# Hang dry

> Drying harvested cannabis by hanging branches upside down in a dark, controlled room so buds dry slowly with even airflow around them.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hang-dry.html
- Also written: hang drying, hanging to dry, branch hang, hanging buds, drying line
- 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"

Hang drying is the traditional drying method: cut branches are hung upside down from lines or hangers in a dark room with controlled temperature, humidity and gentle air movement. Buds dry in open air without being crushed, and the stem slows moisture loss from the buds.

## In practice

A good target is a dry of about 7-14 days at around 15-21 °C (60-70 °F) and 55-62% [RH](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/relative-humidity.md), the zone the "[60/60](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/60-60-rule.md)" rule aims for. Keep fans off the buds directly; air should move around them, not through them. Darkness protects [cannabinoids](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabinoid.md) and [terpenes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene.md) from light degradation.

Practical tips:
- space branches so they don't touch;
- hang thick, dense [colas](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cola.md) with more room than airy branches;
- check daily for musty smells or soft spots in dense buds;
- check stems from about day 5-7 on; when small stems snap rather than bend, it's time to trim or jar.

Rack drying (buds on mesh shelves) is the main alternative, common after [wet trim](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/wet-trim.md). It suits limited space but is more prone to flat spots and uneven drying.

## Don't confuse with

- **Whole-plant hang**: hanging the entire plant uncut.
- **Curing**: the slow finish in sealed containers after drying.
- **Freeze drying**: rapid vacuum drying (Contested, not recommended).

## Related terms

[Whole-plant hang](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/whole-plant-hang.md), [Drying room](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/drying-room.md), [60/60 rule](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/60-60-rule.md), [Dry trim](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/dry-trim.md), [Case hardening](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/case-hardening.md)

## Read more

- [Drying cannabis: the 60/60 method and water activity](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/harvest-cure/drying.md)

## Sources

1. University of Georgia (thesis). Effects of drying method and storage on cannabinoids and terpenes in hemp. https://openscholar.uga.edu/record/27813
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.