Harvesting your marijuana is an exciting time. All of your work and love that went into taking care of your plants is finally paying off as you snip off those beautiful colas to start drying. Drying and curing your marijuana after harvesting is one of the most important steps of growing; it’s the last trek to the finish line, and no time to get complacent. Curing your buds is what preserves the terpenes and cannabinoid compounds to provide the intended potency, effects, and nice consistency for smoking.
Curing Cannabis
Plants begin to degrade as soon as harvested as aerobic bacteria and enzymes break down excess starches and sugars. Curing forces your plants to use up these excessive elements before they have completely dried out and prevents the degradation of terpenes and cannabinoids. Curing is meant to slowly remove any remaining moisture and evenly distribute it away from the center of the plant.
Freshly cut cannabis must be dried properly, or it could very easily develop mold, mildew, or rot. High humidity environments make crops even more vulnerable to these dangers that can ruin what would’ve been a perfect harvest up until the very last step. Improper curing can lead to major disappointment if you are home growing for recreational or medicinal purposes and can lead to a lot of lost dollars for commercial cultivators.
Traditional drying and curing always preached “low and slow” when hanging your buds and curing them in jars to get just the right texture, color, and terpene balance. Curing machines today, however, get your product ready to smoke or to market a whole lot faster and can provide many additional benefits.
Curing Machines Eliminate Labor-Intensive Off Gassing
It is critical to properly dry and cure cannabis as several biochemical reactions occur during curing that gives your pot the quality end-product you are accustomed to. Growers traditionally hung cut flowers upside down to dry and then stored the buds in mason jars. This requires opening the lids to let the air out a few times a day to release the gases that form as cannabis goes through the curing process, this is called off-gassing or burping. Opening the container to release gases and allow exposure to air a few times a day should be performed for anywhere from 7 to 14 days or some growers cure for up to 4 weeks.
As you can imagine, or as you already know, this is a bit labor intensive. Curing machines provide a cost-effective solution for commercial growers that do not have to invest in labor simply for turning fans and airing out products. Curing machines also help the home grower by ensuring that your buds will be dried out and cured properly. You can look forward to some superb sinsemilla instead of worrying about ruining weeks of work and anticipation.
How Does A Cannabis Curing Machine Work?
A curing machine consists of mesh curing racks that you lay your bud on as the machine circulates air uniformly and continually throughout the entire system. This automates the entire drying and curing process and eliminates the need to babysit stationary fans or open jars 3 to 5 times a day. The multidirectional airflow dynamics and exhaust fan remove the moist, stale air, and units with dust filters help to keep your bud in top condition.
Some methods also incorporate “cyro curing,” which involves a freeze-drying process, vacuum pressure, sublimation, condensation, and defrosting. Either type of curing machine will speed up the drying and curing process significantly, cutting anywhere from two to three weeks down to a matter of days or hours.
The Many Benefits of Using a Curing Machine
Using a curing machine provides many benefits, such as:
Reduces or eliminates mold and mycotoxin counts
Increases THC potency
Enhances aroma
Eliminates the need for burping
Reduces cure time
Preserves terpenes and flavor
Provides greater consistency
Curing machines will provide a better quality of cannabis faster, with less cost and waste. Ask your friends at RainMakers Supply for more information on curing and how to grow your own cannabis at home.
RainMakers Supply is a leading hydroponic grow store serving Chicagoland and surrounding areas with quality hydroponic supplies and equipment. We are your one-stop for grow-your-own solutions with a knowledgeable staff committed to your success. Contact us with any questions on setting up your hydroponic grow system or to learn more about the drying and curing process with curing machines.