Read this and take it in…..it will unlock the mystery and help you immensely.
Depending on how big and dense the buds are, U should be ready to for the next step. Once U understand what is happening, you’ll be able to get this right every time without issue.
The #1 goal of the dry/cure is to allow the excess moisture to escape, then cause the remaining moisture to redistribute evenly……this is done as slow as possible.
Also, the use of the term cure is not really what’s going on after the initial dry. A more appropriate and fitting word should be “redistribute” or “sweating” the buds.
Once the buds have hung for 8-12 days, the outside should be crispy and they’ll appear dry. But the moisture that’s still in the center of the bud can doom U if they’re jarred now and only opened (burped) infrequently or even too frequently for short periods of time.
They should be sealed up….a jar or any airtight container is fine. But they need to be left for at least 24 hrs and 48 if you’ve dried them longer and they appear almost too dry.
After 24-48hrs pop open the container and spread out the buds evenly on a screen or anything flat. Unless U let them hang way too long, the outer leaves should now feel less crispy ( at a minimum) and maybe downright moist. The process of working. The moisture is moving from the inside outward.
Depending on how moist the outside feels, let them lay out for 30 min to an hour or more. Try to have conditions in the room where they’re exposed to cooler temps w/ rh in a normal range of 45%-55%. Obviously if the room is hot and dry you don’t let them lay out as long…..and vice versa.
This entire process may need to be done 2-3 times before the buds have the correct moisture level EVENLY throughout……I prefer mine right at 60% but anywhere from 57%-63% is fine…..again, as long as it’s distributed uniformly.
This “sweating” process is what many call the cure……buts it not. Actual curing can and does take place if the buds are dealt with properly and sealed up for a longer period of time. But I’ve found that my best looking and smelling buds are realized from 3weeks to 2 months after chopping. Much longer and the taste can generally change but the smell and appearance can often decrease, albeit slightly.
I would invest in a good hygrometer…..the Caliber IV is as good as I’ve found and won’t break the bank.
Good luck….
