The drying process and the right further processing

After harvesting, marijuana must first be dried before it can be smoked, vaped or used for cooking. The drying process converts THC from its non-psychoactive acid form to its psychoactive form. This means that fresh and green cannabis is barely potent and not at all comparable in effect to professionally dried weed.

When a cannabis plant is hung up to dry, the transport of liquids in the plant continues, but more slowly. The stomata (pores on the plant surface) close quickly after harvest. The outer cells of the plant become dry first, but liquid still moves in the inner cells to bring moisture to the outer plant cells.

Removing leaves and twigs speeds up drying after harvest. Buds that have been dried slowly taste sweeter, have more aroma and a smoother smoke.

The room (grow box) where the dry racks, dry nets or whole plants are hung should be dark and in addition one or more fans should be used, but these should not be aimed directly at the buds.

A hygrometer and thermometer are essential to control the temperature and humidity during the drying process. This way you can keep everything at the right level to help your professionally grown weed reach its absolute perfection. The ideal drying temperature is between 18-24°C and the relative humidity should be 45-55%. Too low a temperature can quickly increase the humidity. If the humidity rises above 80% (!) there is an increased risk of mould and the drying process is slowed down considerably. Temperatures above 24° C cause too fast drying, chlorophyll is not broken down sufficiently and the buds taste scratchy and yeasty as a consequence.

Smaller harvests can easily be dried in a cupboard or small grow box equipped with proper ventilation. Larger harvests of course require much more space, especially large outdoor harvests. Keep in mind that there is a particularly increased odour in the first 3 days after harvesting.

Indoors, many growers use the grow box they have been growing in as a drying room later on, when there are no plants in it. Plants should not be dried in a room where they are grown at the same time, because different climatic conditions are necessary for drying and for growing. Possible fungi and also pests could spread to harvested grass and vice versa.

The harvested cannabis must be kept in a well-ventilated, dark room to dry, turned repeatedly so that it dries evenly, and checked daily for mould or other abnormalities.

For perpetual growing, it makes sense in the long run to buy a drying box or to build a small drying box yourself. For a smaller grow, you can also use a larger cardboard box as a drying room. Ventilate and check regularly.

Consider this: Next to heat and light, friction is the biggest destroyer of resin glands. Every minute, millions of sensitive resin gland heads are destroyed around the world by small bags, grasping hands, shaking.....

The slow drying process and professional processing

During the drying process, the temperature and humidity should be closely monitored for best results. When the grass is later boxed in for perfect conversion of all components, the temperature and humidity should be measured regularly inside the glass jar using a measuring device with a measuring point. You can also use one instrument for all the jars and measure them one after the other.

1. the buds are dried hanging (4-10 days) or placed on a drying rack.

If the flowers feel dry on the outside, put them in a glass jar with a sealable lid and a large opening. They are now aired several times a day for 2 hours for 1-3 weeks. Even if the buds feel dry on the outside, they still have plenty of moisture inside. The ideal time for "boxing" is when the stems are still pliable and soft and do not yet crack when bent.

The glass jar should be filled to about 75% so that there is still a little air left at the top. The buds should therefore not be stuffed or pressed into the jar. Don't forget to label them! The glass jars with the buds should be stored in a dark, cool room and aired and checked several times a day.

Measuring in a jar

If you notice that the humidity in the jar rises above 70%, remove the flowers from the jar and place them on a drying net for 12-24 hours to dry further.

If the humidity is 60-65%, you can simply leave the buds in the glass jar and open the lid for 2-4 hours daily. If the climate is very humid in your region, the buds may need to be taken out of their jar for 2-4 hours and placed on a drying net.

If the flowers are sticky to the touch (not wet or damp) and the humidity in the glass jar is 60-65%, the flowers are in exactly the right range to convert all substances ideally, to develop the best aroma and to break down chlorophyll sufficiently. Under these conditions, the lid should be removed from the glass jar 1-2 times a day for several minutes and for the next 4 weeks.

If the humidity is below 60%, the flowers are too dry. Place a medium-sized, very healthy, fresh and young cannabis leaf or optionally a small fresh bud in the 1-litre jar overnight, close the lid and take it out again the next morning. The overdrying should have disappeared, the moisture from the leaf/small bud has spread to all the flowers in the jar. Repeat the process if necessary. Be careful not to put an apple peel or similar in the jar for re-humidification. Humidipacks are an option if the buds have become too dry. If possible, this should be avoided in advance.

good thing: The Boveda Pack ensures that the humidity in the jar remains constant at 62%.

Boxing the buds after a 10-day drying period makes wonderful weed with a fierce effect and sweet taste. After a 4-week treatment and this drying, a premium weed has been created that will be the envy of you.

Everything you need to know about the right time to harvest and harvesting can be found in the Harvest guide 1 and Harvest guide 2

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