Drying & curing cannabis: how not to kill your terpenes

Harvest is only half the win. The best flavor, smoothness and perceived “potency” show up after proper drying and curing. Below is a simple, proven workflow with hard numbers, checklists and rescue tricks — exactly what beginners usually miss.

Table of contents

1. TL;DR / Quick start
2. Setup & mini-budget
3. Drying and curing parameters
4. Step-by-step (from chop to jar)
5. Troubleshooting
6. FAQ
7. Summary + checklists

TL;DR / Quick start

• Drying: 16–21 °C, 50–60% RH, dark, gentle air movement; 3–7 days until thin stems snap. Make sure buds don’t touch each other.
• Start of curing: 1-qt jars (~1 oz per jar), 55–62% RH; burp once daily for 1–2 weeks, then less often. 2–4 weeks gives “shop-grade;” 2–6 months gets extra smooth.
• Ready-for-jar test: small stems snap (don’t bend), and the bud breaks with a clean click without stringy fibers pulling.
• Humidity packs: 58% (firmer, “drier” finish, better for storage) vs 62% (slightly softer). Size “8” for ~28 g.

Setup & mini-budget

• Drying space: closet/tent 60–120 cm, dark, intake/exhaust or cracked door; oscillating fan positioned so it doesn’t blow directly on buds. Carbon filter tames odor.
• Accessories: clips/lines or a mesh rack (for large harvests / high RH), mini hygrometers, wide-mouth 1-qt jars, optional Boveda 58/62%.
• Power cost (example): 30 W fan × 24 h × 7 days ≈ 5.0 kWh; at 1.20 zł/kWh that’s ~6 zł/week.
• Starter basket (PLN ranges): 1-qt jars (6–12 zł each), mini hygrometer (20–40 zł each), Boveda (2–5 zł each), hangers/lines (10–30 zł), small fan (50–120 zł).

Drying and curing parameters (numbers that work)

• Drying:16–21 °C, 50–60% RH, darkness, very gentle airflow; 3–7 days. Too fast = “hay,” too slow = mold risk. Don’t stack buds.
• Curing (in jars):~21 °C, 55–62% RH inside the jar; first 1–2 weeks: open once daily (1–2 min). Then once weekly up to 6 months if you want extra smoothness.
• Jar fill: 70–75% of volume; leave 1.5–2 cm headspace. Big jars make things harder for beginners.

Most common pitfalls:

1. Too warm / drafty — buds turn into pebbles in 24 h (terpene loss).
2. Jarred too early — ammonia / “sour” smell; classic sign of excess moisture and anaerobic bacteria.
3. Leaves left on — results in “hay” and harsh smoke post-cure.

Step-by-step

1) Chop and “wet vs dry trim”

• In humid climates, leave more leaf to slow drying (dry trim). In dry climates, better trim right away (wet trim) because leaves accelerate evaporation and hurt evenness when ambient air is dry.

2) Drying (hang-dry / rack)

• Hang branches upside down so buds don’t touch. A mesh rack is handy for big harvests or high RH, but it speeds up drying (easier to overdry).

3) When to come off the lines

• When small stems snap, while bigger ones still slightly flex; buds break off cleanly without fibers. Outside dry ≠ inside dry — good; remaining moisture will even out in the jar.

4) Curing in jars

• Fill jars ~¾ full, optionally add Boveda 58% or 62% (size 8 per ~28 g) and a mini hygrometer. For the first 1–2 weeks: open daily for 1–2 min (smell it — aroma should get more cannabis-like each day). Later, once weekly up to 6 months.

5) Long maturation & storage

• After 2–4 weeks you have a proper “shop-grade” cure. 2–6 months adds smoothness and perceived potency; beyond ~6 months, prepare for long-term storage (cool, dark, ideally vacuum-sealed).

Troubleshooting

“Hay”/grassy after opening the jar
You overdried or dried too fast. Curing still helps, just slower. Next run, aim for slower drying (7+ days), pre-trim leaves and keep a steady 50–60% RH.

Ammonia / “sour” jar smell
Immediately dump buds out, air-dry 2–6 h, go back into jars only when outsides are dry. That smell means wet load and anaerobic conditions.

Buds clumping together
Still wet inside — repeat the cycle: dump → air-dry → back to jars until RH stabilizes at 55–62%.

Too dry (<55% RH in jar)
Cure slows down but still occurs. You can add Boveda 58/62% to gently soften texture; it won’t “resurrect” a full cure — it smooths mouthfeel.

Mold
Discard contaminated flowers (don’t “rescue”). Reduce jar density, manage burping, ensure buds don’t touch while drying and that outsides are dry before jarring.

FAQ

How long does it really take?
Typically 3–7 days drying + 2–4 weeks curing (first tier). Second tier (especially dense cultivars) is 2–6 months for extra smoothness.

What RH should I keep in the jar?
55–62% RH is the “curing zone.” 58% gives a firmer, “drier” feel and suits long storage; 62% is slightly softer.

Do humidity packs “kill aroma”?
Added after RH stabilizes in the curing range, they shouldn’t mute aroma; many growers notice no difference.

Hang-dry or mesh rack?
For quality — usually hang-dry (slower). Rack is great if you have lots of biomass or high RH and need to speed up to avoid mold.

When to stop burping?
After 2 weeks, you can go to once weekly as long as jar RH is stable and buds don’t feel “damp.”

Summary + checklists

If your post-harvest flowers are good, drying and curing decide whether they become “wow.” Stick to the numbers, don’t rush, and smell your jars — the aroma should trend more cannabis-like week by week.

Checklist — Drying (day 0–7)

• 16–21 °C, 50–60% RH, dark, no direct airflow
• Buds don’t touch
• Thin stems snap, outsides feel dry
• 3–7 days, slow and even

Checklist — Curing (weeks 1–2 and beyond)

• 1-qt jars, 70–75% full, 55–62% RH
• Daily burp (1–2 min) for weeks 1–2; then weekly
• Optional Boveda 58/62% + mini hygrometer
• Goal: 2–4 weeks (“shop-grade”), up to 6 months for “extra smooth”