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Sometimes there is the misleading idea that once the grow is harvested, the grower’s work is done. As you can probably imagine, this is not true. There are other processes as important, such as drying the cannabis buds, in order to ensure a great quality yield. In this regard, drying cannabis buds correctly is very important. Failing to do so can ruin months of work. Here, we are going to list different key factors and techniques that can be helpful for the drying process.
What is Drying Cannabis Buds?
Once the crop is harvested, drying the freshly trimmed buds is highly convenient. This task consists in removing excess humidity and most of the chlorophyll content.
Recently trimmed buds contain up to 75% of water, which needs to go down to 10-15% within the following two or three weeks. Excess humidity from fresh buds stops them from burning properly; but at the same time, cannabinoids’ content is at its highest. This happens because THC is still inactive (THCA); drying the cannabis buds is essential to activate this substance.
That’s why we must choose the right methods to dry buds properly.
Manicuring: the Previous Step to Drying
Manicuring marijuana plants is fundamental to obtain perfectly dried and cured cannabis buds. You need to remove leaves, branches and other leftover bits from all the plants. By doing so, marijuana plants will be clean and free from those big leaves that are poor in trichomes and produce a sharp smoke.
Although it is possible to manicure the buds after drying them, most growers do it beforehand.
For a quality manicure, you’ll need a pair of slim-tipped shears, gloves and a few trays to separate the leftovers. Once the big leaves are gone; it is time to continue with the sugar leaves and remove the tips that stand out of the buds. Growers that dislike this task can consider buying a trimmer, such as Trimbox.
How to Dry Marijuana
Once the flowers have been manicured; full branches should be tied and hung to a clothesline or a drying rack, if available space is tight.
You’ll have to check that temperature and humidity values are correct so chlorophyll and humidity vaporize correctly.
If the drying process is going too fast (5 days), it is advisable to remove the big leaves or the ones that are odd looking. By doing so, the smaller leaves will cover the buds when they are hung; slowing down the drying process and making it necessary to remove the dry leaves afterwards.
On the contrary, if drying the cannabis buds is taking too long due to excess humidity, it would be a good idea to change the drying place. Professional tools like thermometers or hygrometers will be very helpful to easily control and adjust temperature and humidity levels.
Important Factors Before Drying Cannabis Buds
Here are some of the factors that need to be taken into account in order to obtain properly dried buds, for which you’ll need to follow concrete parameters:
- Drying time: Drying cannabis buds takes between 2 and 3 weeks, although, depending on the chosen method and the density of the buds, it could take an extra week.
- Temperature: It should range between 64-75 ºF (18-24 ºC), as rising over 77 ºF (25ºC) could cause poor trichome oxidation and possible flowers’ rotting. High thermo-hygrometric values and light exposure may end up transforming THC into CBN, thus obtaining different results than expected.
- Humidity: Relative humidity should oscillate between 45-55% as these parameters will prevent fungi proliferation.
- Airflow: The grow room shouldn’t have any draught. It has to be dark and completely dry. If by any chance, the heat is too high and the use of fans is unavoidable, they should never point towards the cannabis buds.
Tips for Drying Cannabis Buds
These are some important tips to take into account for drying cannabis buds:
- Before drying the buds, and concretely before they are even trimmed, the soil should be well hydrated to promote a slow drying process.
- Marijuana plants shouldn’t get trimmed right after they’ve been sprayed with products, specially phyto-protectors, as this could have a serious effect over buds’ flavors and aromas.
- In cases where humidity levels are so high (more than 65%) that buds don’t get dry after one month.
- If the temperature is too high, it is recommended to use fans. However, if the use of these devices is unavoidable, they should never be directed towards the buds.
- Although some growers dry their buds inside cardboard boxes, we don’t recommend it as this method could affect the quality of the yield. It also increases the risk of fungi infestations.
- During the drying process, it’s a good idea to prevent branches from touching one another. Contact could increase relative humidity and promote rotting.
- If you find a rotten area, remove it immediately, before it infects the remaining buds.
- Avoid touching the buds too much to preserve the delicate trichomes that characterize fresh buds.
- Summer is not the best moment to dry marijuana as temperatures are way higher than what plants need.
Having said all this, experience is the best teacher. Growers will improve their manicuring, drying and curing skills with every grow. As time goes by, it will be easier to recognize the most appropriate environmental conditions for drying the buds.
