Before you start drying your cannabis plants you should definitely take our top 6 tips to heart! Drying is a crucial step in maximizing the quality of your harvest. This is because an optimal drying process can significantly improve not only the taste, but also the aroma and potency of your cannabis. So with our simple tips, drying will be a breeze and you can look forward to a great result!
1. our ultimate tips for optimal drying of your cannabis plants
Tip 1: Remove leaves correctly!
Be careful when removing the leaves! We recommend that you only carefully remove the large leaves and leave the smaller ones around the flowers. This improves air circulation, helps prevent mold growth and preserves aroma and potency (Yoon et al., 2024). Be careful not to remove too much leaf material to avoid losing valuable trichomes.
Tip 2: Strength lies in tranquillity!
A slow drying process over several days is the key to optimal cannabis. It ensures that your cannabis dries gently and that the aromas and active ingredients are better preserved (Yoon et al., 2024). This process usually takes between 5 and 14 days, some authors even speak of 10 to 20 days (Uziel et al., 2024). The motto here is: Don't rush it! Therefore, quick methods such as oven drying are not a good idea, as they can negatively affect quality.
Tip 3: Regular buckling test!
Check the dryness of your cannabis flowers with the bend test: Bend a piece of the stem. If it cracks slightly but does not break, your cannabis is most likely well dried. If the stem is pliable, it still needs some time.
Tip 4: Sunlight is taboo!
Make absolutely sure that your cannabis is not exposed to direct sunlight during the drying process. Wonderingwhy you need to dry cannabis in the dark? The UV rays from the sun can destroy the important cannabinoids and terpenes that are responsible for potency and aroma. In addition, UV radiation promotes the decomposition of THC into non-psychoactive substances. It is therefore better to dry in the dark to preserve the color, quality and effect.
Tip 5: Keep an eye on the humidity!
Get a hygrometer to keep an eye on the humidity in the drying area. Ideal is 50 to 55 % (Yoon et al., 2024). With a hygrometer, you can get accurate readings and maintain the best conditions. Too much moisture can cause mold. Too little will dry out your cannabis quickly and it will lose quality.
Tip 6: Pay attention to quality instead of quantity
It can be tempting to dry a large quantity at once, but it is often better to dry smaller quantities in well-controlled environments. This way you keep control of the conditions and get the most out of your harvest.
Want to know more about how to dry your cannabis properly? You can find detailed drying instructions here.
2. bibliography
Challa, S. K. R., Misra, N. N., & Martynenko, A. (2020). Drying of cannabis-state
of the practices and future needs. Drying Technology, 39(14), 2055-2064. https://doi.org/10.1080/07373937.2020.1752230
Uziel, A., Milay, L., Procaccia, S., Cohen, R., Burstein, A., Sulimani, L., Shreiber-
Livne, I., Lewitus, D., & Meiri, D. (2024). Solid-state microwave drying for medical cannabis inflorescences: a rapid and controlled alternative to traditional drying. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 9(1), 397-408. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2022.0051
Yoon, H. I., Lee, S. H., Ryu, D., Choi, H., Park, S. H., Jung, J. H., Kim, H., & Yang,
(2024). Non-destructive assessment of cannabis quality during drying process using hyperspectral imaging and machine learning. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1365298