InSpire’s Cannabis Operations Specialist, Anders Peterson, recently authored another article for Terpenes & Testing Magazine. In “How Drying and Curing Methods Can Make or Break Your Harvest,” Anders shares some of his top recommendations to maintain quality and influence your final product when it comes to the dry/cure process.
“Too many cultivators spend precious time and energy tending to their plants for months at a time, only to sacrifice quality, quantity and consistency during the drying and/or curing stages,” begins Anders. “Harvest quality is optimal at the end of the flowering cycle, and it is up to you to maintain that level of quality throughout the postharvest process.”
Some of the techniques Anders discusses in the article include:
- Quantify data to increase consistency: To truly maximize the postharvest process, cultivators should quantify data in the dry and cure rooms to produce consistently high-quality product in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
- Equip yourself with the right tools: There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to postharvest. You’ll need to consider various factors unique to your facility like your plant support system, ceiling height, spacing and more. Have the right tools and cannabis HVACD equipment ready to ensure a successful dry/cure.
- Single harvest strategy vs. continual load-in strategy: There are two dominant styles of operating dry and cure rooms with today’s cultivators – which is right for your operation?
- Keep the door shut: The more you open the door to your dry/cure rooms, the more light you let into the room and the more the relative humidity of the room will fluctuate. If you don’t absolutely need to go into the room, then don’t!
- Use water activity and moisture content to optimize product quality, shelf life and safety: The careful balance between saleable weight and product potency is determined in the dry/cure room, which is why it is so important to develop a system that provides precise and consistent control.
Anders concludes the article with the following: “Drying and curing are complex, intertwined processes that are often overlooked, misunderstood or mismanaged by entrepreneurs and cultivators alike. An appropriate drying and curing strategy will increase price per pound and extraction yields, reduce product loss, and increase shelf life and product quality – all of which will have a significant financial impact on your business.”
Terpenes & Testing is a scientific online publication focused on the cannabis industry, providing daily news, research and opinions from thought leaders in the space. To read “How Drying and Curing Methods Can Make or Break Your Harvest” for yourself, visit: https://terpenesandtesting.com/how-drying-and-curing-methods-can-make-or-break-your-harvest/.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into drying and curing for cannabis, be sure to check out our free webinar series for cannabis cultivators: https://inspire.ag/resources/webinar-2-drying-and-curing-cannabis/.