Post-Harvest Tips to Improve Cannabis Quality
Post-Harvest Tips to Improve Cannabis Quality
After harvesting cannabis, your job isn’t over yet. The way you handle cannabis flower post-harvest can greatly affect its flavor, potency, and safety. With a few careful steps, controlling moisture, stabilizing the environment, and properly drying/curing, you can maximize quality and enjoy top-shelf results from your crop.
Post-Harvest Tips for Better Cannabis Flower Quality
Post-harvest handling is just as important as the growing phase. The good news is that proper moisture control, environmental stability, and drying and curing can help you improve the quality of your cannabis flower after harvest.
Maintain the Right Cannabis Moisture Level
Start by keeping your buds in the ideal moisture range after harvest. Aim for a moisture content of approximately 10-15% in the dried flower. At this level, the buds are dry enough to avoid mold but not so dry that they become brittle. In practice, this translates to storing cured cannabis at roughly 55-65% relative humidity (RH), which corresponds to a water activity of ~0.6.
Staying in this “Goldilocks” moisture zone preserves your cannabis flower’s weight and potency while preventing microbial growth. Keeping the proper moisture level offers big benefits. If your buds are too wet, they are susceptible to mold and bacteria that can ruin the whole stash. If they’re overly dry, the flower will lose potency and flavor because trichomes and terpenes degrade or break off. Overdrying also reduces the sellable weight and causes harsh smoke.
By maintaining moderate moisture, you’ll retain more cannabinoids and terpenes, and even see better yields. Some cultivators report 5-7% higher final weight just by avoiding overdrying.
Create a Stable Environment
Keep the post-harvest environment as consistent as possible. Big swings in temperature or humidity can disrupt the curing process and lead to uneven results. Every time you move cannabis between rooms or expose it to different conditions, you risk introducing contaminants and damaging delicate trichomes.
Fluctuating humidity or temperature can cause buds to dry unevenly - for instance, a hot, dry day could crisp up the outer leaves while the core stays damp (inviting mold). Instead, set up a dedicated space for drying and curing where you can control the climate. Keep the air cool (around 60–70 °F) and the humidity steady (about 50–60% RH) in this area. As with fine cigars, cannabis flower stays fresh longest in a consistent, humidor-like environment. Storing your dried buds in airtight containers in a cool, dark place with stable humidity will preserve potency and aroma for the long haul.
Provide Good Drying and Curing
Dry your cannabis slowly and cure it patiently for the best quality. Rushing these steps can ruin an otherwise great harvest. Buds that aren’t dried or cured properly may taste harsh and lose precious terpenes and cannabinoids (or worse, grow mold).
A proper drying and curing process, on the other hand, brings out the full flavor and potency of your cannabis. It allows chlorophyll and other compounds to break down, resulting in smoother smoke and a more enjoyable experience. Cannabis buds hang to dry slowly in a climate-controlled room. A slow drying process at moderate temperature and humidity preserves terpenes and prevents mold. For drying, aim to hang or spread your trimmed buds in a dark, well-ventilated space at about 60 °F (15 °C) with around 50% relative humidity.
Under these conditions, the flowers will dry gradually over roughly 7-14 days, which is generally how long it takes for stems to start "snapping" instead of bending. Good airflow (gentle fans) and darkness further help prevent mold while protecting cannabinoids from light degradation.
Once the buds feel dry to the touch and smaller stems crack when bent, it’s time to cure. Curing involves sealing the dried buds in airtight containers (like glass mason jars) to age for at least two weeks or more. Inside the jars, keep the humidity around 58-62% RH for optimal curing.
Use a small hygrometer in each jar to monitor moisture, and "burp" the jars daily during the first week – this means opening them for a few minutes to release excess humidity and bring in fresh air. Over the next couple of weeks, gradually reduce the burping frequency as the buds stabilize. This slow curing period allows remaining moisture to distribute evenly and lets cannabinoids and terpenes fully develop. The result is a smoother, more potent cannabis flower with richer aroma and flavor.
The care you give your cannabis after harvest is what makes the difference between an average product and a top-shelf one. These post-harvest steps might require patience and attention to detail, but the payoff is worth it. You’ll end up with a safer, tastier, and more effective final product. In short, a little extra care after harvest goes a long way.