When you cut a plant and hang to dry, the transport of fluids within the plant continues, but at a much slower rate. Stomata close soon after harvest, and drying is slowed since little water vapor escapes. The natural plant processes slowly come to an end as the plant dries. The outer cells are the first to dry, but fluid still moves from the internal cells to supply moisture to outer cells which are dry. When this process occurs properly, plants dry evenly throughout. Removing leaves and large stems upon harvest speeds up drying; however, moisture content within the "dried" buds, leaves and stems is uneven. If buds are dried too quickly, chlorophyll and other pigments, starch, nitrates are trapped within plant tissue, making it taste green, burn unevenly and taste bad.
When dried relatively slowly, over a period of seven days or longer, moisture evaporates evenly in to the air, yielding uniformly dried buds. Slowly dried buds taste sweet and smoke smooth. Taste and aroma improve when pigments breakdown. Slow even drying where moisture content is the same throughout stems, foliage and buds allows enough time for the pigments to degrade. Hanging entire plants to dry allows this process to take place over time.
When you jar the buds you are beginning the curing process which is essentially allowing the buds to finishing drying slowwwly and even allowing a minuscule amount of moisture to be retained within and dispersed throughout the bud to the point of a perfect saturation. Similar to conditions within cigar humidors, you want the buds to be uniformly perfect. Well cured buds smoke and burn evenly and will not burn the throat or taste grassy or green.
