The Importance of Curing
You cure your buds to gradually bring out the best in them
You dry and cure your cannabis to gradually bring out the best markers of your buds. Unfortunately, this means the plant material will spend a long time in an environment where mould can take over and ruin your yields.
What Is Bud Rot?
The official name for the mould that develops in humid climates is Botrytis cinerea. This mould can form while the plant is alive, drying, or curing. It first materialises at the stem, extends outward and can be challenging to detect without careful and close examination.
At first, the mould will seem greyish-white in colour. Removing infected areas early on may save the rest of your cola, however, if the mould has reached the surface then the entire cola might be beyond redemption.
Bud rot can be compared to an iceberg above and below the surface. Once the mould reaches the surface of the bud it is a sign that the damage inside the bud is much worse. Bud rot will make your buds gooey and they will lose their structure. Once it grows, the mould can discharge additional spores and infect other healthy buds.
It is impossible to prevent mould spores from getting into your curing environment. However, like other living things, moulds need certain requirements to grow and thrive.
Your cannabis should be fully trimmed before you start the curing phase. Your buds should not crumble when you squeeze them nor should they feel moist. Stems should snap when bent.
Once you are confident that you are at this point, your cannabis can be put into airtight jars to begin the curing phase. Once inside, moisture from the stems and buds will ooze into the air and the rest of the buds. This excess moisture puts the buds at risk of mould.
Products and Methods to Prevent Cannabis Mold
Two-way humidity regulator packets are typically used and help to preserve either 62% relative humidity (RH) or 55% RH.
The 62% RH packet will keep cannabis from drying out or developing mould whilst curing. As the curing process moves forward, you can move to the 55% RH packets to dry your product further if preferred. The packets have replacement indicators to show you when to replace them. The packets last for weeks or months depending on the climate and the moisture level of the buds when they are positioned in the curing jars.
Another method involves opening the curing jars at set intervals at set times to let out the humid air."Burping" as it is known is normally done between 2-4 times per day at first and then less frequently in the curing process as the RH drops.
Curing your cannabis is the last step you need to complete before enjoying the fruits of your labour. However amazing your buds look when they come out of the drying room, a quality curing process will always make for a better product.
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Liz Filmer
