Curing and Why you do it!

[islander420]

It even outs the moisture level in the buds and makes it burn & taste better.

Increasing potency??? Not sure, perhaps psychologically due to the fact it tastes and burns better.

If it does increase the potency, then even better

 

[islander420]

Well so i got 6 jars hare of bud that has cured for 7-10 days. It all kinda lost it's smell , it's dry and crumbles but it isn't sandy. It is awful to smoke with little effect. However if i look at the buds they seem ok they sparkle.

Before going into jars it was really nice herb This always happens to me. So would u say to now just leave those jars closed for a few months? Could that fix it?

Right now it's so bad i would only use it for oil. The first days smells got better and deeper. but buds here a bit moist , i kept burping them and they are at a perfect dryness however it doesn't taste dry it tastes just awful , lik the weed is moist , but it isn't moist. , no weed taste. I haven't seen any sign of mould.

Sounds like you did not dry it out enough before curing. Depending where you live, this can take 5-10 days. Make sure you hear the branches clearly snap before curing to make sure most of the moisture is gone.

Also when curing, do not pack the buds. You want to leave a little space to turn the container over once in a while. Use more than 1 container if necessary.

Yes, make some butter with that because it wont be fun to smoke. I saw a show where they put a tsp of butter (regular) in their coffee. Think it was India or something. So I tried it with cannabutter, and it was great! Now I wish they had this at Starbucks

I'm sure your next grow will be better

 

[THC123]

Thx 4 the feedback.


Hehehe , well these are only the small buds of my harvest , i used them to test



Well like a said i paper bagged them and now they smoke fine , a bit harsh but still fine and the effect is back

ALso the last 3 years if curing changed the smell , i just put them in cardboard boxes or paper bags and the smell would return and the taste too.

The harsh hay taste is gone in one day time

Well my buds have been drying since 15octo<<-->25 november(that' how long i had to cut ) untill now. So that is 4 months already. Al branches snap and i let the buds dry overnight so the flesh also becomes drier cuz in the attick it is humid.

I am just gonna stick to brown bagging/cardboard boxes and when good freezing.

It maybe is not the best way to go , but as long as my bud stays potent and good tasting i am glad , i just cannot stand the hay smell curing gives me. Even if it is just a phase. Makes me puke only thinking about it.

 

[islander420]

Do whatever works best for you. I used to brown bag & use a box myself. Come to think of it, it probably does taste better. Now I'm gonna have to try that method again. LOL

Just store it an an air tight container after you're done curing.

 

[Mt Toaker]

^^ Try to stay away from plastic though, glass is the best.

 

[sip]

curious guys, i use glass wide mouths jars but they have plastic lids.....is this bad?

 

[mpd]

By and large, my record has been water curing because the potency boost is important to me - I'm a chronic pain patient. How it tastes, how it looks, what it weighs are all considerations I have never paid a whole lot of attention to because marijuana is medicine for me. Just one more drug I use to manage my personal health out of the bunches I already take for being nuts, high blood pressure, obscenely high cholesterol and of course pain management. A day without pain. Is that too much to ask? One fucking day a week?

I guess not.

Anyway, I am doing an air cure now of some pot I grew out this winter. When it was drying all you could smell was ketone or acetone or rocket fuel. After two weeks of cure it is now more citrusy with a lemon undertone developing.

When you water cure, you get rid of all the water - you have bud that's around 10% to 12% of its original wet weight. The chlorophylls are all but gone and you have to pay attention because water cured weed will start to oxidize in a matter of weeks. This stuff makes great oil and excellent hard candy. Obviously, converting it all to hard candy sidesteps the oxidation issue as it all sits in the freezer waiting for me to take it out and nip off a flake with a razor blade for the top decoration on a bowl or bong....

I think I'll do one now...

 

[mpd]

Anyway, my point was that curing certainly creates the opportunity for a change in flavors and other changes. I had not read anywhere that curing increases potency. That is new information to me and I found it to be rather interesting. K+

 

[L-Thirt33n]

I'm sorry but none of that information up there proves how the curing proccess INCREASES potency...How does putting my cannabis in a glass jar for 3 weeks add more THC????

I completely disagree with anyone who says potency can be INCREASED by storing it in air tight glass jars...All curing does is PRESERVE the potency of the harvest!

It is simply not possible to acheive increased potency through means of preservation...

A couple technicals:

THC is only produced by the plant while the plant is alive to produce it. Once you harvest the plant, THC is no longer produced. Therefor ANY possible increase in potency will cease to be once the plant has been harvested.

Overall plant potency is designated by the particular strains genetic make up...Results can and do vary based on growing conditions however. But each strain has it's own genetically predetermined maximum amount of THC. Sure you can MAXIMIZE your potency by giving the plants optimal growing conditions but you cannot exceed that plants genetics...The only way you can increase a plants potency is to introduce genetics that are determined to have higher THC levels...

Potency can only be lessened after harvest. It can NEVER be increased. ANY further decomposition of the harvest will result in LESS THC, not more...

The only way you could increase the potency of a harvested crop would be to modify the yield with an outside substance such as more THC (extract/keif, what have you)...

HOWEVER! I do stand by the curing proccess! But not because it increases potency. Only because it PRESERVES the potency and flavor...

 

[L-Thirt33n]

I got an OZ of brick week a month or so ago. It was horrible stuff. I put it in a jar and it is stronger, smells better and looks better. I will do this to all of the brick I buy now. Still not as nice a kind bud, but better that it was.. and I can't seem to find any kind around here.

It only tasted different man...That's all.

What brand jars do you guys use? I'd love to know what kind of magic jars produce THC!

 

[norcalkell]

great post!!!!

 

[L-Thirt33n]

Maybe it was just the taste.. I was just able to get higher because I smoked more.

You know if the water based part of the plant continues to break down but the oil based stays your potency does increase, but that is because there is less of the water based part.

If you consider potency a personal opinion on how the cannabis tastes, smells, looks, and feels then by all means cure to preserve that...

But please don't propose, especially to me, that storing cannabis buds in sealed jars INCREASES something that the plant NATURALLY produces.

If we look at facts and scientific research, maximum THC and CBD levels cannot be increased once the plant is dead. This CAN be proved...It really shouldn't have to be but it can be.

Curing allows you to prolong the harvested potency and taste because you slow the production of CBN. This is the oxidization, or chemical decomposition of the stuff that gets you high...

I simply fail to see how you can get dried cannabis flowers to produce MORE of something that the plant natrually produces, once it is dead...

The potency stays the same or is degraded once the plant is harvested.

No pun intended here dudes just trying to make it clear...

 

[dontstepongrass]

natural decarboxylation occurs during a nice cure making the herb more psychoactive therefore its perceived to be more potent IMO

 

[SuperConductor]

Also as has been said a few times, if the moisture content decreases but the resin/canabinoids stays the same then the bud has become more potent as there is a higher cannabinoid to bud ratio. That's all that's being said, nothing to do with magic jars noone said anything more was produced.

 

[THC123]

But please don't propose, especially to me, that storing cannabis buds in sealed jars INCREASES something that the plant NATURALLY produces.

If we look at facts and scientific research, maximum THC and CBD levels cannot be increased once the plant is dead. T

just test it yourself , u will see that the effect of cured weed is much better and different

It doesnt in crease the thc , but more thc becomes psychoactive

 

[otherwhitemeat]

Here are a few things I've learned while learning how to cure. I started growing about a year ago and was very confused with all the info about curing so I tried some different things. Sometimes I would try a control and a tester to see how things worked out. My climate is a typical four season zone with harsh winters, moist summers, etc.

-The most important rule, crappy seed produces crappy pot. If your end result ain't so good ask yourself if you've selected the best pheno or strain and if you fed it correctly.
-If hydro, FLUSH thoroughly. If organic/soil, cut out nutes in final week. You want to be harvesting thirsty and hungry plants.
-I line dry/hang my buds for 3-4 days from cutting. I DON'T go by the convention that stems must snap. Maybe for huge buds, but what I grow likes no more than 4 days drying then into the jars. More drying than that and they are too dry for a good cure. IMO, the stems should 'kink slightly and bend, but will not snap'.
-Break down larger buds so that your buds all have relatively uniform size. (after line drying and before jarring)
-The first few days you want moisture to leave the buds RAPIDLY (losing maybe 80% of total water weight). After that, in the jar phase, you want this to happen SLOWLY (losing the remaining water content gradually until the desired result is achieved).
-Put them in the jars with very little air space, DO NOT pack the buds in. Just fill the jar.
-Open once a day for 5-10 mins for a week. Once a week, dump all the buds out and rotate them, then back into the jar.
-I skip the paper bags and boxes, these steps seemed wasteful of trichs and, in the few case I've tried it, didn't seem to produce measurable improvements. Plus, seen a few mersh ops and never saw them fussing with bags or jars for that matter.
-My first few times I tried some testing to replicate what I viewed as the commerical production process. Commercial bud always seems to have a great, pervasive smell 9even lower quality buds). My buds always had a slightly grassy overtone. I would compress the buds slightly, crushing some trichs, but the resultant bud was tight and stinky, if not slightly reduced in potency. I don't like this method, but for those that want 'commercial bag appeal' my feeling is that some damaging/crushing in commercial production is a necessary by product of the weight produced and that it must be compressed a bit for transport/concealment
-I understand from research that as the bud loses moisture and the leaves dry out, the THC goes through decarboxylation, becoming psychoactive. The remaining VOCs then get absorbed by the dry leaf material like a sponge. This final step, seems to come about 2 weeks into the jar cure. Weed has lost it's grassy smell and just maintains a pungent aroma. If it's too grassy at this phase, you need to be sure you trim leaf material, let you pot mature on the plant a bit more, or address why your end result is not that potent to begin with. Even decent pot will smell great after a cure.

When I first starting growing, I was kinda embarrassed to throw my buds out on the table--they looked home grown. With the info I picked up in the past year, I now proudly toss a sack onto the smoking table and most assume that I purchased through a commercial dealer. A lot of people are qsking me for my source; they are used to chemmy tasting hydro that's not been flushed. All my bud is organizally grown in soil and it produces the smoothest pot I've ever smoked.

Just remember:
1. 3-4 days line dry (maybe 5-6 for larger buds/damper climes)
2. Break down buds to uniform size then jar with very little air space, open once a day for 5-10 mins for 1-2 weeks. Rotate your buds each week.
3. Slight compression will cause loss of potency, but will increase the aesthetics considerably
4. Cured pot at 2 weeks in the jar is better than anything I've ever smoked. 30-60 days it really is mature and reached it's peak.
5. If you end product is not that good, review process from seed/clone. Garbage in-garbage out. No curing process will make up for bad pheno or bad geno.

 

[L-Thirt33n]

just test it yourself , u will see that the effect of cured weed is much better and different

It doesnt in crease the thc , but more thc becomes psychoactive

You know, I do cure my buds too. But obviously for different reasons than you. For two reasons, A. to PRESERVE the potency achieved during the flowering cycle and B. to achieve my preferred taste... NOT to increase it's potency...

Curing BY DEFINITION refers to various FOOD PRESERVATION and FLAVORING methods.

Also as has been said a few times, if the moisture content decreases but the resin/canabinoids stays the same then the bud has become more potent as there is a higher cannabinoid to bud ratio. That's all that's being said, nothing to do with magic jars noone said anything more was produced.

Cannibinoid to bud ratio? Please elaborate because I don't understand this comparison.

THC is a NATURALLY PSYCHOACTIVE chemical. The only way to stimulate THC to become MORE PSYCHOACTIVE is with HEAT. This is a PROVEN scientific fact fellas...Hence vaporizing, cooking, and smoking...Storing cannabis in jars does NOT cause it to become more psychoactive.

Curing is used to reduce the chloraphyll content and taste while also PRESERVING it. This does nothing more than change the taste. You can also water cure to almost COMPLETELY remove the chloraphyll from your cannabis. The taste is purly amazing. Although you will lose some coloration!

After the taste is set to where you like it, the next step is putting it into LONG-TERM preservation, IE. A freezer or refrigerator...

http://hightimes.com/grow/mimaging/707

Fellas I can't stress this enough...If you do your research, which I have, you will understand what curing is really about. It's all about the taste. Curing is nothing more than a method to achieve your desired connoisseur taste. Thats all...

So if you like good tasting cannabis as well as potent cannabis, curing is your best bet because it preserves the taste more effectively than any other process.

If you just like potent cannabis and really don't care what it tastes like, trust me, curing is a definite waste of your time...

4. Cured pot at 2 weeks in the jar is better than anything I've ever smoked. 30-60 days it really is mature and reached it's peak.

Remember, we determine if cannabis is ripe or not when the plant is still alive. This is done by checking the trichomes.

Once the plant is harvested the only thing that can be changed is the taste. Unless you physically ADD an ingrediant to the end result.

Curing does not cause cannabis to "peak" in any way other than YOUR PREFERRED taste...

If you're curing your cannabis thinking it is literally increasing potency, you're a fool...

I'v been to a few cannabis cups. I'v asked professionals that do scientific research on this what thier opinions are on curing (amongst many other things of course) who, by the way, have equipment to scientifically check these things. I have gone to Medical Marijuana CLASSES here in MICHIGAN and still do! Most of the information from these classes is obtained from scientific research on the plant...

Trust me, curing is nothing more than a preservative and taste enhancing process...

 

[THC123]

I also do it for taste. And for me if a joint tastes good it just makes the whole expirience better.

If for example weed is a bit dry and smokes harsh , it gives a more superficial effect. If i let it cure for few months , of course taste is good , but also the effect is different. A LOT DIFFERENT , more deep
Coudl also be psychologically.

On the other hand , no , i also have opened jars that where closed for a year and the effect was narcotic.

The effect simply changes in the jars

If you're curing your cannabis thinking it is literally increasing potency, you're a fool...

You could be a LITTLE more polite(by changing your arrogant attitude) , and yes i am a fool

The effect changes in jars , thats what i have experienced , older weed gives me a better effect(more deep)

Also as has been said a few times, if the moisture content decreases but the resin/canabinoids stays the same then the bud has become more potent as there is a higher cannabinoid to bud ratio. T

If the weed becomes dryer to slower curing , the mass of the bud dminishes , but the THC content stays the same , hence more potent bud , this is what he wants to say

 

[L-Thirt33n]

I also do it for taste. And for me if a joint tastes good it just makes the whole expirience better.

Agreed. Same here...

The better smell, taste and look of cured cannabis makes me feel A LOT better about the cannabis itsself. It's impressive. Therefor when you ingest it, you feel better about doing so. This creates a euphoric effect...But unfortunatly, technically, the affect on the body is not changed...

It's all in the head...lol. But there's nothing wrong with that!

If for example weed is a bit dry and smokes harsh , it gives a more superficial effect. If i let it cure for few months , of course taste is good , but also the effect is different. A LOT DIFFERENT, more deep Coudl also be psychologically. On the other hand , no , i also have opened jars that where closed for a year and the effect was narcotic. The effect simply changes in the jars

I agree with one aspect of what you said, and that's Superficial effect. That's essentially what curing does for you. It creates a superficial effect. You feel better about the weed so it makes you feel better when you're high... But that's all it is. It's more of a "seemingly" different effect. Truth is, the ACTUAL AFFECTS on the body have not changed...

If we were sitting in a cool room and someone said they were cold and I said I would turn the heat up, left the room and headed towards the thermostat but didn't change a thing, and came back and said it's all set. 9 times out of 10 most people will actually believe that the room is warmer! Scientific study was done on that actually...

Its the same thing here...

You could be a LITTLE more polite(by changing your arrogant attitude) , and yes i am a fool

Agreed. And on that note, my apologies. After reading what I wrote, it did come off a bit arrogant. But facts are facts man...I'm just trying to be informative.

If the weed becomes dryer to slower curing , the mass of the bud dminishes , but the THC content stays the same , hence more potent bud , this is what he wants to say

But see, that's not increasing potency. You're essentially just segregating the THC content from other non-potent, non-psychoactive ingredients. Which would do nothing for your actual high...Scientifically. Mentally is a different story. You may THINK it's getting you higher because it tastes, smells and looks better... But in all honesty, that's an Effect not an Affect...

I hope I'm not coming off as arrogant again. I'm just trying to make sure the facts are clear about curing.

 

[rebo]

I'm sorry but none of that information up there proves how the curing proccess INCREASES potency...How does putting my cannabis in a glass jar for 3 weeks add more THC????

I completely disagree with anyone who says potency can be INCREASED by storing it in air tight glass jars...All curing does is PRESERVE the potency of the harvest!

It is simply not possible to acheive increased potency through means of preservation...

A couple technicals:

THC is only produced by the plant while the plant is alive to produce it. Once you harvest the plant, THC is no longer produced. Therefor ANY possible increase in potency will cease to be once the plant has been harvested.

Overall plant potency is designated by the particular strains genetic make up...Results can and do vary based on growing conditions however. But each strain has it's own genetically predetermined maximum amount of THC. Sure you can MAXIMIZE your potency by giving the plants optimal growing conditions but you cannot exceed that plants genetics...The only way you can increase a plants potency is to introduce genetics that are determined to have higher THC levels...

Potency can only be lessened after harvest. It can NEVER be increased. ANY further decomposition of the harvest will result in LESS THC, not more...

The only way you could increase the potency of a harvested crop would be to modify the yield with an outside substance such as more THC (extract/keif, what have you)...

HOWEVER! I do stand by the curing proccess! But not because it increases potency. Only because it PRESERVES the potency and flavor...

I'm not sure I agree with you 100%..
Harvesting doesn't necessarily kill the plant immediately, and during the cure, the lifeforce that is left in the plant (perhaps lasting as long as moisture exists in the plant material) could possibly allow those chemical reactions to exist that could in theory increase potency.

Determinig the exact time of plant-death would be helpful in this argument.