Drying and Curing Done Right

Last Updated on November 6, 2025 by Alex Roig

Be aware that handling, using, and/or distributing marijuana is federally illegal. This content does not encourage illegal activities or provide legal or tax advice. Ensure compliance with your local, state, and federal laws.

Key Takeaways

Harvest isn’t the end. Drying, curing, and storing are what truly define quality flower.
Ideal drying conditions are around 60°F and 60% humidity for slow, terpene-preserving results.
Cannatrol systems help small-space growers maintain perfect drying and curing conditions.
Grove Bags with TerpLoc™ technology simplify curing and storage without daily burping.
With patience and the right tools, urban growers can produce dispensary-quality cannabis anywhere.

For a lot of home growers, harvest day feels like the finish line. You’ve fed, trimmed, watched, and waited for months, and now those buds are finally ready.

But the truth is, the real magic happens after the cut. Drying, curing, and storing are what separate good flower from unforgettable flower. This is where terpenes develop their true character, aromas deepen, and the smoke smoothens out.

Living in a city like New York, that process can be tricky. Most of us don’t have basements or spare rooms to hang plants, and even fewer have garages or sheds. We’re working with closets, corners, or tents tucked between furniture.

Space is tight, airflow is limited, and temperature swings happen fast. Yet growers keep finding ways to make it work, because there’s nothing like smoking something you grew yourself.

Cannabis Drying Tips: Why the Process Matters More Than You Think

The drying stage is where patience pays off. After harvest, the goal is to slowly pull moisture from the buds without cooking off terpenes or locking in harsh chlorophyll.

The sweet spot sits around the low-60s for both temperature and humidity. That’s easy to say but harder to control when you’re working out of a studio apartment with radiators that run too hot or windows that won’t seal right.

Some people hang their branches in a small tent with a fan and hygrometer, while others get creative with garment racks or converted closets.

We’ve been working alongside Cannatrol, a company that’s been rethinking how small-batch growers approach drying and curing. Their system keeps temperature and dew point steady, so you don’t lose terpenes or over dry your flower.

For city growers, it’s one of the cleanest, most reliable ways to dry and cure without needing a full-size grow room.

We respect what they’re doing for the home-grow community and want to highlight great practices that help everyone become more successful growers.

“Marijuana may not be addictive but growing it is.” – Ed Rosenthal

How to Cure Cannabis for Better Flavor and Smoothness

Once your buds feel crisp on the outside but still springy inside, the curing begins. This is the quiet stage where flavor and aroma bloom.

Curing lets the remaining moisture equalize from the inside out and gives the terpenes time to settle into their true profile.

Old-school growers still use mason jars, opening them once or twice a day to “burp” the air. That works fine if you have a few jars, but for larger batches—or just less time—there’s a better way.

Our friends at Grove Bags developed something called TerpLoc™ technology, a material that balances humidity on its own.

You don’t have to burp or babysit it, and it naturally protects the terpenes and cannabinoids you worked so hard to preserve. The best part is, they’re affordable and built for long-term storage too.

Best Cannabis Storage Methods for Home Growers

After the cure, storage is what keeps everything fresh. You want your flower in a cool, dark space away from sunlight and heat.

A small cabinet or closet works fine, as long as humidity stays between 55 and 62 percent. Grove Bags make that easy, especially if you’re short on space.

They seal tight, keep the buds breathing at the right rate, and don’t let moisture or air ruin your work.

For urban growers, these steps aren’t just technical, they’re about respect for the plant. You might be working in a one-bedroom apartment or a rooftop tent, but that doesn’t mean you can’t produce top-shelf results.

Drying, curing, and storing are the heart of the craft, and with the right balance of patience and the right tools, you can elevate your homegrown to rival anything from the dispensary.

Building a Strong Home Grow Community in NYC

At We Grow NYC, we’re building a community around that spirit. We share resources, experiences, and connections that help everyday people grow better, even in tight spaces.

Whether it’s discovering new gear like Cannatrol’s systems or getting real results with Grove Bags, we’re about making the process accessible and enjoyable for everyone who loves the plant.

You can read more on our blog at WeGrowNYC.org and join our grow community to keep learning together. 

We have a free community for growers of all kinds. Follow this link to join.

Final Thoughts

Growing cannabis at home is more than raising plants — it’s an art that rewards patience and precision. The real quality comes after harvest, when drying, curing, and storing cannabis transform your buds into smooth, flavorful flower.

Even in tight NYC spaces, smart tools like Cannatrol systems or Grove Bags make it easy to master home cannabis drying and curing. At We Grow NYC, we help home growers learn how to dry and store weed the right way, preserving potency, flavor, and aroma with every harvest.