Curing - what exactely is it?

RickWhite

RickWhite

Well-Known Member
From what I observe, the standard method seems to be to dry buds in some form of box, closet etc until they appear dry on the surface.

The buds are then placed in jars for what is being called curing. My question is what exactely is taking place during this "curing" process?

It seems to me that what is taking place during "curing" is this. When you dry bud in open air the surface becomes dry. When placed in jars, additional moisture deep within the plant evenly distributes from the area of high concentration deep inside the bud to the lower areas of concentration on the surface. The same thing would happen if you placed a wet sponge and a dry spong together in a jar for a week. When you open it, both would be equally damp.

So, it seems to me that "curing" is simply the process of allowing the deep moisture to slowly diffuse and leave the plant tissue evenly as opposed to winding up with bud with over dried surface and wet center.

If this is the case, it seems that simply drying the buds slowely would have the same effect. Or is there something I am missing?
 
pacman

pacman

Well-Known Member
its best to slow dry thats true, and right before ur stems will crack instead of bend, its the best time for jars. ive tried smoking it right after dry and after a cure, and u'll defenitly notice the flavor brought out on the cured buds. but if u put semi-wet buds in the jars just watch them like a hawk and burp everyday
 
RickWhite

RickWhite

Well-Known Member
So you cure buds that are completely dry? Is it possible then that the curing process has some microbial and or enzymatic activity that breaks down some of the components that make the smoke harsh like excessive chlorophyll?

Seems to me that pizza boxes should be a perfect slow drying tool. How long do you guys cure in jars?
 
fried at 420

fried at 420

Well-Known Member
curing is done in a mason jar burped 4-6 times a day for about a week this allows for a more smooth less harsh smoke
 
J

Jimbo48

Active Member
You are basically correct even drying. When you reseal the jar the drier outside draws the moisture out of the center of the bud. Also it needs to age some for the sugars, chloropyll ect to break down hence the tastier smoke.
 
fish601

fish601

Active Member
so curing is drying the whole bud at the same time instead of drying the outside first?.. would the same affect come from letting it dry from the outside into the inside over say a few weeks instead of drawing moisture out using a jar?
that means that curing is completley drying the bud which can be done by burping a mason jar or just lettting it sit out forawhile??
 
DaveTheNewbie

DaveTheNewbie

Well-Known Member
RickWhite said:
From what I observe, the standard method seems to be to dry buds in some form of box, closet etc until they appear dry on the surface.

The buds are then placed in jars for what is being called curing. My question is what exactely is taking place during this "curing" process?

It seems to me that what is taking place during "curing" is this. When you dry bud in open air the surface becomes dry. When placed in jars, additional moisture deep within the plant evenly distributes from the area of high concentration deep inside the bud to the lower areas of concentration on the surface. The same thing would happen if you placed a wet sponge and a dry spong together in a jar for a week. When you open it, both would be equally damp.

So, it seems to me that "curing" is simply the process of allowing the deep moisture to slowly diffuse and leave the plant tissue evenly as opposed to winding up with bud with over dried surface and wet center.

If this is the case, it seems that simply drying the buds slowely would have the same effect. Or is there something I am missing?
Click to expand...

that is my understanding.
i know a guy ... here we go ... who puts his bud in the jars quite wet and cures longer figuring that it just slows the drying down more and makes a better product.
 
FrontaLobotomy

FrontaLobotomy

Well-Known Member
It's a similar principle to maturing cheese, or wine. The longer you leave it, the better it gets. After 5 weeks of drying and curing you'll see the difference. It's the connoisseurs choice, and that should be an adequte indicator to go by.
 
RickWhite

RickWhite

Well-Known Member
OK, so it sounds like two things are happening. A) The bud dries evenly by way of capilary action and difusion. B) There is some type of breakdown of unwanted materials such as chlorophyll which cause harsh smoke.

I just don't see the need for the dichotomy. A good slow drying method ought to accomplish both without the need for glass jars. In the end it should take what 2-3 weeks for a dried and cured product?
 
plantz

plantz

Well-Known Member
I think this is a good question man, people need to know! Everyone here has covered 90% of the reason for curing, that about sums it up. And slow drying will work but i beleive your just prolonging the time, theres obviously a reason for "curing" or else it woudln't be recognized as part of the manufacturing of nugs. Not curing can make your whole grow shit. It will look good and sell good but people wont come back to nasty tasting, grass smelling weed. Curing= brings out tons of flavors and aromas.
 
RickWhite

RickWhite

Well-Known Member
It might be the case that the glass does a better job of holding in the turpine smell. I have seen people dry in paper bags and the bags do seem to let out just enough moisture for a decent slow dry. But, the paper might also absorb a good deal of the smell and leave it with that grass smell. Maybe glass should be used.
 
Roseman

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Friends,

DRYing and CURING are two distinctly diferent processes.

We DRY pot, so we can CURE it.
We CURE pot, to make it taste sweeter, smell sweeter, to avoid bud-mold, to make it more Smokable, to get the chemical and clorophyll taste out, and to increase the potency. A GOOD cure takes 4 weeks, and some conisours (mispelled) cure it up to 6 to 8 weeks.

The idea behind curing was learned from tobacco growers. Curing is a biological process of allowing the SUGARS and STARCHES to change into something MORE pleasant to the taste and smell. Normally the SUGARS and STARCHES taste HARSH and not so pleasant. To grow, Plants need SUGARS that convert into starches from Fertilizers and sunlight. Curing also removes alot of clorophyll or the clorophyll taste that is sort of a grassy leafy medicine chemical taste and leaves a sweet tastey pleasant taste.
Also, we cure pot to avoid MOLD that can come within 30 days AFTER Drying.

We cure pot in jars, in darkness, in a cool place. After being placed in the jar, we store them in a dark cool place, then we re-open the jar once a day, smell it, inspect it, let it breathe for a few seconds and then re-seal it. IF we smell an unpleasant "nose pinching" smell, or see white growth, we need to immedialtey remove it from
the jar and DRY it some more for a few more days.

When you first harvest the buds, save some moist large stems in the refrigarator, in a baggie. If you dry it too much, you can add a small piece of stem back, to remoisten it some.

I have CURED pot one week in jars, and tasted it, and then Cured it 4 weeks and tasted it. If you will try the same experiment, or ask any experienced grower, you'll learn (taste) the difference. It is much more potent, and mush sweeter tasting, and smells much better too.






 
jjf1978

jjf1978

Well-Known Member
Hey Roseman do you close those cardboard boxes at all? I am drying in a similar fashion except I keep the lid off.
 
RickWhite

RickWhite

Well-Known Member
Thanks man, I was specifically wondering if there was a breakdown of undesirable components during the curing process. I guess you could compare it to a green bannana or other fruit. It has to ripen. Personally I like my banannas with a touch of green left on them for that tangy taste and firm sticky texture. As soon as I see brown freckles they go straight into the trash.
 
Roseman

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Harvesting and Curing
Many hydro growers drain the tank and fill it with plain water, two days to 2 weeks before harvest. Called Flushing. (I quit doing that, I just could not taste any difference when you CURE properly.) Soil growers also FLUSH before harvesting.
I cut the longest branches, put them on a tin-foiled covered tray, and go to my kitchen table. I try to catch any fallen trichomes on the tin foil.
I have three boxes, one for the big FAN leaves. (for making oil)
one box for the TRIM leaves, the leaves with trichomes on them, that I manicured off the buds, FOR making HASH. I manicured much more since I learned how to make HASH. I want some naked STEM at the end of the buds to fasten my tape to, so I can hang it in the drying box.
AND One Box for the smaller popcorn buds. (small buds with no stems)

I manicure them, and cut the leaves off. I manicure closely. IF you leave those leaves on, by the time the buds are dry, the leaves are crispy and harsh to smoke.
I string masking tape across the top of the box, making rows about 3 or 4 inches a part. I wrap a piece of masking tape, about 4 inches long, around the tip end of the stem, and hang it from the masking tape, in rows, not letting the buds touch each other. VERY IMPORTANT.

I separate the bigger buds from the smaller ones IN DIFFERENT BOXES.
I put the boxes in a dark room, NO DIRECT LIGHT, and blow a gentle oscillating fan across the top, over them, but not on them.
The big buds take 7 days, the smaller ones 5 days. Popcorn buds take 3 or 4 days. Some take 5 days.
If you dry them too much, you can add back moisture. If you do not dry them enough, you get rotten buds and mold.
Dry them til the end of the stem will SNAP when you break it, but not crispy dry.
Again, the big buds take 7 days to dry, under a small fan,the smaller ones 5 days.
Keep them in the dark with NO or little light to see and inspect.
I never smoke them then, NEVER.
VERY IMPORTANTLY I then CURE them 30 days in wide mouth jars, opening the jar for ten seconds EVERYDAY , for 30 days.
Every day, I sniff them, smell them, for any funky moldy smell. If they do not smell right, then dry them outside the jar another day or two.
I've lost one jar, out of hundreds, the 30th day, it went bad, to Bud MOLD.

I can not emphasis the importance and difference if you properly MANICURE, Dry AND Cure them.
CURING MAKES A BIG MAJOR DIFFERENCE.
DO I HAVE TO Cure 30 days?
Definitely, I do know for sure, I tried smoking buds cured for a only a week, for two weeks, three weeks and 4 weeks. You should try it too, and you will find what I found. Buds cured 4 weeks not only taste better, they burn better and get you higher too. It has something to do with some scientific complicated SUGAR PROCESSING. or the sugars change . I am 100% sure, you will agree, if you test it like I did. CURE FOR 30 DAYS!

DRYING? They say dry them til the stem will snap. Well, I get stems the thickness of fishing line and I get stems the thickness of a pencil, even bigger. That tells me that you can not DRY them ALL the same amount of time. So I sort mine, fatter stems from skinny stems. The skinny ones, I DRY for 5 or 6 days. The fat ones, I DRY for 7 to 8 days. IF YOU OVER DRY, YOU CAN REMOISTEN THEM. IF YOU DO NOT DRY THEM ENOUGH, THEY WILL ROT ! I dry mine in the open air, moving air, moved with an oscillating fan. A gentle breeze, in temps of what central air or central heat gives me, which is around 75 to 78 degrees and humidity of 30% to 40%.
AND YOU MUST DRY AND CURE THEM IN DARKNESS. LIGHT IS THE ENEMY WHEN DRYING AND CURING. I do DRY mine in a room with the shades pulled down, it is not very dARK, but it is not any direct LIGHT, just some leaking light. I read up on Drying and Curing in 4 books I bought, and the above is what they say.

Save the trim leaves for HASH, you'll be so glad you did.


When I put my buds in Jars, I put them in the jar one bud at a time, feeling it, to see if it is VERY dry, overly dry, or NOT dry enough.

I also save several large pieces of the STEM, for later. When I check a jar, if I find a vERY dry bud, a bud too crispy and dry, I ad a short piece of fresh moist stem to the jar, for a half day, to re-moistion it.


Daily inspecting the jars, opening and smelling them, is of the upmost importantance.






Those pics are a mixture of my 2007 and 2008 crop. The 2007 crop, I did not trim close. I trimmed, but not close. I'd leave a half inch, to keep the scissors from getting glued together adn I was just lazy and in a hurry. I always got a lot of very dry, too dry, bud leaves, that smoked harsh. More times than not, I threw them away or gave them away.

And then I got a KIEF Box with a screen, and I started trimming much closer. The 2008 pics, I trimmed close and everytime I opend a new jar, I went and trimmed them again, to make MORE hash.

Now I reccomend trimming as much as possible and making hash, I never leave any leaf to go into the jar now. I pluck off what I can not trim off.

Buds without STEMS, I just spread out in a box, NOT LETTING THEM PILE UP OR TOUCH EACH OTHER. I stir them everyday.
Proper Harvest and DRYING and Curing are as IMPORTANT as GROWING.
Attached Thumbnails





Popcorn buds:



__________________
 
mj320002

mj320002

Well-Known Member
Good info. I figure I'll throw in my two cents as well. I agree with everything he said except for one thing. I prefer to throw my buds into the jars fairly quick. I only let them dry for about 3 days usually. When I let my buds dry out for a week they end up a little to dry and don't seem to cure correctly even when I remoisten them. I throw mine in a little wet then everyday I leave the jars open for about 30 minutes and transfer all the buds to a new jar so they get plenty of fresh air. I do this until they are just slightly moist which takes a week or two. After that I will just burp them and give them a little sniff to see how they are doing.


Like he said curing makes a huge difference. The buds look, taste, and smell better. You can see the difference after a day or two then it just keeps getting better the longer you go.


Roseman said:
Harvesting and Curing
Many hydro growers drain the tank and fill it with plain water, two days to 2 weeks before harvest. Called Flushing. (I quit doing that, I just could not taste any difference when you CURE properly.) Soil growers also FLUSH before harvesting.
I cut the longest branches, put them on a tin-foiled covered tray, and go to my kitchen table. I try to catch any fallen trichomes on the tin foil.
I have three boxes, one for the big FAN leaves. (for making oil)
one box for the TRIM leaves, the leaves with trichomes on them, that I manicured off the buds, FOR making HASH. I manicured much more since I learned how to make HASH. I want some naked STEM at the end of the buds to fasten my tape to, so I can hang it in the drying box.
AND One Box for the smaller popcorn buds. (small buds with no stems)

I manicure them, and cut the leaves off. I manicure closely. IF you leave those leaves on, by the time the buds are dry, the leaves are crispy and harsh to smoke.
I string masking tape across the top of the box, making rows about 3 or 4 inches a part. I wrap a piece of masking tape, about 4 inches long, around the tip end of the stem, and hang it from the masking tape, in rows, not letting the buds touch each other. VERY IMPORTANT.

I separate the bigger buds from the smaller ones IN DIFFERENT BOXES.
I put the boxes in a dark room, NO DIRECT LIGHT, and blow a gentle oscillating fan across the top, over them, but not on them.
The big buds take 7 days, the smaller ones 5 days. Popcorn buds take 3 or 4 days. Some take 5 days.
If you dry them too much, you can add back moisture. If you do not dry them enough, you get rotten buds and mold.
Dry them til the end of the stem will SNAP when you break it, but not crispy dry.
Again, the big buds take 7 days to dry, under a small fan,the smaller ones 5 days.
Keep them in the dark with NO or little light to see and inspect.
I never smoke them then, NEVER.
VERY IMPORTANTLY I then CURE them 30 days in wide mouth jars, opening the jar for ten seconds EVERYDAY , for 30 days.
Every day, I sniff them, smell them, for any funky moldy smell. If they do not smell right, then dry them outside the jar another day or two.
I've lost one jar, out of hundreds, the 30th day, it went bad, to Bud MOLD.

I can not emphasis the importance and difference if you properly MANICURE, Dry AND Cure them.
CURING MAKES A BIG MAJOR DIFFERENCE.
DO I HAVE TO Cure 30 days?
Definitely, I do know for sure, I tried smoking buds cured for a only a week, for two weeks, three weeks and 4 weeks. You should try it too, and you will find what I found. Buds cured 4 weeks not only taste better, they burn better and get you higher too. It has something to do with some scientific complicated SUGAR PROCESSING. or the sugars change . I am 100% sure, you will agree, if you test it like I did. CURE FOR 30 DAYS!

DRYING? They say dry them til the stem will snap. Well, I get stems the thickness of fishing line and I get stems the thickness of a pencil, even bigger. That tells me that you can not DRY them ALL the same amount of time. So I sort mine, fatter stems from skinny stems. The skinny ones, I DRY for 5 or 6 days. The fat ones, I DRY for 7 to 8 days. IF YOU OVER DRY, YOU CAN REMOISTEN THEM. IF YOU DO NOT DRY THEM ENOUGH, THEY WILL ROT ! I dry mine in the open air, moving air, moved with an oscillating fan. A gentle breeze, in temps of what central air or central heat gives me, which is around 75 to 78 degrees and humidity of 30% to 40%.
AND YOU MUST DRY AND CURE THEM IN DARKNESS. LIGHT IS THE ENEMY WHEN DRYING AND CURING. I do DRY mine in a room with the shades pulled down, it is not very dARK, but it is not any direct LIGHT, just some leaking light. I read up on Drying and Curing in 4 books I bought, and the above is what they say.

Save the trim leaves for HASH, you'll be so glad you did.


When I put my buds in Jars, I put them in the jar one bud at a time, feeling it, to see if it is VERY dry, overly dry, or NOT dry enough.

I also save several large pieces of the STEM, for later. When I check a jar, if I find a vERY dry bud, a bud too crispy and dry, I ad a short piece of fresh moist stem to the jar, for a half day, to re-moistion it.


Daily inspecting the jars, opening and smelling them, is of the upmost importantance.






Those pics are a mixture of my 2007 and 2008 crop. The 2007 crop, I did not trim close. I trimmed, but not close. I'd leave a half inch, to keep the scissors from getting glued together adn I was just lazy and in a hurry. I always got a lot of very dry, too dry, bud leaves, that smoked harsh. More times than not, I threw them away or gave them away.

And then I got a KIEF Box with a screen, and I started trimming much closer. The 2008 pics, I trimmed close and everytime I opend a new jar, I went and trimmed them again, to make MORE hash.

Now I reccomend trimming as much as possible and making hash, I never leave any leaf to go into the jar now. I pluck off what I can not trim off.

Buds without STEMS, I just spread out in a box, NOT LETTING THEM PILE UP OR TOUCH EACH OTHER. I stir them everyday.
Proper Harvest and DRYING and Curing are as IMPORTANT as GROWING.
Attached Thumbnails





Popcorn buds:



__________________
Click to expand...
 
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