Terpene Preservation During Drying and Curing
Keep terpenes intact by drying at 60 to 68 F and 55 to 62 percent humidity for 7 to 14 days, then curing in sealed jars with daily burping.
Short answer
Cannabis takes 7 to 14 days to dry before curing. Most plants finish in 10 days. Small buds dry in 5 to 7 days. Dense colas take 10 to 14 days. The room stays at 60 to 70 F and 45 to 55 percent relative humidity.
best temperature for drying weed
Do not use a calendar as the only test. Use the stem snap and a moisture meter.
Signs the dry is done
- Small stems snap when bent. Large stems bend but do not break.
- Buds feel dry on the outside and spring back when pressed.
- A moisture meter reads 10 to 12 percent water content inside the bud.
- A water activity meter reads 0.55 to 0.65.
Above 0.65, mold grows. Below 0.55, the cure stops and the flower crumbles.
What changes the drying time
- Bud density. A tight cola holds water for 14 days. Loose sativa buds dry in 6.
- Room humidity. 45 percent RH dries a plant in 6 days. 60 percent RH takes 12.
- Temperature. 60 to 70 F is the range. Above 75 F the terpenes fade.
- Airflow. Direct fan air dries the outside in 3 days and leaves the stem wet.
- Wet trim versus dry trim. Wet trimmed plants dry 2 to 3 days faster.
- Whole plant versus branches. A hung whole plant takes 2 to 4 days longer.
Drying room setup
Hang plants in the dark. Keep a fan on the floor pointed at a wall, not at the buds. Run a dehumidifier with a set point at 50 percent RH. Check stems each day after day 5.
Curing after the dry
Move buds into glass jars when the small stems snap. Fill each jar 75 percent full. Open the jars for 10 minutes each day for the first week. Then open them every 3 days for 2 to 4 weeks. The cure runs 2 to 8 weeks. A jar that smells of ammonia needs more burping and a longer dry.
Mistakes that add days
- Jarring at 15 percent moisture. The buds sweat and mold in 48 hours.
- No hygrometer in the jar. A $15 meter shows the humidity inside.
- A hot room. 80 F air dries the outside and traps water in the stem.