i was told you can harvest just the buds from the cola for a quicker drying time. is this smart to do?
What do you mean? Cutting off the buds from the stem? It's better to just chop all the colas and hang them w/ the stems. Longer drying time makes a smoother smoke, then cure for better taste and better burn.
Yes you can do that - instead of hanging branches, clip individual buds for quicker drying. However I feel it important to warn ya: A quick dry will make your bud taste like, well, like really bad + harsh. You'll cough long before your lungs can hang on to absorb the THC....haha.