Drying and Curing: Why and How
The 3 Bros drying and curing process that properly ages and preserves the plant to enhance flavor and potency and also prevent pathogen growth.
Sometimes we get messages asking why the bud in the jars looks different than the bud on the live plants. Flower that is live or just harvested is called “wet flower” and has a more vibrant green color and fluffy, voluminous texture. After cannabis is harvested, it goes through a drying and curing process that properly ages and preserves the plant to enhance flavor and potency and also prevent pathogen growth. This mutes the flower's color and decreases the mass. The bud looks different because this process removes all water content which can change the appearance.
Drying and curing allows the cannabinoid and terpene profile to mature and the traits of each cultivar to be fully expressed. Cannabinoid synthesis (the production of the chemical compounds that give cannabis its healing effects) continues well after harvest — until all water content has left the plant. That means THC is still being produced after the plant is cut and an optimized drying process can actually increase potency! An optimized drying and curing process requires controlling the humidity and temperature of the room the flower is curing in.
As for flavor, terpenes are volatile compounds — they degrade easily in unstable conditions which produces undesirable flavors. Drying and curing in stable conditions over an extended period of time preserves the terpene profile. It also forces enzymes in the plant to break down residual sugars, starches, and chlorophyll which produce harsh smoke and unpleasant, grassy flavors when combusted.