When u take buds off a plant they are not ready to smoke. You have to let them "cure"...or dry for a certain amount of time. Cure just means lettin the buds dry and get all nice and shit.
when you cut the buds, you have to hang them dry for a week or 2 and then start curing them. Curing the buds means that you are putting them in an air tight container, like a mason jar, to get the moisture that is trapped inside the buds from the drying process, to even out the moisture through the bud. You have to open every now and again to prevent the buds from getting moldy.
the main process that curing helps along is decarboxylation. a carboxyl (COOH) molecule breaks off of the THC's making them more potent and bioavailable (more easily absorbed into the bloodstream). curing is the best thing you can do.
Ive been curing buds for years in my pill bottle, I just never realized it. I just did it to keep the smell from reeking everywhere. and it always smells nice and fruity when i take the lid off. thanks for the infos.
Curing is the step that gardeners (good ones anyway) do after the initial 1-2 week dry time (this is the time when THC begins to become psychoactive)... After the buds are dry enough to un-hang, the bigger stems are removed so it's pretty much just bud. Sticking the buds in an air-tight mason jar for a few weeks to a month (letting in some fresh air here and there) will allow the buds to continue to dry, but at a slower rate. This increases potency, flavor, and smoothness of the smoke. That's just a basic overview. If you want details, run a search here (or google) for "Curing". You'll find boatloads of info. Use discernment, though. Not all advice given here is good advice. Try to read a few different sources
and for best results your going to want an AIRTIGHT, GLASS container (canning jars). Glass is neutral and won't affect taste or odor. This is my curing sch. First week - Take buds out of jars and spread them out on wax paper for 15 minutes, every 12 hours. Second week - Take buds out of jars and spread them out on wax paper for 15 minutes, every 24 hours. Third week - Take buds out of jars and spread them out on wax paper for 15 minutes, every 48 hours. Last week - The buds should be consistently dry enough to let you let them cure without distubing them for a week straight. Results may vary use your own senses to ensure this.