The Art Of Curing Your Medical Marijuana

 Posted by at 9:22 AM on April 22, 2012  Grower Tips  Add comments
Apr 222012
 

dank up closeby Kyle Kushman

Curing is a lengthy subject. I believe the art of curing is more difficult to master than growing. I will try to provide an overview. To begin with glass jars are the only way to cure properly. Unfortunately they are clear, so find a spot in a closet or corner of the house that is dark and free from large temperature variances.

Drying must be done properly before curing can begin. If drying is not done properly by quickening, over drying, under drying, or anything else, curing cannot even be attempted. Buds should be dried to a point that may not burn perfectly in a joint. It burns well, but it would have been tastier if the bud had been left out to dry for just a few more hours. That’s all it would take for it to turn crispy. It still has a little spring in it.

Place buds into a glass jar. The jars should be full to the top to expel the majority of air. You need air and some moisture as they allow the aerobic bacteria to come to life. They will consume chlorophyll and make your buds smoke smoother. Less harsh on the throat and tastier on the pallet.

The trick is to leave the proper moisture content in the bud, in relation to it’s particular density. Relative humidity and air temperature when jarring will play a role as well. The presence of air, light, and water are all that’s necessary for these bacteria to spring to life. Leaving just enough water and air to allow the bacteria to feed on the chlorophyll, but not enough to proliferate throughout the jar. When they run out of air, they die. So opening the jar is counterproductive to curing. Although it is necessary to pinpoint whether or not you got it right.

If you don’t leave any moisture in the buds there will be no true cure, one that increases potency through a rotation of the THC molecule by slowly removing the water. The best way to learn is to jar a half dozen or more jars of the same size, at the same time. Date the jar, and in a week crack it open.

Catch the first whiff off the jar as you break the suction created by the curing gases. If you smell the slightest whiff of ammonia, you left too much moisture in the buds and this curing attempt is done. Remove all the buds from the jars and dry them out completely. If however when you crack the jar, you smell sweet heavenly ganja, then close it up. Repeat the process in a week to check the progress of your cure. If you’ve kept the jars closed for a full two weeks and the odor is 100% free of any ammonia smell, your probably home free.

I have cured buds for 6 months that came out as fresh and pliable as when they went in. Although 2-3 weeks is enough for a good cure. I don’t fully appreciate the bouquet of most strains after a month of intense curing. You can keep buds sealed and curing for up to 2 years. Although that will take a lot of practice. I once smoked 2 year cured Sweet Tooth buds with Breeder Steve in Switzerland. WOW!

Article from MedicalMarijuana.com and republished with special permission.

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About Jay Smoker

I have been smoking marijuana for almost twenty years and I have no plans to stop anytime soon. My life was turned upside down in 2009 after getting arrested and tossed in jail for being in the wrong state with legal medical marijuana. I got fed up, and I now devote all my time to ending this insanity.I am responsible for the technical side of this project, but try to chip in when I can, either with syndicated articles or original content.Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, and Digg and feel free to email. any questions or concerns. Peace!
  • Tony Aroma

    “To begin with glass jars are the only way to cure properly.”
    Not true.  I switched from glass jars to ziplock bags a few years ago and am never going back.  Granted, glass jars (or other airtight containers) are necessary for storage, but because they are airtight they are not ideal for curing.  Ziplock bags are superior for a number of reasons.

    • fuckplastic

      Fuck plastic. Dont be retarded!

  • Dad420s

    thats pretty vague..So how many days  or hours to dry and when curing, about how long to open jars and let your bud breath…also how hot or cold should it be ..alot of  things can go wrong ,mold and such …..we all know properly cured bud is the best but a litte more info in time table of dry and cure  would be helpfull…..i once smoke weed with jesus but his bud was columbian gold….

    • StickyBUDPRO

      I think the author didnt include a time table for the reasons you stated in your comment. There are so many variables to take into account including, bud strain, bud density, temperature at your place, humidity, ect ect. This is why cureing is such a hard thing to master. In my opinion it is WAY WAY harder then growing. From what i have “heard” lol ;) its best to crack the jars for just a few minutes. Some people will do a quick rotation of the buds in the jar but be quick. If you lose too much moisture its game over. If you open the jar next time and you smell nothing much at all you have failed amd should try again next time. You will know the smell of properly cureimg bud when you crack the jar. This will also help to setermine how long to air the jar at first before you increase the time between openings

      • vish

        I smoked my weed just after it was croped it had not much effect. will this get alot stonger when dried and hang to dry?

        • DavyBoy

          LoL, you smoked weed straight after harvesting without any drying at all?!?!?

          I’ve only ever used glass jars for curing, it works just fine for me, I don’t see the point in changing something that works for me.

  • Missgadget

    Good tips, thanks! Another option that many people love is to cure in Black Magic Odor Barrier Bags. They are like oven bags but much thicker and black in color and are ideal for curing. If anyone would like to try one out for free, just leave a mailing address on our website contact form at GroGroGadgets.com and I will send you a sample.

  • Gamerchronic

    I think this is one of the most over looked and under appreciated aspects of MJ culture. Especially for the commercially grown.ÂÂ

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=820685461 Worden Daniel

    Good read, cheers.

  • StinkyBUDPRO

    Ziplock bags superior to glass jars??? Try this.. Take a bunch of old baggies that contained pot. Cut them open and rub A finger over andover the bags for a long while. A substance starts to appear on your finger… Thats odd.. Keep going and it will put quite a bit of this substance on your finger, it will be brown or green depending on the amount of plant material. Take that and smoke and and BOOM YOU GOT HASH. Why does this work so well?? Plastic bags have a static charge that is detrimental to the trichomes, they are literally pulled right off of your bud. Now i dont know about you tony aroma but i want my trichomes on my bud and nowhere else!!!!!!

    • HPSLEDCFL

      That usually happens at a greater ratio with dry weed. Your experiment will hold true with dry weed. But that static charge can and will be ruined by the slightest amount of moisture.

      Ziplocks are disruptive. The nature of the seal is that they will dry out and this will occur Paint your glass jars if you cant find a dark place if you want are are worried about photosynthesis.

      Do I agree with you, 100%. Ziplocks can work, however still, they do risk that exact situation occurring, Btw the seal on those usually fail in the edges (stress tested)

  • Mark

    Most of the Medical Marijuana in California is sold, purchased, and consumed UNCURED. The product hits shelves as soon as dry, which has little to do with Curing Flower tops, but much to do with $$$. A grower who diligently cures his/her product for 2-3 weeks,(among other grow issues), offers Top Shelf premium bud. Buy an ounce of “fresh/moist side” top shelf from your local club. Empty all into a quart widemouthed Ball jar, make sure the buds are not crowded. If you have a hydrometer use it targeting a 50% RH. The range will be 30-60% in So. Cal. Do not let bud dry out! Think bread, once dry can you get it back to shape right before drying? If bud feels too dry when brought home, place hydrometer in jar with smoke. If you can not reach 30%RH, seal and don’t open for 48 hours. Consider orange/apple rinds for boosted moisture. Consider returning it too dry,(and not da kine),. The RH should get above 40%. Open jar every 24 hours for 10-15 random minutes. If hygrometer is in jar, keep open until the RH drops below 25%, seal airtight and watch RH rise to 55%, repeat with 48 hour intervals after 1 week. Uncured quality product is excellent. It is like eating a salad with steak. Curing seasons the steak(crystallizes the bud) into a Filet, vs Uncured(London Broil). The Broil will dry, but not cure, if no moisture is present. Try this test. Notice the smooth smoke, lack of seizure inducing cough, white ash, subtle flavors, even burn, etc. This is cured cannabis flower. Curing is as important as growing! Yes, but only if you care about taste, health, quality, potency, smell. . . A Grower, or Floriculturalist, is a difficult mental, spiritual and physical job. Very tough compared to proper curing!! I do love growing, or why bother? If I can’t grow better than I can buy, ALWAYS LEGALLY, where would the challenge lie? I have heard that one may use baggies, pill bottles, Tupperware. I do not doubt that any sealed container works, the difference is one of degree. Try curing your storefront herb, let me know the result at theplayer8@gmail.com. I look forward to e-mails, intelligence is my only request. Peace Out. I hope this helps. . .

    • DankBudZ

      Good advice mate.

    • Smokin@420.bud

      Consider orange/apple rinds for boosted moisture.

      I’ve been using a small piece of lettuce to boost moisture since the 80s. I think it would have less effect on the flavors than using fruit rinds.

  • John

    Me and my wife both have a 215 for 80oz. We live in Calif. we have heard that we can still be put in jail when transporting from the garden to our home. Is this Leagle?

  • http://www.facebook.com/kasey.amos.96 Kasey Amos

    Ive been curing for about.a.week now and my buds still have that farmer smell? What am i doing wrong

    • Suckotash

      Too much moisture in the leaves / stems still

  • smartnstned

    Man you are a genius. I’ve been looking everywhere for someone who could tell me what curing is. Slowly taking out the water, I know now.

    Now I know this. And all the people I’ve met say curing doesn’t matter.

    I just wanna know, how do you spot one of those noob grower/seller ahead of time who most likely has nasty stuff. Because they buy it regardless of curing.

    I’m scared now! Cause these idiots have seriously been the cause of my bad bud edaches.

  • Travis Haire from Vermont

    Fill a half dozen jars or more, and check them in a week is HORRIBLE Advice. You will more than likely have mold. The most important thing in curing is to burp your jars enough the first week in the jar.

    • Jack Herer

      Most definitely, I’ve had jars that I’ve been curing in various cupboards, and forgetting about one, only to find it a couple of days later and all the buds be covered with mould.

  • http://www.facebook.com/kodi.lillie Kodi Lillie

    what about air drying the buds how long should they be out for

  • CannaMom

    The article does not mention if you decide to cure for a month or more how often or if at all you ever need to open the jar again…