepared dry room using dry racks or heavyweight string: Quick Cure Drying Rack for Drying Buds and Flowers

The plants are left for 3 days to a week before removing the flowers from the stalks and trimming water leaves and any protruding stems. After trimming, the buds are placed in airtight jars with Boveda packs for one to four weeks. During this part of the curing process, it’s important to “burp” the jar by opening it once a day to let the old air out and new air in.

The medical grade marijuana buds you see in High Times centerfolds and winning Cannabis Cups is slow-cured and hand-trimmed through a slow and laborious process. When done correctly, however, the potency and quality of the product increases.

If a bud wasn’t properly cured, (i.e. done too fast using a variety of tools like a clothes drier, microwave, oven, etc.) it will be dry and more harsh. You can add moisture to revive dry buds using Boveda packets in an airtight jar.