How to Cure Buds
- 1. Why should i dry and cure cannabis buds?
- 2. How to dry cannabis the right way
- 3. How to cure cannabis buds
- 4. "burping" the jars
Harvesting cannabis buds always gets growers excited. After months of toiling, you finally see glistening buds coated with so much resin that it makes your mouth water. Indeed, it’s very rewarding to grow cannabis. You can’t contain your joy when you see those beautiful buds. You think that your work is finally over. However, the real process begins now. You may have harvested a huge amount of beautiful buds, but they need to be dried and cured. So, to sum it up, the process of growing cannabis includes:
- Choosing excellent genetics
- Germinating the cannabis seeds
- Providing the right environmental conditions to grow the plant
- Harvesting the buds
- Drying
- Curing
Many people tend to skip this last process. Many growers also tend to dry their buds quickly because they can’t wait to taste those buds. But did you know that all your hard work is pretty much useless if you don’t take the time to properly dry and cure buds? Drying and curing are the most important parts of growing cannabis. You cannot skip it, no matter what. So, take some time to understand how to dry and cure buds with this 2026 guide. But, before we begin, it’s important to discern why drying and curing are critical in the first place.
1. Why should I dry and cure cannabis buds?
When it comes to curing marijuana, the word “cure” tends to be a little confusing. What exactly are you curing here? Adapted from the Latin word curare, cure means to manage or take care of things. Not only cannabis but many vegetables are cured after harvest to preserve the flavor. Peppers are dried, and even bacon is sprinkled with salt to ensure long-term storage. Likewise, cannabis is cured to preserve its potent flavors and terpenes. Basically, the drying and curing process eliminates the moisture from the buds so that they don’t develop mold or other unfavorable conditions that render them useless.
Have you tried smoking a green bud that’s not cured yet? Try it! And you’ll swear off smoking cannabis forever because it’s just too harsh. Smoking uncured cannabis also makes you feel like you’re smoking grass. So, why does that happen? It’s because of chlorophyll. There are many sugars and minerals left in the plant even after harvest. If the buds are cured in perfect conditions, it helps bacteria break down the minerals and sugars that impart an unpleasant, harsh sensation when you smoke uncured cannabis.
Curing breaks down the chlorophyll present in the buds. Once the chlorophyll begins to degrade, the buds improve in taste dramatically. It also increases the smoothness. Many smokers complain of headaches when they smoke cannabis. Have you ever wondered why? Well, again, it’s because of smoking uncured cannabis. When you don’t take the time to properly dry and cure cannabis, headaches and other bad issues are just looming around the corner. Curing also reduces the likelihood of developing paranoia. But, most importantly, curing increases the potency of the buds. Cannabis produces many cannabinoids. Out of them, THC – tetrahydrocannabinol – is the most famous. But did you know that the plant first produces THCA – tetrahydrocannabinolic acid – that is later converted to THC during the curing process?
Yes, that’s right. So, if the buds are not cured, then the conversion to THC is unlikely, and the potency is reduced drastically. Apart from the potency, curing greatly affects the flavor of the terpenes. Terpenes are nothing but aromatic compounds found in the cannabis plant. They impart a specific flavor. For example, Lemon AK tastes like lemons, and it’s only because of the terpenes. Last but not least, drying and curing allow you to store the buds. Imagine that you’ve harvested 10 oz of buds only to find out that you have to finish them quickly lest they expire! No, that’s not what we want. What we need is cannabis that can be stored for a long, long time.
2. How to Dry Cannabis the Right Way
The drying process depends on what environmental conditions you can maintain. That is, in ideal drying conditions, you can hang the entire plant upside down and dry trim, while in less-than-ideal conditions, you may want to wet trim.
But what you need to remember is that the drying process has to be done slowly.
No matter how much you want to smoke the buds right away, do NOT microwave the buds. Don’t use a stove or any other type of heating element to dry the buds because it will be the most horrible marijuana you’ve ever smoked. Don’t use a dehydrator either. It’s simply best to allow the buds to dry slowly and naturally. Kapish? The best temperature to dry the buds ranges from 15°C to 20°C (59°F to 68°F) with about 50-60% relative humidity.
Once you’ve decided between dry or wet trimming, hang the plants in the dry room. You can hang them by tying a clothesline or a strong thread from one end to the other in your grow tent.
Even hanging the plants on a clothes hanger will work. Or, a closet will do. Remember that it needs good air circulation. Use equipment such as a humidifier/dehumidifier to achieve perfect environmental conditions. An air conditioner, cooler, or even a heater will work, depending on whether you want to raise or lower the humidity.
If you can't provide good drying conditions or prefer to dry the branches individually, use drying racks to dry.
If you don’t own one, use a laundry basket with several layers of sieves.
In short: in good environmental conditions, you can dry trim and hang whole plants upside down. In less-than-ideal conditions, dry each brand individually on a drying rack.
The drying process takes about 7 to 20 days in optimal conditions. In drying racks, it can take anywhere from 7 to 10 days or so.
To find out whether the stems are completely dry, snap the stems. If they snap right away, go ahead and cure them. But if the stems don’t snap and are still soft, let them dry for a few more days. If the buds are completely bereft of stems, check the outsides of the buds to detect any moisture. When they are absolutely dry, it means they are ready. Be careful not to over-dry the buds. It’s possible that the bigger buds are still soft while the smaller ones are completely dry. That’s okay! Just collect the dry ones and let them cure while the soft, moisture-laden buds continue to dry.
3. How to Cure Cannabis Buds
The best conditions to cure are basically the same conditions needed to dry weed. However, the process is different. So to cure your properly dried cannabis flower, what you want to do is fill an airtight mason jar up to 75% or ¾, and add a small hygrometer in there. Leave the jars completely sealed for 24- 48 hours. You want the hygrometer that’s in the jar to read 58 - 625 relative humidity. If after the 48 hours, the readings are higher, you want to “burp” the jars by removing the lid for a few hours. If the readings are below 58 - 62%, it means the buds are overly dry, and you may want to put a fan leaf in there to add moisture.
Once the hygrometer reads a stable 58 - 62%, your buds are ready for curing and long-term storage. You can use Boveda packs – the 62% packs are made specifically for cannabis to maintain ideal humidity. Simply place the packs in the jar, and you’re good to go.
Curing cannabis is a process many people overlook. The smoke buds are as soon as they are dry. Although dry marijuana can be smoked, it’s best to cure cannabis to get the results you’re really looking for. Drying and curing marijuana can make all the difference between cheap and top-grade cannabis. It doesn’t matter whether you’re growing a photoperiod or an autoflower strain because the process will remain the same.
However, some genetics are bred for flavor, and that is something you should keep in mind when choosing what strain to grow.
Our delicious Lemon Tree Auto, for example, delivers a whole different olfactory experience when cured properly. So, get your seeds today and experience the difference yourself!
4. "Burping" the jars
Generally speaking, there is no need to burp the jars every day if you have a hygrometer telling you the RH in the jars. However, if you don’t have a hygrometer and still need to cure your weed, you can burp the jars daily.
Burping is done by opening the curing jars for 10- 30 minutes once a day. If you’re doing it this way, remember to shake the buds around a little bit to ensure all the moisture gets out. Other growers prefer removing all the flowers from the jar and spreading them on a newspaper or similar.
As a guideline, you should burp the flowers once a day for at least 30 minutes for around a week, but as mentioned, it depends on a lot of things, as some growers agree that you should burp less often but for longer.
Now, keep in mind that how often and how long you burp your jars for depends on the specific strain and conditions. No matter your preference, the goal is the same: properly dry flower in optimal conditions for curing and long-term freshness.
FAQ
Drying and curing are distinct stages in preparing cannabis buds. Drying gradually removes moisture from freshly harvested flowers, making them suitable for smoking or vaping. Curing is the aging stage, similar to maturing whiskey in an oak barrel, though it takes far less time. It slows moisture loss, allowing remaining water deep inside the buds to evaporate evenly. This creates a smoother, more refined final product, preserves natural qualities, and prepares the buds for reliable, long-term storage and later enjoyment once the process is complete.
That will depend on your environmental conditions, and whether you have wet or dry trimmed the harvest. It can also be affected by the size and density of the buds, and whether they have been 'bucked' (removed) from the branches. Again, the ideal timing for drying weed is between 7 and 20 days.
The majority of cultivators cure for a minimum of two weeks, but can leave the buds for up to around a month before they start to enjoy them. If you are able to let the buds cure for another full month, then you are going to taste and smell a noticeable difference, with the flavors and aromas really intensifying at the 2-month point.
You want to keep your marijuana buds as well protected as possible. That means out of direct light and in a humidity- and temperature-regulated area. If you have room in your refrigerator, you can actually store the harvest in there to keep them maximally fresh for the longest period.
The ideal temperature for curing cannabis is 15 - 20 degrees Celsius (59 - 68 Fahrenheit). The humidity should be kept around 55-60% if possible. Grab a couple of cheap hygrometers and place one into each jar for the best results.
Nope. While many hobby growers swear by them, they have the unfortunate side effect of not only keeping the humidity away but also pulling a bunch of the flavor and aroma off the buds. The best way to ensure the perfect humidity levels is with a quality hygrometer. Humidity packs can be used after buds have been properly dried and cured for long-term storage.
If your buds aren't drying, there are a bunch of different things you can do. Firstly, look at the environmental conditions in the drying chamber. Is there enough airflow? Are you keeping the temperature and humidity at the correct level? If all of those are fine, then you may be looking at a problem with moisture still trapped in the buds. If that is the case, you should adjust the fans, but don't point them directly at the buds themselves. Just aim them around the room to ensure some air movement. This will help to draw out any remaining moisture.
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