Ideally, you should allow the cannabis to cure fully before enjoying it. Sure, you can sample some early here and there of course, but super fresh bud is not going to be the same as the stuff that has been allowed to cure.
Proper curing stops the degradation process before volatile compounds like terpenes and cannabinoids evaporate or transform into less favorable compounds. Additionally, cannabinoid synthesis the process of creating those valuable chemicals continues to take place even after harvest!
I also recently learned that during the curing process, bacteria works to break down the chlorophyll in the plant material. Chlorophyll is what makes the plants nice and green in color, but also contributes to a harsh smoking experience. We use these half gallon jars. Store the containers in a dark, temperate place. Now, over the following weeks, periodically burp the jars.
Leave the lid off for 10 to 15 minutes, and then re-seal the jar. The purpose is to allow some air exchange — to introduce oxygen and release moisture or other off-gassing substances. How often should I burp the jars while curing, you ask? Some growers burp their jars one to two times per day during the first week or two. It is especially important to burp frequently if your cannabis is on the higher end of that humidity range, and leave the lids open even longer — up to an hour. We aim for once per day, but sometimes miss a few days.
After the first couple of weeks, a burp just once per week is great — for the following month. After a full 6 to 8 weeks of curing, you can reduce the burping frequency to once per month. A shorter burp is fine. Keep a hygrometer inside at least one of your containers. You can rotate it amongst jars if needed, or use a few of them. Try to position it in a way that is visible through the sides of the container. Spread them out somewhere with good airflow, such as on an herb drying rack , screen, or even on cardboard.
When you open the jars to burp them, take a sniff! A slight ammonia aroma is a sign that the cannabis is too wet and is starting to spoil. A strong ammonia odor or visible mold are indications that the cannabis was much too wet, and is probably now ruined. Originally designed for the cigar industry, Boveda packets can be used to re-introduce moisture to overly dry cannabis. You can also keep them with your buds during long-term storage to regulate humidity, which may be particularly helpful in hot, arid climates.
Once your cannabis has finished curing, you can shift to long term storage. We store our cannabis in the same half-gallon jars they were cured in. Choose any air-tight container, and store it in a temperate, dark location. On the other hand, if you are giving weed away, that is a different story. We do sometimes use plastic then.
Sucking all the air out of the package totally crushes the buds! If anything, use the seal feature only. In summary, when cannabis is properly harvested, dried, cured, and stored, it can stay fresh, tasty, and potent for up to a year — just in time for the next growing season! Check out the photo above! The color and chlorophyll will naturally fade, and THC may degrade slightly, but it still smokes and feels quite wonderful.
At least not in the traditional sense. We use a high-quality vaporizer. It heats and delivers the desired cannabinoids and terpenes without actual combustion of the flower. It totally destroys the flavor, and overheats the cannabinoids and terps to a far less efficient and effective temperature.
We also make canna oil and capsules, but that is a whole different post for another day! Here is an article all about vaporizing , which goes over the science and safety behind vaporizing cannabis. It also explores the differences between smoking and vaping, between using whole flower and concentrates, and how to make the most efficient, effective, safe use of your herb.
It is the safest for your lungs and body no heavy metals, like other vapes! No other vape uses that technology.
It is efficient, effective, sexy, and the flavor is insanely good — because you are actually tasting your cannabis at its full potential! How you choose to consume your cannabis harvest is ultimately a personal decision. Our thought is: after all that hard work to grow beautiful organic homegrown cannabis, why turn around and burn the hell out of it?
I hope you found this article interesting, informative and useful! If so, please pass it on to your friends — to the left of course. You may also like this article about how to activate decarboxylate raw cannabis to prepare for to make homemade cannabis-infused oil , edibles, or soothing topical salve. Feel free to ask questions or leave feedback in the comments!
Does it make a difference to the potency of the bud? Hi Doug, I have not heard that nor do I think that the potency would be that drastically different. It is much easier to hang and deal with individual branches as opposed to the whole plant, let alone dealing with trying to remove a root ball from the ground or a container.
Good luck! Your email address will not be published. The colas on some of our big Maui Wowie girl, getting close to harvest time. You can see the branches are starting to sprawl under their own weight, and some of the fan leaves are dying. The girls in the distance were started a couple months later, and are just starting to plump up. Yep, this photo was taken from the roof! Hundreds of clear trichomes, as seen through a jewelers loupe. Aaron checking the trichomes on one of our autoflower plants.
An example of a partially harvested plant. The top portion of this Cookie Wreck was ready to go, but the bottom limbs needed a little more time. It also works well for planning ahead because you can see what your growing season will look like. Observing the pistils is the best and easiest method for deciding when to harvest. Harvest time has come, but it is still early. These will have a lighter taste and mellower high.
Waiting might be your best option. You can harvest your marijuana plants because they are as strong and heavy as they ever will be. The taste will be heavy, and the effect will be narcotic. You need to look at either the pistils or trichomes. Experiment and find out. Some new growers harvest their plants at different times so they can figure out exactly when is best for their personal preferences.
Some people prefer earlier harvested marijuana as it has more uplifting and lighter effects; while others prefer theirs as potent as possible. When you harvest affects the quality of the resulting buds. Now, what you consider to be high-quality comes down to personal taste. One of the best things about growing marijuana is being able to control this incredibly powerful variable.
Trichomes grow on the buds and look like little mushrooms since they have a little ball on top. Some of those trichomes are resin glands. They will have a crystalline structure or appear frosty as they grow on the leaves and buds of your plants. Trichomes are responsible for the stickiness of weed. They are also where much of the THC and other fun chemicals are housed.
When we harvest based on trichomes, we are determining when those trichomes are at their highest THC level. This is difficult to see with the naked eye. So, when do you know that the trichomes are ready? You need to compare them based on these guidelines:.
This is definitely not the time to harvest. Wait until nearly half of the hairs are dark in color and not sticking out so straight. It is still too soon to harvest. Congratulations, you have reached the perfect time for harvesting your buds!
This is when they have the highest levels of THC; so, if you want to maximize your yield, you must act fast. Harvesting now is ideal. This is when your plants are their most potent. As a result, the high that comes from buds harvested at this time will provide some serious euphoria and pain relief. If your plants have made it this far, it is a bit after the absolute peak time for the greatest amount of potency.
If you are looking for a more relaxing, anxiety-reducing high, this could actually be the perfect time to harvest. Learn more about trichomes in my free eBook, the Marijuana Grow Bible. In terms of the ideal time, try experimenting with harvesting slightly earlier or later to reach your desired results. That way, you have a variety of options. Remember to label everything! Start by removing the lamps from your grow room.
Then, hang some wire from the ceiling in its place. Carefully cut the plant at its base, then secure it upside-down from the wire you just hung. Make sure the room is dark, and the extractor fan is running.
The alcohol is for cleaning your tools and hands, as resin can be quite sticky. Once you cut your plants and hang them, the next step is drying out all of the excess moisture. It needs to evaporate from the plant matter while the chlorophyll in the plant breaks down. That is why you keep the room dark and the temperature moderate.
You can expect the drying process to last somewhere between 10 and 14 days. Keep a close eye on your plants while they dry. Make sure no mold is growing or developing. Maintain the temperature as well. Harvesting outdoors is just like harvesting indoors, except that not planning it carefully would be a serious mistake.
In addition to understanding the basics of harvesting, you also need to understand the seasons, watch the sun, and think about your personal security. All those variables sure make outdoor harvest time rewarding. If you grow cannabis outdoors, you will soon find that fall is your favorite time of year.
For more on growing outdoors , read this Howtogrowmarijuana article. Watching the sun is key to measuring how much energy the plant receives and for how long. The sun is the most consistent and important element of any kind of gardening. During the middle of the summer, your plants are probably receiving 14 hours or more of sunlight.
In the northern hemisphere , there could be 15 hours of continuous sunshine around the 21st of June. When August becomes September, the amount of sunlight decreases dramatically.
For instance, in September you could lose as much as 90 minutes of sunlight per day. This rapid loss in daylight is exactly what causes your marijuana plants to change their energy focus to flowering instead of vegetation.
This strong reaction is no accident; all plants have the strong ability to distinguish day from night. So, when summer becomes fall, and there are only 12 or 13 hours of daylight per day, the flowering process initiates within days. That is because marijuana is sensitive to all types of light — even artificial lights. In some cases, it will react to light pollution in the same way it would natural sunlight.
In the case of indoor growing, this is a good thing, because you can manipulate your plants to produce buds exactly when you want them to. However, for outdoor growing, it means ensuring your plants do not receive uncontrolled artificial lights.
This is why you never plant marijuana near street lights or any other form of artificial light. Your plants need properly dark nights like they would experience in nature during the fall. If they do not receive enough darkness, flowering could be delayed. You have managed to keep your plants happy, healthy, and secure during the whole season, and now you can reward yourself with a high yield and a good harvest. Just like with any other step in the process of growing marijuana, there are some tricks to harvesting outdoors successfully.
Keep an eye out for the signs, so that you can avoid potential mistakes. The last thing you want is a complete failure after getting through an entire growing season. If you are feeling eager and harvest too early, the potency, as well as the yield, could be greatly reduced. Then, keep a close eye on the details to determine when your plants are at their perfect harvesting time. When in doubt, be more patient. The soil should be fairly dry, but not so dry that the plants wilt.
Be ready with answers to these questions:. Whether you are growing indoors or outdoors, your plant will provide some signs that it is ready for harvesting. In addition to looking at trichomes and pistils, you should also consider the weather. In terms of your plant, pay attention to the leaves and buds. The larger leaves will turn a yellow-brown color signifying the slow death of your marijuana plant. The stigmas of mature plants will wither at the base of the buds while remaining a healthy white color on top.
Another sign; one with a bit of latitude; is the color of the marijuana buds themselves. It is a good idea to pick them at the first sign that they are losing their rich green color. The one benefit to waiting until you near the point of the leaves turning brown is that the resin glands will contain more resin. Besides the amber color, trichomes can also become noticeably brittle. Trichomes on overripe buds may even crumble in your hands. Harvesting cannabis past its prime is not recommended but may be preferable to harvesting prematurely.
The terpenes, which are believed to contain healing properties, can become more potent during a late harvest, but at the expense of scent and flavor. Drying, trimming, and curing are the important next steps after you harvest marijuana plants.
Once these steps are complete, your weed will be ready to enjoy or store for future use. If storing cannabis, be sure to keep it in a vacuum-sealed container in a cool, dark place for maximum freshness and shelf life.
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This page was last updated on October 14, Home Order Online New. Skip to content If you're new to the world of cannabis cultivation , you are probably eager to taste the fruits of your labor at harvest time. What is the average time from planting to harvesting cannabis? Image lightbox. Was this article helpful? Give Feedback. Link copied to clipboard.
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