cannabis harvesting and drying phase is a very delicate moment, since a fair or excellent harvest can be seriously compromised in a few hours. In this regard, it is necessary to identify the "right moment" of the harvest (which among expert growers is very personal).
The purpose of this guide is to find out together when to harvest cannabis and how to dry the plants. A fundamental aspect that we will cover in this guide for drying cannabis are temperatures and humidity, if you want to preserve aroma and taste.
Since the cannabis flower is highly perishable, right from the first minutes of its harvest, the drying and cleaning environment must necessarily maintain certain environmental parameters.
In this respect, it could be decisive to have one or more air conditioners in the drying room. Furthermore, in the case of numerous plants to be harvested, a defoliating trimmer could become useful to speed up operations in that phase.
How to tell when cannabis is ready to harvest:
Many people rely on the coloring of the pistils to tell when cannabis is ready to harvest which start to vary from white to orange, red, purple etc etc. We consider that when 75%-80% of the pistils have changed color the plant will be ready for harvesting. Certainly this is an indicator, but a very inaccurate one.
The coloring of the micro droplets of resin on the trichomes, on the other hand, is the real signal to understand when to harvest the cannabis plant. With an economic microscope it is possible to clearly see the coloring of the resin drops which from translucent white become amber in colour. This process indicates the perfect time for harvesting .
A completely amber color will produce an effect that is less strong initially, but more lasting, conversely a more "transulecent" color of the drops will give a more sudden and less lasting effect!
- Harvesting phase: We can proceed by cutting the plant into various sections with gardening shears, to decrease its volume and therefore the space used, taking care to leave at least a couple of internodes which facilitate its fixing.
- cannabis cleaning : There are various schools of thought among the experts: Some completely cleanse the plant from both large and small leaves, others instead cut the so-called "sun leaves" (the largest ones) leaving the smallest to protect the flower, during the 'drying.
- Cannabis cleaning tools: When asked how we can clean cannabis, the answer comes by itself...It depends on the number of plants! There are many models of scissors on the market that are perfect for cannabis manicures, but when the green volume increases, if you don't want to compromise the harvest, you need to have special defoliating trimmers for harvesting cannabis
- Cannabis drying hanging in a cool, dry place : as already mentioned, temperature and humidity are the basis for preserving the taste, aromas and also the appearance of cannabis flowers. Hanging cannabis flowers with temperatures and humidity between 18-22° and 40-50%, ensures perfect drying of the flowers, preserving the fragrance of the terpenes
- Cannabis tanning: After the drying period, a curing period will be necessary where the cannabis finishes ripening, expressing its terpene profiles to the maximum. The curing time of cannabis lasts 10-15 days, but the most refined palates ensure that complete maturation does not take place before 40-45 days.
Best ways to dry weed: the tools that must not be missing, to preserve the taste and aromas
In the drying phase, as already mentioned, the cannabis flower is highly perishable . In those phases the terpenes and aromas can be seriously compromised within a few hours, if just after the cut you do not clean and deposit the crop in environments with certain values.
The possibility of controlling the temperature and humidity of the place chosen for drying the marijuana is essential for the success of the harvest . A dried flower with more than 65-70% humidity will definitely affect the color and taste. Also with temperatures above 25° the therapeutic properties of cannabinoids can be significantly modified.
In this regard, it goes without saying that one of the fundamental rules is to have one or more air conditioners depending on the volume of the plants. Another useful tool for the practice of drying with cannabis is certainly the dehumidifier .
However, it is always good to pay attention to the temperatures, as the dehumidifier produces warm air in the drying rooms for the plants. The dehumidifier can be useful in colder and more humid environments, however it is not recommended in already dry and hot environments.
To store the flowers to dry it will be necessary to have a special drying net which guarantees the right ventilation for the inflorescences, avoiding the arrival of mold and rot.
Dry weed by preventing mold and bacteria: the importance of an air extractor and fans
two other essential tools for the marijuana drying phase are the extractor and the fan (or more fans). When many cannabis plants are stored in a limited space, the relative humidity rises dramatically .
Dry weed in these conditions combined with the high temperature exposes you to the risk of the appearance of mold or fungi . An environment with a constant air exchange significantly reduces the possibility of contamination by this type of pathogens, typical of hot and humid environments.
In this regard, having an extractor of adequate power and one or more fans depending on the volume are fundamental rules for drying cannabis in healthy environments.
Where do I put the marijuana plants to dry?
Home growers with a grow box often use it themselves to dry the crop. In most periods of the year this expedient is very effective, except in the hot months where without an air conditioner it is very difficult to maintain adequate temperatures.
But who owns larger volumes of plants??
Wires or nets can be used to hang the branches, but clothes hangers or clothes lines are also fine. the important thing is that the flowers are well raised off the ground (at least 1 m), to avoid dust
Another method for drying cannabis involves cleaning the flowers from the branches and spreading them on special breathable nets or fabrics, it is also recommended to hang them at least 1m from the ground.
We also recommend not throwing away the cannabis cleaning waste, as it is possible to obtain excellent extractions of oils and resins.
As we have widely repeated, the ideal environmental parameters for drying cannabis are 18-22 degrees and 50% humidity . These values can often be maintained only with the use of machinery such as: air conditioners, dehumidifiers and air extractors. But after the hassle how to proceed?
For those who want to dry cannabis in the grow box, we recommend keeping the air extractor always on 24/7, connected to an activated carbon filter to eliminate exhaust odors. And use a special drying net .
Cannabis tanning how to store it and make it perfect and tasty
Once the drying period is over we will proceed with the cannabis curing . Storing the buds in jars, containers or special heat-sealable bags, for at least 10-15 days, with controlled humidity, enhances the flavors and taste to the maximum
During the curing period, it is recommended to open the containers for a few minutes every 2-3 days to air out the flowers, avoiding any possible residual humidity that could generate mold and rot .
For the most discerning palates, cannabis curing can last up to 45-60 days, in fact, if properly tanned, marijuana will express its maximum effects and flavors right after this rest period.
To keep our harvest unchanged during the storage and curing of cannabis, there are special humidity regulators , such as the Integra Boosts , to be inserted in the containers to avoid excessive drying and deterioration of the flower. Below is a list of environmental parameters during the drying and curing of cannabis:
- Cannabis Curing Humidity: 55%-60%
- Cannabis curing temperature: 18°-24°
We hope that reading this guide will give everyone the opportunity to collect, clean and dispose of cannabis correctly , without making mistakes that can irreversibly affect all our efforts.
