Drying cannabis correctly is a critical step in ensuring the quality of your harvest. This comprehensive guide is designed to help beginners understand the drying process, its importance, and the best practices to follow for optimal results. In it, I’ll walk you through a couple of different methods for drying your cannabis, focusing on the best particular method for most home growers.
TL/DR: Poor Drying Can Ruin Your Crop
Drying cannabis is not about speed; it is about patience.
Proper drying enhances terpene profiles, prevents mold growth, and ensures a smoother smoke.
Drying your cannabis is necessary to break down chlorophyll, reduce moisture, and preserve the integrity of the flower you grew.
In this article, we focus on branch hanging, how it is helpful for home growers, and the procedure for understanding when your weed is properly dried and ready to cure.
Drying your cannabis poorly can ruin the last 3-4 months of work you put in to have a great harvest; follow this guide, and you won’t mess it up!
Why is Drying Cannabis Important?
Drying cannabis properly is essential for several reasons, mainly relating to the health and quality of the end product. Every component of your growing process, from germination to curing, is crucial for the quality of your end product. When drying your cannabis flower, consider moisture’s impact and the harm it can cause. Too much moisture can cause mildew or mold growth, which renders your harvest useless!
Drying plants can be done by hanging them upside down using their branches
The cannabis drying process also preserves your terpenes and cannabinoids while keeping a smoother smoking experience that brings the full flavor of the flower. Proper drying gives your bud full flavor, maximum potency, and smoothness.
Drying Methods and Techniques
Drying is an important part of the cultivation process, so that naturally leads to the question of HOW do I dry my cannabis? Below are a few different methods that break down the different techniques and the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Branch Hanging
This traditional method involves cutting and hanging individual branches upside down in a controlled environment (often a drying room) and hanging those branches on a rack. Branch hanging allows for even drying and is ideal for preserving the integrity of each bud. This method is recommended to most growers if they have the space, commercial or otherwise.
Drying cannabis plants can be done by hanging them upside down in a room
Whole Plant Hanging
You can also dry freshly harvested cannabis plants without cutting the branches. Hanging the entire weed plant upside down is used to slow down the drying process, which can be beneficial for retaining terpenes and cannabinoids. This process will take slightly longer since the whole plant retains more moisture than cut branches or trimmed buds.
Rack Drying
Rack drying is feasible but has drawbacks, such as the potential for uneven drying and misshaping of your trimmed buds. I recommend using drying racks in high-humidity environments. When you cut off individual marijuana buds and put them on a rack, it aerates the flower more thoroughly to help prevent still air for humidity and is best at preventing mold growth. Remember, temperature and humidity levels in your drying environment dictate the amount of time it will take for your cannabis to dry appropriately.
Drying marijuana can be done by hanging or using a drying rack as pictured above
Quick Dry Methods
Drying your weed in a microwave, oven, or with a central heater will degrade your cannabis and is never recommended! Some growers in urgent situations will resort to a quick dry, but the result will be lower-quality cannabis. Remember that patience is crucial for good quality produce, and shortcuts are shortcomings! When the drying process is sped up, and variables are tweaked, like heating, the result will be lower potency weed that tastes terrible and is much harsher to consume.
Freeze Drying
Freeze drying requires specialized equipment and should absolutely not be put in a home freezer. Freeze drying incorrectly can seriously harm the quality of your buds, plus the equipment to do so correctly is expensive, which can pose a challenge for casual growers. Due to the risks, I would not recommend freeze-drying to home growers unless you’re considering extraction. For more information on freeze drying the right way, check out our detailed article: Freeze Drying Weed.
What is the Best Method for Drying Cannabis?
The best method for drying buds depends on your specific conditions and goals. However, branch hanging and whole plant hanging are generally preferred for their ability to ensure even drying and preserve quality. Hanging may not always be possible in a smaller environment, which is why I mentioned the alternative methods above. Check out my step-by-step guide for branch hanging below:
Patience is key when drying weed
What Are The Best Temperatures and Humidity Levels for Drying Cannabis?
The conventional standard for the ideal drying environment for cannabis, widely used by the grower’s community, is 60° Fahrenheit (15,5°C) and 60% relative humidity (RH). This standard is commonly referred to as the 60/60 drying method.
Some cultivators, however, prefer to stay within a range between 60 and 70°F (15,5 – 21°C) and an ideal relative humidity between 45% and 55%. Others say the sweet spot lies between 55 and 65 °F (12.8-18.3°C) with an RH between 50% and 60%.
Whether one range is better than the other is still up for debate and is more of a discussion of preference. Some like their buds a little bit more moist than others, while others swear by a slightly higher temperature and a slightly lower RH to keep their terpene retention at an optimal level. If you want to read more about how and when to dry weed buds; take a look at Robert’s Grow Bible.
If you’re unsure which advice to follow, your best bet is to stick to the 60/60 method as a safe guideline. However, it’s okay to experiment within your own drying environment with a combination of these ranges to see what delivers the best results for your situation and personal preference.
Whichever method you choose, it’s important to remember that excessive heat can ruin your harvest. When the temperature is too high – anything over 70°F ( 21°C) – you run the risk of drying cannabis flower too fast, which can lead to a harsh smoke and unpleasant taste.
Likewise, if the RH is too high – anything over 60% –it invites mold and bacteria to grow, which means you’ve pretty much spoiled your precious harvest and hard work.
A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Dry Weed
I’ll be walking you through branch drying. I’ve found this to be the best solution for individuals with a well-controlled environment, fresh air, and some spare space for drying.
Step 1: Cut 12-18 inch branches to hang on wires
When working with the branch method, you’ll want to cut the whole plant into segments so they can catch enough air during drying. These segments will start at the plant’s internodal points, where the plant’s branches stem from. The size of your branch cuttings will depend on your environment. A more humid environment should have shorter branch cuttings, whereas a low-humidity environment could use bigger branches with more water content. (If it’s especially low-humidity, consider hanging whole plants!)
Step 2: Remove big fan leaves
Removing the fan leaves allows more oxygen to get to your buds and decreases the work the environment has to do to dry your weed correctly. You’ll also need to choose whether you want to “dry trim” or “wet trim.” Wet trimming and dry trimming address whether you cut off the leaves and extra material before or after drying. The best way to think about it is that the more vegetative material is exposed to air, the longer it will take to dry.
Step 3: Hang the branches upside down on wires
Next, hang the cuttings you’ve taken upside down on your rack or wire. They’ll need enough space for all the buds to get air; otherwise, dead air pockets will be detrimental to your flower.
Step 4: Dry your buds until they pass the “snap test
Maintain your humidity and temperature correctly, and check your buds daily to see their drying progress. It’s crucial not to rush the drying. Having excess moisture in buds will make for a harsher smoking experience, affecting the consistency of the flower and its flavor. When you think they’re ready, press the branches between your fingers to check if the stems snap. Top tip: Once you hear a snap on the smaller branches, take some of the bigger buds on your branch, put them in a plastic bag, and leave them there for a few hours. Condensation on the plastic bags means you’ll need to give them a few more days to dry out.
How do I Know when my Cannabis Buds are Ready to Cure?
As I referenced above, you want to be sure your cannabis plants are dry and ready for curing; otherwise, you’ll spoil your crop with mold! The last thing you want is to have wasted four months of growing due to impatience.
Patience is the Name of the Game.
Patience is crucial during the drying process. It can be difficult to wait until your bud is ready, but rushing can lead to subpar quality and a compromised product. It’s essential to allow enough time for your cannabis to dry. Otherwise, you’ll lose all the flavor and smell you worked so hard to produce!
An overview of how to dry your cannabis buds
How do I Keep Track of The Cannabis Drying Progress?
There are three different indicators I tend to use when drying my cannabis. These mainly involve the senses of touch, hearing, and smell.
The first technique is stem snapping, which I covered above.
I also check the aroma to see if it smells like dried bud or if there’s still some mustiness. They may smell like hay but don’t worry, this is the chlorophyll breaking down. It’ll be ready to jar when it has a more full-bodied scent.
You’ll also want to monitor the bud’s texture; when it is dry to the touch but not crumbly, the flowers are ready for curing.
Developing a personal routine for checking these indicators will help you better understand and control the drying process.
Can you Dry Cannabis for Too Long?
Yes, overdrying can occur, leading to loss of flavor and potency. When this happens, you’ll find the buds crumbling to the touch. It’s critical to monitor your cannabis closely to avoid this.
What is the Difference Between the Drying and Curing Process?
Drying and curing are distinct yet interconnected processes. Drying involves removing moisture from the buds, while curing is aging them to enhance flavor and smoothness. To learn more on how to cure cannabis, read our “Curing Cannabis” article.
It is important to store your jar of buds in a dark and cooler location
Conclusions
Properly drying cannabis is an art that requires patience and attention to detail. By following the guidelines in this article, you can achieve a harvest with excellent terpene profiles, smooth smoke, and reduced risk of mold and mildew. Remember, the key to successful drying is patience, understanding your cannabis, monitoring its progress, and respecting the time it takes to dry thoroughly. The quality of your dried product will also depend on the quality of the seeds you are using and how well you take care of your marijuana plants during the growing process. Make sure you check out this Plant Care Guide and keep growing and learning!
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