Learn how terpenes, flavonoids and cannabinoids mature while pros cure cannabis with humidity packs and after curing, why a terpene shield is essential to prevent terpene and water weight loss while cannabis is in storage, in transport and on the shelf.
More and more cannabis enthusiasts are educating themselves on what fantastic finished product looks and smells like. The true indicator of superior cannabis is in the curing of it. Cannabis connoisseurs know this.
With an increase of legal cultivators flooding into new markets, these growers must produce exceptional product to appeal to the most discerning tastes.
Curing is more than a step in cultivation–it’s an art form.
The cannabis world is learning quickly that the true secret to fuller, more potent and more enjoyable buds is all in the cure. As legal cannabis cultivation has expanded, curing has advanced scientifically to keep up with demand.
Properly cured cannabis retains its weight, flavor and cannabinoid levels much better than flowers that are handled carelessly.
The curing process begins even before the harvest. For the cultivator who harvests product with care, a solid humidity control strategy is the way to go. Throughout the cultivation process, humidity in the air should be as consistent as possible to produce the highest quality flowers.
Tip 1: Control the Environment
So as a cannabis grower, is the environment really something you can control? Yes, if you’re adaptable.
Choose the best grow operation based on your climate (and local laws, of course), such as:
- Outdoor
- Greenhouse
- Hydroponic
Many growers prefer a hydroponic system, which lets you easily adjust the humidity levels indoors. Others cultivators like a greenhouse setting—natural light can shine in while moisture levels can still be contained. Either way, it’s a lot of work to regulate an internal environment every day. And the best cultivators strive for perfection in every possible area of grow.
Next time you shop for flower at the dispensary, notice the subtle differences between indoor and outdoor buds. See which ones you like the best. Ask a budtender or in-store cannabis consultant where that cannabis was grown. (And if that flower comes packaged with a humidity control pack that creates a terpene shield.)
Tip 2: Harvest & Dry Promptly
Whether grown indoors or outdoors, professionally grown cannabis will retain its flavors and aromas thanks to modern humidity control. The finished product in your jar has been through a long and painstaking journey!
Growing cannabis is more than simply planting seeds and waiting for them to grow.
Several vital steps don’t even take place until after harvest, such as:
- Cutting down and hanging plant limbs to dry
- Trimming old growth off of the flowers
- Curing, which dries and prepares the flower for packaging, retail and eventually consumption
Perhaps the most important and often overlooked part of cultivation is knowing when to harvest the plants. Here’s where things get tricky for cultivators. Harvesting too early could negatively affect the potency of your finished flower. Letting the flowers sit too long on the plant could cause them to prematurely dry out. Knowing the growing cycle by heart and achieving the perfect balance at harvest time are signs of a truly skilled grower.
After harvest, cannabis flower should be dried for three to seven days in a humidity-controlled environment. This allows for natural moisture to evaporate slowly, so the buds don’t become too dry. After this initial drying process, flower should always be cured in special airtight containers with a cannabis humidity pack.
Growers use Boveda to balance out the moisture of curing cannabis at a precise relative humidity (RH) level where the full bouquet of cannabinoids and terpenes can finish developing. Coupling Boveda with specialized equipment, like CVault curing containers, ensures a precise and safe curing experience.
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Tip 3: Always Store Cannabis With a Humidity Pack That Creates A Terpene Shield
Growers of grains and produce go to great lengths to keep their harvests fresh long after they reach their final destination. The same should be true for high-grade cannabis flowers.
Before it’s consumed, most cannabis sits in storage or on the shelf for months. Post-cure it’s important producers store cannabis at the proper relative humidity (RH) level based on ASTM International Standards for cannabis.
Storing flower between 58 and 62% RH keeps cannabis in the safe zone.
Not every cannabis humidity pack can maintain this ideal RH range to create a terpene shield, which keeps flower fresh, prevent moisture damage and eliminate over drying.
