How to Cure Weed

The curing process is when your cannabis flower will have the opportunity to rid itself of any excess substances—chlorophyll or fertilizer salts, for example—that could interfere with its quality.

Is it necessary to cure your cannabis? Not at all. You could still consume, and enjoy, non-cured cannabis. But a better question would be should you cure your cannabis. If you’re a cannabis enthusiast, and enjoy the consumption process (i.e. rolling up and smoking a blunt or joint), we highly recommend that you take the time to cure your cannabis. While everyone enjoys their cannabis differently, cured cannabis is ultimately smoother and more flavorful, since the cannabis flower has had a chance to fully flush out the excess moisture and substances that interfere with smell, taste, potency, and terpenes. Cured cannabis will even burn more evenly.

Curing cannabis is extremely easy. The main component you need is time. That, and enough Mason jars to fit all your dried cannabis flower.

Step 1: Separate your cannabis flowers from their stems. Put as many cannabis flowers in an airtight Mason jar as you can fit without them getting squished. Label each jar with the current date so that you don’t forget when you put the cannabis flower in the jars.

Step 2: Put your Mason jars in a dark place, like a dresser drawer in your bedroom, where the air is cool and dry.

Step 3: In 2 to 4 hours, come back and open the Mason jars to feel the cannabis flower. Be very gentle with the flowers when you’re handling them. If you feel more moisture on the outside, that means the process is working.

Step 4: Over the course of seven full days, “burp” the cannabis jars by briefly opening them two or three times per day. This will allow some air into the jars. You’ll notice that when you immediately open the jars and smell the cannabis flowers, they will smell progressively sweeter and more fragrant.

Step 5: After the first seven days, only open the jars one or twice a week. When you open the jars, do not keep them open for too long. Just open the jars long enough to smell the cannabis flowers. Do this for about two to three weeks, after which point the flower should be ready to consume. (Like making fine wine, some cultivators prefer to allow their cannabis flower to cure for six months or more. This isn’t necessary, but if you’re trying to perfect your cannabis flower, more curing time typically creates higher quality flower.)