Picking the right location for drying Cannabis
I want you to imagine making jerky. You can dry your jerky for months, or you can throw it in the microwave and dry it in 30 seconds. Both are technically jerky, but one will be far more pleasurable to eat than the other. Just like jerky, if you want the best flavor, most natural aroma and smoothest smoke from your marijuana, you need to dry your freshly-harvested cannabis as slow as possible so the remaining life inside the plant comes to a nice gentle landing. This consists of hang-drying your cannabis, followed by an even slower mason jar cure.
That is why we choose a dark room with a nice mild temperature and humidity. You want this room to be at a temperature and humidity level that you find comfortable...around 72F with a relative humidity of around 50%, with fresh air exchange and space for a small fan. You'll need that small fan to keep air flowing and reduce the risk of mold. Basic air exchange is also necessary so if your room has no ventilation at all (like in an indoor closet) then you should keep the door open or otherwise make an allowance for fresh air to enter. Finally, do not allow sunlight to shine on your drying plants. Sunlight will cause your plants to degrade rapidly which is a no-no.
If you can't find a room like this then follow this rule of thumb: Too warm is fine, too dry is fine, but avoid a room that's too cold and definitely avoid a room that's too humid since that will cause mold.
That is why we choose a dark room with a nice mild temperature and humidity. You want this room to be at a temperature and humidity level that you find comfortable...around 72F with a relative humidity of around 50%, with fresh air exchange and space for a small fan. You'll need that small fan to keep air flowing and reduce the risk of mold. Basic air exchange is also necessary so if your room has no ventilation at all (like in an indoor closet) then you should keep the door open or otherwise make an allowance for fresh air to enter. Finally, do not allow sunlight to shine on your drying plants. Sunlight will cause your plants to degrade rapidly which is a no-no.
If you can't find a room like this then follow this rule of thumb: Too warm is fine, too dry is fine, but avoid a room that's too cold and definitely avoid a room that's too humid since that will cause mold.
The #1 rule for new growers drying Cannabis
This will be unpopular with many growers but I don't care because my job is to get you through your first grow successfully. For new growers, the #1 rule for drying cannabis is to stay away from high humidity rooms (>60%rH). You do not want moldy buds and I don't want you to have moldy buds. If your buds dry too quickly it's really not a big deal. Ask yourself, do you want drier buds with less flavor and aroma that you can smoke to your heart's content, or do you want moldy buds that you can't smoke at all?
Hanging your Cannabis
Now that you've chosen your dry room, you need to make space to hang your harvested cannabis. Hang your branches upside down, away from the cut, to keep moisture in the branches for longer. Don't let your buds overlap or rest on one other and make sure they're hanging in a location of the room with mild airflow. As I mentioned on the Harvesting Cannabis page, I cut segments off of the main trunk in order to keep as much of the plant intact as possible. Because of that, I'll have 4-6 branches coming off each segment of trunk which allows me to hang it in the crook where a branch meets the trunk. If you're hanging individual branches, for simplicity's sake I recommend hanging them off one of the lower bud stems. But hang anyway that works for you.
How long does it take for Cannabis to dry?The length of time it takes to dry cannabis depends on your room condition and the size of your branches, but a good estimate is 4-10 days. In my years of growing outdoor cannabis, I've been on both ends of the spectrum.
How do I know when my Cannabis is dry?
You'll know when your Cannabis is dry enough to place into curing jars by performing a break test on each branch. Your cannabis is ready for jarring when the branch bends almost to the point of breaking. If the branch already breaks, don't sweat it that just means it's a little drier than recommended and you should head on over to my Curing Cannabis page.
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How does Ron dry his Cannabis?
I'm glad you asked because I want to give you a practical, real world example of a cannabis drying room. I dry my cannabis in an outdoor utility room where the water heater, lawn mower and paint cans hang out and chit-chat all day and night. I've never measured the temperature or humidity but I know neither is too extreme. There's a standard vent in the lower part of the room for passive air exchange, and wall outlets that I plug a small fan into. I put the fan on a double-stack of paint cans, facing the corner of the room to circulate the air without blowing directly onto my drying buds. I have twine strung between screws on opposite walls to hang my branches. I place a small bowl of water on the ground to evaporate and keep some controlled humidity, for lack of a better word. I keep the door closed so it's very dark but at night I'll open the door to get moist air into the room. When it's time to jar the buds I enter the room, turn a dim overhead light on and trim the leaves before jarring them.
And guess what? My buds taste great, smoke smooth and smell beautiful. I'm not lucky and my drying room is far from ideal...I just put forth a lot of practical care into my buds and do the best I can with the tools I have. So don't fret if you can't check all the boxes for your drying room. You'll be just fine.
And guess what? My buds taste great, smoke smooth and smell beautiful. I'm not lucky and my drying room is far from ideal...I just put forth a lot of practical care into my buds and do the best I can with the tools I have. So don't fret if you can't check all the boxes for your drying room. You'll be just fine.
My Cannabis is dried, now how do I cure it?
Once your cannabis has reached a dry enough state, you need to place it in mason jars (or any suitable airtight container) for the final cure. Grab some coffee and drop by the How to Cure Cannabis page now.
How to Dry and Cure Cannabis
UPDATE: My bro created a video showing how to dry and cure marijuana: