Considerations are many when growing cannabis. Of course, most people search “online weed dispensary NY” in Google for quality stash, but many grow their own. From creating an ideal growing environment to selecting good genetics, feeding every plant, and finally harvesting, drying, and curing, cultivating a product worthy of a dispensary needs time, money, and lots of research.
Undeniably, humidity is the most important factor to consider when drying, curing, and storing weed. It is necessary throughout the growing season. Measured as RH, or “relative humidity,” there is plenty of moisture in the air. Too much can cause problems. Too little wreaks havoc too. Is it possible to get humidity right, especially when it matters most? Just how important is it?
Some Good Reasons to Control Humidity
Curing is an important process. After harvesting, buds need drying and curing. As the U.S. National Library of Medicine explains well, if you do this slowly, it will remove moisture without harming crucial plant compounds, such as cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. However, to achieve this, humidity must be just right. If high, mold and germs make home. If low, buds are too dry. Too harsh.
But, if RH is in the correct range, benefits for plants are many:
1. Slowly Converts Tetrahydrocannabinol
After harvest, weed still undergoes several chemical changes. While it is true that heat triggers cannabinoid conversion, called decarboxylation, it is important to note that time does too. THCA, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, will become tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, on its own, if left to cure long enough. If you cure weed slowly, it gives THCA more time to convert into psychoactive THC.
2. Breaks Chlorophyll Down
Plants use chlorophyll to convert light into energy. It is what gives plants their color. Chlorophyll is what makes weed green, and you do not want any in your smoke. It is harsh on the throat. A very unpleasant toke. Chlorophyll tastes bad. The more of it your buds contain, the more coughing you will do. Curing acts to break chlorophyll down, improving flavor and smoothness significantly.
3. Preserves Terpene Quality
Cannabis plants smell the way they do because of their terpenes. These compounds give plants flavor too. As weed cures, the process will naturally start breaking terpenes down. You want to slow this process as much as possible. This will preserve terpenes in their natural state and, if you cure very slowly, even boost effects and flavors over time. Terpenes mature. Much like fine, aging wine.
4. Removes Excess Moisture
When curing cannabis, it should be quite dry already. Even so, there is still moisture remaining in stems and buds. If you cure weed properly, this moisture will slowly seep out, helping to achieve the right dryness and maintain integrity when stored over time. Curing is incredibly important. When done right, it is the difference between nice buds and exceptional ones.
After curing for some time, buds will near their peak potential. These are the qualities you want to preserve during storage. Once again, humidity plays a fundamental role in success or failure. If it fluctuates too much, buds can go from beautiful to catastrophic in very little time. Too much humidity might make buds wet again. Almost certainly, it will attract bacteria, mold, or worse.
On the other hand, buds get very dry when humidity levels get too low. They get brittle. This damages trichomes, turns bud crumbly, and makes for a very difficult smoke. Fluctuations in humidity will cause terpenes and cannabinoids to denature, resulting in tasteless weed with little to no potency. By keeping RH at ideal levels, you can protect buds during growth, curing, and storing.
Getting Humidity Right
The best way to get humidity right and maintain levels correctly is to invest in proper tools for the job. Humidity regulators and airtight containers make it possible for you to keep a specific relative humidity, according to your exact needs. Products like these protect your weed from too much moisture and associated problems while curing. You really do not want mold.
Simultaneously, humidity regulators make cure quality even better. They streamline the curing process to bring the best bud qualities forward. Once cured, these products can further help to maximize those qualities responsible for smell, taste, effects, and smoothness of smoke. If you cure cannabis properly, and store it right, weed matures beautifully. It can last a year. Several years.
Best New York Weed Dispensary
You need time to grow quality weed. You need much money too. And effort. Few succeed. Most buy from their local New York weed dispensary, but even so, humidity is still supremely important during storage. Invest in the right equipment to help you control humidity properly, and you will be glad that you did. The right humidity regulator can either make or break your lovingly tended buds.
