Marijuana Drying

Drying your crop properly at certain climates can be a bit tricky. The humidity has to be right during drying or else you might just find yourself with flowers that are too dry. It is always advisable to do the drying in a dark environment. The darkness helps in reducing chlorophyll which usually makes the weed scratch in the throat. The presence of sunlight would also reduce THC, which we would not want as our produce would be rendered ineffective. An attractive colour and taste of our crop is our sole goal.

Tips in drying

Once the buds have been harvested, trimmed, and well-manicured, they must be dried at an optimal temperature of 21 degrees (70 °F). The humidity in the room should be kept at 50% to prevent molds and mildews. The drying room should also have a decent air circulation system.

Immediately after harvesting, the crop is full of chlorophyll but tastes bitter since it’s not yet ready. The active elements must be turned into THC. During this drying stage, one should try and keep the crop alive as long as possible. This way, the green colouring matter (chlorophyll) will be turned into glucose leading to a rich flavour and a higher yield. We treat the crop as if it were a person. You should hang the pruned buds and colas upside down on a clothing line or a wire. This makes the plant think that it is still alive since at this position the juices will still be circulating.

Another hint is that always strive to dry the crop slowly. You should not be in a hurry as this will lead to a poor final product. The weed will also develop its dope aroma if only it dries slowly. Do not be tempted to use microwaves, ovens or even hot air fans to facilitate quick drying of your crop as this will automatically ruin it.

Storage during the drying process

Hanging upside down is not the only way to dry your buds but I prefer it than any other method. Large scale growers will often take the buds off the stems and place them on drying racks. This quickens the process and these large scale farmers do it to meet high demand. However, as we have seen above, this may have dire consequences on the crop. Marijuana is like wine in that it will tend to mature with time. The higher the rate of dryness, the better it is.

Another method involves using paper bags. Take the buds off the stem, put them in the bags and close the tops. Stir the buds daily with your hands, making sure that the ones on the inside move outside. The room should be well ventilated.

I would also recommend drying the crop with the leaves on. Some people tend to pluck off the leaves and drying the crop without them. It is easier for the crop to dry this way. This is because it has less mass and also the chlorophyll is less. However, like we earlier saw it is vital to have much chlorophyll in turn leading to a better end product when it’s broken down. The leaves also help in evaporation reducing the risk of molds developing on the flowers during the drying period. In addition to that is that the leaves offer some kind of protection on the flowers since they are bent around them.

Conclusion

The drying process usually takes around two weeks. However, after a week, the weed is normally ready for sampling. You will find that if the flower is sticky and the stem inside it cracks when bent, your crop is dry and ready. It should have a fruity flavour when sampled. The final phase mainly involves curing the weed. After that, the weed is put into airtight containers and kept in the fridge. Always check your pot every now and then to ensure no moulds form on it. It can be stored in the airtight containers, preferably glass up to two years.