If you're new to growing cannabis, one of the most important things to understand is that curing is essential. Without proper curing, your cannabis won’t taste good, won’t smell good, and will be harsh on your throat and lungs.
Traditionally, home growers cure cannabis in glass mason jars, but other methods have emerged, such as specialized curing bags. One popular option is Grove Bags, which feature TerpLoc technology designed for optimal curing.
Today, we'll cover everything you need to know about curing in jars versus bags. Let’s uncover the best method for curing cannabis and how to do it properly.
What Is Curing Cannabis?
Although curing might sound similar to drying, they are not the same. The primary goal of drying is to reduce moisture content until buds reach a shelf-stable water level. In contrast, curing focuses on the uniform distribution of water within the buds, changes in the terpene profile, and an overall improvement in smoking quality.
What Are the Benefits of Curing Cannabis?
If you’re wondering why curing cannabis buds is essential, keep reading—there are many reasons. Essentially, if you don’t cure your cannabis, it can lead to an unpleasant experience.
Improved Smell and Taste
Curing allows the terpene profile to evolve, making your cannabis more flavorful, fragrant, and enjoyable to smoke. Without curing, the cannabis will taste like fresh greenery.
Much Smoother Smoke
Curing can produce a much smoother smoke. While this may be subjective, many agree on its benefits. Simply drying cannabis without curing leaves behind chlorophyll and other compounds that create a harsh smoke. Proper curing breaks down chlorophyll, reducing harshness and creating a smoother experience for your throat and lungs.
Preventing Mold
One of the biggest benefits of curing is mold prevention. By reducing the internal moisture in the buds, curing minimizes the risk of mildew and mold growth.
Increased Shelf Life
Finally, curing makes cannabis more stable over time. Properly cured buds can often be stored for 1–2 years under optimal conditions. Some have even cured cannabis for longer without any noticeable loss in potency or flavor.
How to Cure Cannabis: A Quick Guide
Before we discuss the differences between curing in bags and curing in jars, let’s start with a quick step-by-step guide on how to cure cannabis.
Step 1: Prepare Your Buds and Containers
First, ensure that your buds are dry enough for curing. Try snapping a small branch; if it breaks cleanly with a snapping sound, the buds are ready. However, if the branch bends without breaking, the buds need more drying time. This is also the stage where you’ll select your containers for curing, which we’ll cover in more detail below.
Step 2: Insert the Cannabis Buds
Once you’ve chosen your container and confirmed that your cannabis buds are ready, place them inside. Be sure to fill the containers only to about 75% capacity to allow for airflow. Overpacking jars or bags can trap moisture and increase the risk of mold.
Step 3: Burping the Containers
A crucial part of curing is burping the containers, which involves opening them daily for about 5–10 minutes. This allows built-up gases to escape and fresh air to circulate. During this process, carefully monitor the relative humidity and temperature. Aim for a relative humidity range of 58%–62% and a temperature between 60–70°F (15–21°C).
If the temperature drops slightly below 60°F (15°C), don’t panic; some growers prefer lower temperatures. However, if the temperature rises above 70°F (21°C), terpene loss may occur, as terpenes are volatile and dissipate more quickly at higher temperatures.
Curing Cannabis in Jars vs. Curing in Bags
Let’s now dive into the main topic of today's article: comparing curing cannabis in jars versus curing cannabis in bags. We'll evaluate this based on several factors, including user-friendliness, humidity control, bud quality preservation, and more.
User-Friendliness
Mason jars require regular burping, especially during the first two weeks, which can be somewhat labor-intensive. However, it’s simple enough to do. In contrast, products like Grove Bags are designed to create an optimal climate within the bag, eliminating the need for frequent burping during the curing process.
Controlling Humidity
Maintaining the correct humidity levels in mason jars can be challenging, often requiring humidity packs to keep levels within the optimal range. On the other hand, specially designed curing bags are equipped with technology that regulates moisture levels, maintaining humidity between 58% and 62%.
Overall Bud Quality
Preserving bud quality is essential. Mason jars are effective in protecting buds from physical damage but lack UV protection. Exposure to UV rays can degrade terpenes and cannabinoids, and jars can also become statically charged, which may cause trichomes to stick to the glass, potentially reducing potency and quality.
In contrast, specialized curing bags often feature UV-resistant designs to protect cannabinoids and terpenes from degradation. Many also include anti-static properties to prevent trichomes from adhering to the bag’s interior.
Storage
While mason jars protect against physical damage, they are fragile and break easily if dropped. Additionally, jars are bulkier than bags, making them less convenient for storage. Curing bags, however, are durable, lightweight, and highly space-efficient, offering an easy storage solution that’s also drop-resistant.
Overall Cost
Mason jars are generally inexpensive and widely available, making them suitable for small-scale use. However, they may require humidity packs, which adds to the overall cost. Curing bags, though initially more expensive, may be more cost-effective in the long run due to minimal maintenance requirements and no need for additional humidity packs.
FAQ
How Long Does It Take to Cure Cannabis?
Curing cannabis generally takes between two and eight weeks. It’s recommended to cure for at least two weeks to allow the terpene profile to develop. However, the profile can continue to evolve over time, so many growers find that curing for up to eight weeks is ideal.
What Are the Benefits of Curing Cannabis in Jars?
Curing cannabis in jars offers several benefits. Mason jars create an airtight seal, allow you to customize humidity levels with humidity packs, are inexpensive, and are widely available.
What Are the Benefits of Curing Cannabis in Bags?
Curing bags typically require less maintenance than mason jars since burping is unnecessary. These bags are also designed to control humidity and preserve quality, with UV-blocking and anti-static features to protect the buds.
Curing Cannabis in Jars vs. Bags: Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that both jars and bags have their advantages and disadvantages. Mason jars are inexpensive to buy in bulk, protect your buds from physical damage, and are easy to use.
However, for optimal humidity control and overall results, you may want to consider specially designed curing bags, thanks to their advanced features specifically suited for curing cannabis.
For more details on how to grow cannabis, check out my book 7 Steps To Grow Cannabis. It’s a complete beginner’s guide to growing cannabis indoors. You can get it on my website, or on Amazon. Happy growing!
