A: Curing is a technique used by growers who wish to produce top quality smoke. When done properly, it reduces the harsh, grassy taste of weed and maximizes its sweetest fragrances and flavors. It will also help the finished product burn more evenly and completely. There are several ways to cure marijuana, but all have some things in common. First, a good cure begins during harvest. Take care not to overhandle or damage the buds, and remove as much unwanted leaf as possible. It's the leaf, or more specifically, the large amounts of chlorophyll in leaf that gives herb its grassy taste. Dry the buds thoroughly. Drying is different than curing. Drying removes the moisture from the plant matter at which time it is smokeable, but harsh. Curing goes a step farther and "sweetens" the herb by aging it and allowing time for the chlorophyll in it to break down, and the natural resins and oils to flavor it. Curing will not increase potency, but it will make the smoking much more pleasurable. The easiest way to cure marijuana is to keep it stored in a cool, dark place in an airtight glass jar. Gently rotate the buds around once a week or so to aerate them. In a month, you'll have the smoothest smoking herb around.
good post. only thing i'd have to disagree on is the potency thing. from personal experience and reading the experiences of others, i think the potency definitely improves with a good cure.
I've just harvested the bottom few branches of mine as they ripened before my main cola has. I dried em and chucked em in a big ceramic bread bin to cure. Question though. It doesn't smell much like street weed, its got an almost harsh fruity sort of odd "twang" to it. I did switch to plain water the last coupla weeks. Is this odour caused by the chlorophyl - and will this smell diminish following curing?
And properly cured bud, like tobacco, will keep indefinitely in an airtight container. I used to use mason jars, but last year had to buy 25 of them, got a bit unwieldy finding a place to put them. This year I am curing in ziploc bags, which are also airtight. But bud in a mason jar makes a great gift for a stoner friend. And never freeze your bud, it ruins it.