Drying Marijuana

After you harvested and trimmed it, it time for drying Marijuana.

It is best to dry in a dark environment. Sunlight would reduce the THC. Darkness will also help to reduce the leaf-green (chlorophyll) which scratches in the throat.

Key to drying marijuana is to do it slowly. But not too slow because it could develop mould. Never dry in sunlight. It will lower the quality of your weed and make it harsh for the smoker.

Also don't ever use ovens, hot air fans, microwaves or anything like that for drying marijuana. It will ruin your pot.

You want to dry as slowly as possible. This way, the pot develops its charismatic smell. During the drying, certain components convert into THC.

Spread your trimmed buds on sheets of paper, or hang them on wires. In the above picture, I have put them into open plastic containers. It does not matter as long as air can circulate around them.

Now leave them in a dark, ventilated spot. After aproximately 5 - 9 days its time to press them for the first time. It is because of the pressing that Marijuana gets the nice looks of distinctive buds.

To press it, put the still moist weed in one or more plastic bags. Than roll the bag up to gently squeeze the pot. Just gently. Than put the bag under a pillow or similar for a couple of hours.

The more you press it, the more compact the buds will be later. But it also means that they become smaller which can be a disadvantage because they look quite little.

Pressing too strong also means that more of the trichomes burst. I believe this will lower the quality of the end product. So roll it together gently.

Do not leave the dry weed too long in that rolled up bag. After a few hours, take it out. The buds will stick to each other. Seperate them and leave them to further drying.

2 days later, put them back into the bag and roll it up again. Leave it in the bag for a few hours or overnight. But not longer.

Take it out, seperate the buds and leave them to dry some more.

There is danger for the buds of developing mould. Always check inside the buds. Mould looks gray/white. Never smoke pot with mould on it, it is a health hazard.

2 days later, repeat the bag procedure. Putting the green into a bag will not only give it a nice look, it will also initiate the process of curing. The slower the pot dries, the better the smell and effect of the end product.

Repeat the above procedure as often as you like, until the pot has dried completely. You will know that it is dry when the sticks make a noise when breaking.

Even after it has dried completely, it will still get better. Marijuana drying is a bit like wine making. The weed will become stronger over the next aproximately 3 months. But you can already smoke it earlier.

After the weed has dried completely, put it into airtight containers. Glass containers are the first choice. Keep it in the fridge. Not the freezer.

Open the lid every now and than to let some oxygen in and check for mould.

Cannabis can be kept in airtight glasses in the fridge for 2 years or longer.

You can also use your Growing Tent for drying.

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