# Curing

> Holding dried cannabis in sealed containers so its moisture declines slowly and evenly over weeks, improving smoothness and aroma.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/curing.html
- Also written: cure, the cure, jar curing, curing cannabis, cured, long cure
- Glossary category: Harvest, drying and curing · Evidence: Grower practice
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Curing is the final post-harvest step: dried buds are sealed in containers (usually [glass jars](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/curing-jar.md)) and opened periodically while moisture redistributes from the core to the surface and slowly declines. Over weeks, residual chlorophyll and starch break down, and harshness and grassy notes fade.

## In practice

House position: curing is slowly reducing [moisture content](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/moisture-content.md) over time, not holding it constant. A steady, slow decline gives the best product. Targets are about the bud: [water activity](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/water-activity.md) around 0.55-0.65 and a moisture content of roughly 10-12% w/w, checked by equilibrated jar RH, [stem snap](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/stem-snap-test.md) and weight loss.

A typical approach:
1. Jar when small stems snap. Fill jars about three-quarters, loosely.
2. First week: check daily. Burp if equilibrated RH sits above about 65%; take buds out to air if far above.
3. Weeks 2-4: open less often as [RH](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/relative-humidity.md) steadies in range.
4. Keep jars dark and cool, about 15-21 °C (60-70 °F).

Two to four weeks is a solid cure. Longer helps within reason.

## Don't confuse with

- **Drying**: removing most of the water, before the cure.
- **Storage**: keeping a finished cure stable.
- **Water curing**: a soaking method (Contested, not recommended).

## Myth check

A cure will never fix a bad dry (house position). [Hay smell](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hay-smell.md) from bacteria, over-drying or drying too fast never truly comes out. [Humidity packs](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/humidity-pack.md) rob [terpenes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene.md); they are a marketing gimmick. See [curing and burping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/harvest-cure/curing-burping.md).

## Related terms

[Burping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/burping.md), [Water activity](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/water-activity.md), [Equilibrium relative humidity](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/equilibrium-relative-humidity.md), [Humidity pack](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/humidity-pack.md), [Hay smell](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hay-smell.md)

## Read more

- [Curing and burping: jars, humidity and how long](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/harvest-cure/curing-burping.md)

## Sources

1. ASTM D8197. Standard Specification for Maintaining Acceptable Water Activity (aw) Range (0.55 to 0.65) for Dry Cannabis Flower. ASTM International. https://store.astm.org/d8197-22.html
2. Ross SA, ElSohly MA. 1996. The volatile oil composition of fresh and air-dried buds of Cannabis sativa. Journal of Natural Products 59(1):49-51.
3. University of Georgia (thesis). Effects of drying method and storage on cannabinoids and terpenes in hemp. https://openscholar.uga.edu/record/27813