There has been a lot of talk about the “ripening” of harvested weed. From advice like careful drying on racks to those saying to use special machines, while others cannot agree should we go with or without leaves? However, have you ever heard of “water curing”?
Although it may sound weird at first, dunking your buds underwater for between 3 and 7 days, freshening the water each day and the drying them afterward in a day or two, really works. Read on to learn how.
Water Curing
If you are experienced in growing weed, you already know how much water is beneficial to bringing out the best from the crops. Growers are familiar with how flushing the plants weeks before the harvest helps you to get rid of the harsh taste. This is because the flushing removes impurities and makes the smoke a lot smoother and pleasant.
If you are familiar with this, it will be interesting for you to know that this also works with curing your bud, with the process of water curing. It minimizes the time it takes you to get rid of any undesired substances in your product, like salts, chlorophyll and insecticides. These can cause harsh and unpleasant smoke even in the best weed.
Thanks to the process of osmosis, where soluble substances distribute themselves evenly and exchange through a semi-permeable membrane that is the leaf surface, the things you do not wish to smoke are completely dissolved. This goes for the substances external to the plant, as well as those within the leaves, which are the things that make you cough.
The THC will not dissolve in the water, and the final result is a much stronger and purer weed.
The Pros and Cons of Water Curing
Water curing with clean water has both advantages and disadvantages that are important.
This is the fastest method to cure your bud, because it removes a lot more of the unwanted solids, giving you a cloud of smoke that is smooth and healthier. Because water curing removes the undesired substances, it gives you a more potent final product.
The downside is that it could also remove flavor and aroma substances, as you will sacrifice smell and taste for potency. Therefore, water curing is ideal for strains not known for a particularly pleasant or harsh taste, with which the loss of flavor is not important.
What you need for this Process
To do this you will only need fresh water, bottled or distilled, and a bowl, tub or a jar. The size depends on the amount of bud you have.
Steps
1. You start by trimming the bud and removing the stems and fan leaves. If you want hash later, it is a good idea to trim the bud further because it results in better quality hashish.
2. Place the trimmed buds in a jar or bowl of water.
3. The process of water curing works best when the temperature of the water is between 18 and 24 degrees C. Therefore, always keep it in this range.
4. The bud will try to float upwards, so gently weigh them down and always keep them submerged. You can cover the bowl with a cutting board from the kitchen, or something similar.
5. Change the water every day. The entire process of water curing takes between 3 and 7 days, and you will need to change the water every day during this time.
6. When your bud is done with water curing, hang it and dry it as you would normally do.
Bud Rot Water Cure
If you, unfortunately, get a case of the rot, never throw the afflicted buds away because they can be saved. Dunk them in the water again and treat them with the six steps from above. The result is a great potency weed with no nasty taste or aftertaste.
