I did a little bit of research on google for about 10 minutes but I just could not find the answer? Maybe Somebody can take 60 seconds of their time and help me understand. Is the chlorophyll dissolved or something?
I believe it has to do with the oils in the buds and over time they get better somehow lol. I looked into terpenes before and I know they have a lot to do with how your buds taste and smell, maybe that helps? Hopefully there is a knowledge dropper around here somewhere. My grow journal http://forum.grasscity.com/indoor-medical-marijuana-growing/1353929-mopheads-purple-closet-adventures.html
“The process of curing promotes the slow decarboxylation of oxygen molecules from the THC present in the bud„ So why cure? The process of curing promotes the slow decarboxylation of oxygen molecules from the THC present in the bud; this will increase the psychoactive properties, making the weed more potent. The curing process also means that moisture levels will be consistent across the entire bud, giving you a much smoother smoke and a more even burn. When you grow your own, you want to get the maximum from your crop. You owe it to yourself to cure those buds! To prove the point, I tried a little experiment with some recently harvested White Widow (from Pyramid Seeds) and a good friend of mine (Original G); here is the smoke report in his own words... "So after harvesting we were desperate for a try of the lovely green that had been produced and we dipped in way before it had time to dry - this was a big mistake! It still smelled way too fresh, almost like cut grass; the weed aroma was hardly there at all and, although it looked great, it was slimy and wet inside. It had to be trimmed with scissors to get it small enough to roll and the smoke was pretty terrible, sour and not very strong. It was really a waste of weed! Be aware that forced drying or what we now un-affectionately call ‘radiator weed' is no better; in fact it was a lot worse! "After seven days of hanging and drying the transformation is incredible: it's dry but sticky inside, the crystals are glistening and it smells delicious. The smoke is really good - easier to crumble than before, although it does stick in the grinder a little. It tastes much stronger and the lovely sweet taste of Widow is in full force. Plus it delivered a really nice high, not too heavy and a little bit lively - which is good if you still want to function after a chong! "After the dry, it had a couple of weeks curing in jars and it's transformed again. It's really pungent now and totally dry; the crystals are glistening away and it crumbles between the fingers perfectly. In fact I'm sure if all weed was left this long you'd have twice as much to smoke - although it's gone down in weight the dryness means you use less than before when building a joint. It tastes as good as it smells and is stronger than before, still gives a lovely high, a really good smoke. If only all weed was left this long!" Proof, if proof were needed... The first step to the smoothest smoke is to get the drying process right, so you should choose your drying area carefully. Ideally you want somewhere that is dark, cool - around 64.4F (18C) - and has around 50% humidity. If your drying area is too cold, then drying will take forever. If it is too hot then you run the risk of drying your harvest too quickly, which will make it taste harsh - exactly what you don't want! The grow room is a great option for drying as it will be dark and well-sealed; it will also have the benefit of having a carbon filter attached to stop any unwanted smells escaping. The drying and hanging process will take around two to three weeks, so if you can do without the grow room for that long, then do it. “If the stem bends without snapping, then there is still some moisture left and you should continue with the paper bags„ When you have harvested your plants, first remove any fan leaves that have no visible trichomes on them, then take the plants by the stem and hang them upside down using string or fishing line attached to clothes pegs, screws or nails. Make sure they don't touch each other as this can cause mold. You can now manicure your buds by roughly cutting off the small- to medium-sized leaves; these should be saved for bubble hash. Leave to hang for two to three weeks. You are now ready to cure. One tried and tested way to start the curing process is the paper bag method. While your harvest is hanging to dry, get yourself down to the shops and pick up some brown paper bags - like the ones you get from the supermarket - the larger ones if possible. A good local grocer or wholesaler is a good place to try, as you can normally pick them up in reams of 100 for very little money. Put a handful of bud into each bag and fold down the top, the idea being that the buds will ‘sweat' out the moisture contained in the center of them and this will be absorbed by the paper bag. Open the bags twice a day and shake the buds around to let any moisture out of the bag. Once the buds have been in the paper bags for three or four days, you can check if they are completely dry by placing the paper bags in plastic zip lock bags and sealing them. Leave them in the zip lock bags for a couple of days. If you can see moisture on the inside of the plastic, or the buds feel moist when you squeeze them, then they are not ready and should be removed from the zip lock bags and left in the brown paper bags for another two or three days. The final test to see if the buds are completely dry is to take one of the larger pieces and bend it - the stem within the bud should snap. If the stem bends without snapping, then there is still some moisture left and you should continue with the paper bags for a final two or three days. When you are confident that the buds are dry, then they can be placed into preserving jars - the kind with a rubber seal and latch on them - and sealed. The main factors in THC degradation are heat, light, oxygen and water. So the jars should be filled to the brim and kept in a cool, dark place where they are also safe - not the kitchen cupboard! The paper bag method means that you should have some nicely dried bud, but the process does not stop there. You will need to open or ‘burp' the jars to let out any excess moisture that has built up. Otherwise, condensation can occur and moisture can build up, which can lead to mold developing. There would be nothing more heartbreaking then pulling out a jar that had been curing nicely for a few months, only to find that that your delicious harvest is covered in mold! The jars should be ‘burped' every other day: simply open the jar for around ten minutes and gently stir the buds around. This allows the stale air and moisture to escape. The burping process should continue for around four to five weeks, after which the buds can literally be left for years. If you do pull out a fine vintage and find it has gone too dry, you can add a little moisture by putting a fan leaf or a piece of orange or potato peel into the jar. Happy curing! Tags: Outdoor growing | Indoor growing Edition: Soft Secrets 2011 - 5 Source: http://www.cannabis.info/usa/library/7088-the-importance-of-drying-and-curing/
Uncured bud is the same as unfinished compost, too much nitrogen. Burns plants, tastes bad. Curing (composting) releases a lot of that nitrogen, making it taste better.
I usually clip big fan leaves, hang dry for 7-10 days, manicure the buds, then mason jars with Boveda packs. Burp about twice a day for the first 3 days, then let them be for two weeks. The buds do get better after longer in the jars, but two weeks is a good point if you don't want to wait months. So all in all, it's about a 3-4 weeks process from chopping the plant. My grow journal http://forum.grasscity.com/indoor-medical-marijuana-growing/1353929-mopheads-purple-closet-adventures.html
It doesn't have anything to do with decarboxylation. Although this does take place when curing, it will always fully decarboxylate straight away when burnt anyway. At those temperatures it happens instantly. many people disagree on what curing is anyway is its hard to answer. Some people call the last bit of drying curing. For me curing is after is fully dry and you seal it and allow it to age. If done correctly it takes around 3 months and everything green will then be brown and the smoke it smoother. For me the colour is the indicator of how cured it is so it must be to do with the chlorophyll breaking down like ThickenDense's composting analogy This bud has been curing for a couple of months
^She looks beautiful and I never thought of how bud goes a brown color after being fully cured that is a great indicator and I will definitely use that phrase in the future to help someone else out I just smoked some bud from a plant I chopped about a week ago and I have noticed a huge difference in smell and how it smells a lot more like bud now. I thought I had done something wrong and my buds would smell like grass forever but it is changing fast especially for smaller buds.
The chlorophyll is nasty, curing allows it to be mostly removed during the curing process. Not much nitrogen in the plant if you are growing right. during flower you should be eating more phosphorus and potassium as that is what the plant is looking for and needs.
It might be worth mentioning too that when I cure bud the stickiness completely goes. The trichomes become firm and do not rupture like fresh trichomes. Potency isn't effected though, not as far as I can tell