Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible

moisture content of dry buds, weigh a specific bud upon harvest when it is wet. Weigh it again during the drying and curing process to learn how much moisture it has lost. For example, a bud that weighs 10 grams (0.36 oz) upon harvest, will weigh 2.5 grams (0.09 oz) when it has lost 75 percent of its moisture. In general, a dry bud will weigh 75 percent less than its wet weight at harvest.

Humidity and temperature that are best for drying.
     
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Fast Drying
    Here are six ways to dry buds quickly. Remember, buds that dry quickly burn hot; the smoke is harsh, and they taste “green” when smoked.
    One: Manicure fresh buds and remove all branches. Spread them out evenly and wrap in paper or enclose in an envelope. Place the paper or envelope on a warm refrigerator, radiator, television, etc. Depending upon heat level, buds will be dry in a few hours to overnight. Buds will be a bit crispy when dry. Place buds in an airtight container until they sweat. Put back in the paper and dry until dehydrated enough to burn well.
    Two: Cut up fresh buds and/or foliage. Place on a 12-inch (30 cm) square of tinfoil. Hold or place it over a 60-100-watt light bulb. Stir every 15-30 seconds. It will be dry enough to smoke in one to three minutes.
    Three: Place diced buds and/or foliage on a cookie sheet in an oven at 150°F (65°C) for 10-15 minutes. Check regularly and stir if needed until dry. Do not increase temperature above 200°F (93°C) or the THC will vaporize into the air.
    Four: Place cut up buds and/or foliage in a microwave oven. Turn the microwave on in short, weak (50 percent power) bursts of 15-30 seconds each. Recycle until dry, and stir if necessary.
    Five: Cut buds and/or foliage into small pieces, and place in a glass jar with an airtight lid. Place several silica gel desiccant packs (the kind that come with electronic devices and cameras) into the glass jar and seal. Moisture will migrate to the silica gel in a few hours. Remove the packets and dry using dry heat source. Replace silica packs until marijuana is dry enough to smoke. Find silica gel packs at auto parts or electronics stores.
    Six: Drying buds in a food dehydrator for 24-48 hours is the next best option. Food dehydrators are a series of stackable screens. Place bud and leaf on screens and stack. A fan blows air gently upward to dry the marijuana quickly. One friend used this technique and the buds smoked OK, but it was the only dope around, and this could have colored my taste perceptions!

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Freeze Drying
    Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. When it warms, CO 2 converts from a frozen solid to a gas, without turning into a liquid. When moist marijuana is enclosed with dry ice (frozen CO 2 ) at virtually zero relative humidity, water molecules migrate from the cannabis to the dry ice. This causes the relative humidity of the CO 2 to increase and the moisture content of the marijuana to decrease. This process occurs below 32°F (0°C), and it preserves cannabis.
    Place equal amounts of dry ice and bud into a container. Put the dry ice on the bottom and bud on top. Seal with a lid. Make a few small holes in the lid of the container for excess gas to exit. Place in your kitchen freezer. Check every 12-24 hours. When the dry ice is gone, the buds should be completely dry. If not dry, add more dry ice until cannabis is dry. Conserve dry ice by partially drying buds for a few days before enclosing with dry ice.
    This method retains potency and freshness and causes very little degradation of resin glands from heat, light, air, and fondling hands. The smoke has a mint-like taste because the chlorophyll does not break down.
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This grower lets buds dry slowly in a large cedar box before moving them to a glass container for the final cure.
Packaging and Storage
    Storing cannabis in an airtight environment will preserve aroma, taste, and potency. Use a vacuum sealer to evacuate air in glass jars. Inexpensive vacuum sealers are available in the canning section of grocery and variety stores. Growers report that containers sealed with inexpensive vacuum sealers lose the vacuum after a few days. More expensive vacuum sealers such as the one available at www.deni.com work much better. When properly vacuum-packed, buds will stay as fresh as the day they were sealed in the airtight jar.

Remove the lid of a jar two or three times a day to allow moisture to escape during the curing process.
    Vacuum seal the jar, and place it in the refrigerator