Curing Cannabis In Turkey Bags? Top 23 Best Answers

Our bags, once sealed, create the optimal gas mix and relative humidity for long-term cannabis storage. All you have to do is dry your produce and sweat out the internal moisture of your buds and then heat seal your Grove Bag. Additional packaging products such as 2-way moisture packs, oxygen scrubbers or nitrogen seals are not required.

Drying and Curing Buds: A Complete Harvest Time Guide for Growers

Drying and curing the buds is in many ways one of the most important steps to a successful harvest.

That’s because you’ve spent months getting to this point and it’s almost time to show the world your finished product.

A mistake at this point could literally waste months of the time, effort, energy, and money you’ve put into your precious plants.

In short, you need to get it right to get the best results, so in today’s harvest guide we’ll go into depth on drying and curing, including…

How to dry your buds.

Why you need to cure your buds.

A step-by-step guide to drying and curing your crop.

Let’s start with the basics…

Why dry and cure your buds?

First, you want to harvest at the right time. And then you want to dry and cure your buds to increase their potency and produce a better quality product.

In short, you help your buds reach their maximum potential and quality when you dry and cure them properly. Here are just a few of the benefits of properly drying and curing your buds:

Dramatically improves the smoothness and reduces the hardness of the product. Proper drying breaks down chlorophyll. And curing properly breaks down any leftover minerals and unwanted sugars created by this process. All of this gives you a smoother, higher quality experience in the final product. Increases potency. Much like some types of alcohol increase in potency the longer it is fermented, your buds will also increase their potency of compounds during the curing process. Better flavor, taste and aroma. A relatively slow cure at the right temperatures will help preserve the aromatic compounds, or terpenes, that give your buds their unique smell and taste. Reduces the likelihood of mold and bacteria. If you dry and cure properly, take extra care to prevent mold and bacteria. Increases durability. Properly cured bud can be stored in airtight containers in a cool, dark place for up to two years without loss of potency.

The best tools and equipment for drying and curing

There are a few basic necessities and equipment you need for drying and curing:

Environmentally controlled area for drying, plus wire or string. It’s important to have a room where you can control the temperature and humidity. Otherwise you have no control over how long the drying process takes. The wire or string is used to hang your buds, which is the most common way to dry them. drying rack. Depending on how you want to dry your buds, you may need a drying rack, which we will discuss in more detail below. This is definitely not the preferred method as it is easy to warp your buds, but it may be necessary if you are working in higher humidity environments. Turkey oven bags (or 1 liter size mason jars). While many growers use Mason jars for curing, the best method we’ve found is to use turkey-sized oven bags. These are the best for curing for a number of reasons. They are cheaper than mason jars. They hold more buds (over a pound!). And because they’re not 100 percent airtight, they breathe a little better, making proper healing easier to achieve. However, many pharmacies use Mason jars on their shelves to display finished products, so you can go that route, but using such jars makes getting a proper cure a bit more difficult because they tend to be too airtight. Hygrometer. This small device measures the water vapor in the air. It’s an optional device, but it can really help you determine the moisture levels you’re dealing with in your pickle bags or jars so you can make sure it’s optimal. Another reason we recommend the oven bags is that there is more space inside for the buds and hygrometer. moisture packs. This is also optional, but handy Boveda 62% moisture control packs precisely control the amount of moisture in your turkey bags.

How long buds dry

These are the ideal environmental conditions and schedule for drying:

Day 1 – 3:65 degrees and 55% humidity

Day 4 – 6:70 degrees and 50% humidity

Day 7-10’ish: 73-75 degrees and 45% humidity until they pass the snap test.

You will continue to let your buds dry until they pass the snap test. That means you grab a stem and when you bend it it should audibly click and sound nice and crisp.

Now your buds are dry and ready to be trimmed.

We cover this step in detail in the article how to trim buds. For more information on why we recommend dry trimming to just about everyone (unless you’re only bringing in a small crop, working alone or in a hurry), read this article.

Drying Buds: A Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you know how long it will take to dry your buds, let’s talk about how to complete this task. How you dry depends on how you harvested and what environment you’re doing it in.

Step 1: The most popular method is to cut 30-40cm long branches from the plants, remove the large fan leaves and then hang the branches upside down on a string or wire (i.e. the buds hang down).

Depending on how much you need to harvest and how humid your area is, you may need to cut more or less at a time. This is because you want to stick to the 7-10 day drying process outlined above (remember, the bigger the buds, the longer it will take to dry). You don’t want them to dry too quickly or too slowly. To do this successfully you need to work with the humidity in your environment along with the water in your plants.

For example, in a very dry environment, some growers will cut and hang entire plants. This greatly increases the overall drying time as the stems and branches hold water in addition to the buds.

In a wetter environment where it might take too long to dry your plants (and you have to worry about things like overly wet buds that repel mold), you could snip the buds off branches – and only leave a few 2 1/4″ stick – and place them on drying racks because they dry faster that way.

In short: consider your surroundings and realize that the more plant material you hang to dry, the longer it will take.

For the purposes of this discussion, we will use the standard method of cutting 30–40 cm branches with buds from the plants, removing the fan leaves, and hanging them on a string or wire to dry in a controlled environment.

Step 2: Allow your buds to dry in ideal conditions until they pass the snap test. It’s important not to rush this step.

If you are drying the buds alone on a drying rack, we recommend leaving a few inches of the stem attached. Many growers dry until the outsides of the buds are dry to the touch, but this can be a costly mistake.

You can be very wrong judging by how your buds feel. This is because your buds keep most of their moisture deep within their structure. Her buds can feel like they’re perfectly dry when you touch them—even ready to crumble in your hands—yet just a few days in a jar can ruin them because they’re still too wet.

A simple test you can do is take one of your larger buds and place it in a small jar or bag. Come back in an hour and if there is moisture inside the bag or the bud suddenly feels damp to the touch, then you know it needs to dry longer. If it’s just a little too wet to smoke, it’ll take another day.

In short, if you have any doubts as to whether your buds are dry, give them another day to dry.

Curing Your Buds: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: After your buds have dried properly, pop them into your turkey bags. Again, you can use mason jars, but turkey bags work so well because they’re clear and big enough to hold over a pound of bud. They also breathe a little better than Mason jars allow.

Whatever you use, you should only fill the container about 75 percent full, leaving a little room for air, as this will help break down sugars and byproducts that are released as chlorophyll breaks down in the buds as part of the curing process. This makes for a smoother product.

TIP: Don’t stuff the buds in. You want them loosely stacked. You don’t want to warp or crush them and need air/space around them. Leaving a quarter of your container to the top is a great way to ensure you follow this tip.

Place the lid on the jar or seal the bag and place in a cool, dark place.

Step 2: If you use a hygrometer, you can put it in your pocket to measure humidity and temperature. The ideal environment for curing is around 21°C (70°F) and 50-60% humidity. If you work in anything other than a temperate climate, it’s a good idea to measure temperatures and humidity this way.

Step 3: For about 1-2 weeks you should check your buds for mildew and mold at least daily (or even multiple times daily if you think they are still too wet).

You will also want to “burp” your buds. To do this you will have to take them out of your container to inspect them and then put them back after removing any that seem to have problems. Changing their position in the container this way should help them harden more evenly. You don’t have to keep them away for long; just long enough to inspect and let them air out a bit.

Step 4: After about two weeks, you only need to open the curing containers about once a week, not daily. The longer you cure them this way, the better the buds will be for up to about six months. Any longer and you probably won’t improve the quality much more. You can always sample small amounts during the curing process to see if you think your product is market-ready.

How to rehydrate your buds when you over dry them

If you examine your buds and they feel dry and brittle, don’t panic! Curing for a few days often pulls the moisture from inside the bud to the surface, making it feel less parched.

If they still seem dry after a few days and you think you’ve overdried them, there is a way to rehydrate them.

You can do this by using a product like Boveda 62% Moisture Control Packs. Pop one of these packs into the curing container along with your buds and it will boost the humidity to 62 percent, which should add a bit of moisture to the buds.

You can also use a leaf of lettuce or kale, even a wet napkin or paper towel. Some growers use citrus peels, but since these affect the flavor of your buds, it’s only recommended to use them if you’re growing a citrus-flavored strain.

If you’ve followed the steps above, you’re unlikely to over-dry your bud, but these tips are worth noting. If you grow in a very dry, low humidity environment and the humidity in your containers is consistently low, you can reuse the same packs throughout the curing process.

Congratulations! After drying and curing, your buds are ready to enjoy

Proper drying and curing of your buds is like a painter putting the finishing touches on a work of art: it can and will add significant value to your end product.

When it comes to drying and curing, it pays to plan ahead and take your time. The fact is, there is no real way to dry buds fast that doesn’t affect their quality in some way.

In short, take the right amount of time and care to get this right so you can get the most out of your harvest and bring the best buds possible to market.

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“I was dissatisfied with so many different products in terms of curing. Grove Bags just discontinued a product. There are 2 pound pickle bags that have changed the game for us over the last few months and we won’t be healing anything without them.

The goal of the Grove Bag is not just to conserve the terpenes, to conserve flower quality and simply maintain an overall perfect atmosphere at 62 percent humidity. We think we’re doing that pretty well. They make it big for us. I think it took our flower’s nose to a whole new level. ….All about it. It’s just such a sane way to heal.

Cannabis synergy, known as the “entourage effect,” is the concept that the medicinal effect of the whole plant is greater than the sum of its parts. Terpenes play an important role in cannabis synergy and are the main factor affecting indica vs. sativa plant profiles. They have antimicrobial properties, anticarcinogenic properties, and can affect cell membrane permeability, allowing for more cannabinoids to be absorbed. Designed for low oxygen levels, Grove Bags combine active humidity control with anti-static properties to limit oxidation and evaporation of terpenes and cannabinoids.

Terpene content is an increasingly strong selling point for many cannabis brands, but these compounds are much more volatile than their phytocannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). However, with a little diligence and thorough cannabis testing, brands can prioritize terpene conservation and offer products that are better tested for these valuable compounds.

In this blog you will learn:

The boiling points of common terpenes in cannabis

How to preserve terpenes with proper storage

How labs test for terpene profiles

An Introduction to Terpenes

Terpenes cover a broad category of many volatile organic compounds found in thousands of plants around the world. Out of around 20,000 known terpenes found in all plants, around 200 have been identified in cannabis.

Terpenes themselves play a large role when it comes to the scents and flavors associated with cannabis, but as researchers learn more about the effects terpenes have on the body, a strain’s terpene profile is becoming just as important to consumers as a phytocannabinoid profile.

Why are terpenes so difficult to preserve?

Terpenes break down easily when exposed to environmental factors such as oxygen, heat, humidity, and light. Once the cannabis plant is harvested, it’s a race against the clock to preserve its terpene content. This also poses a challenge for cannabis testing labs trying to analyze a sample’s terpene profile. If the sample is not handled carefully, terpenes can break down so quickly that the results are not representative of the larger sample.

How temperature affects terpenes

Terpenes evaporate from the plant in a way that phytocannabinoids like THC and CBD don’t. That means if it gets too warm, either as part of the production process, lab analysis, or during consumption, these terpenes can just disappear. Some terpenes start vaporizing at temperatures as low as 22°C, although most start degrading around 40°C.

This has a real impact not only on the taste and smell of the cannabis product, but also on its effects. Terpenes, especially when combined with each other, can enhance the effects of phytocannabinoids, a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. For example, a common terpene profile thought to promote relaxing, calming experiences includes myrcene, beta-caryophyllene, and linalool—these terpenes are often associated with calming effects. However, if these terpenes decompose or cook off before consumption, lab test results are no longer useful for identifying and quantifying the terpenes.

Usual terpene boiling points

The boiling point of a terpene is the temperature at which it will completely dissolve. This is much higher than the point at which terpenes begin to vaporize, but still slightly lower than where many phytocannabinoids burn off. Here are some boiling points of common terpenes found in cannabis:

Myrcene: Myrcene reaches its boiling point between 166ºC and 168ºC (about 330ºF). Myrcene is one of the most abundant terpenes in cannabis. It is characterized by musky aromas and flavors. Myrcene is also found in plants like eucalyptus, thyme, and hops.

Linalool: Linalool begins to vaporize at 198°C (or 388.4°F). Linalool is also known for its relaxing effects, although it’s typically less abundant than terpenes like myrcene. It is known for its floral scent and is commonly found in lavender.

Pinene: Alpha-pinene reaches its boiling point at 156°C (or about 312°F). Pinene is also found in pine trees and is said to provide an uplifting experience.

Beta-caryophyllene: Beta-caryophyllene reaches its boiling point at a lower level than many other terpenes and begins to vaporize at 119°C (about 246°F). It is a unique terpene as it affects the endocannabinoid system (ECS) much like a phytocannabinoid. Beta-caryophyllene is also found in black pepper and produces a smoky, peppery aroma and spicy flavor.

Limonene: Limonene vaporizes at about 177°C (just over 350°F). As the name suggests, limonene is widely found in citrus fruits. Her taste and aromas are similar to those of a lemon, and the terpenes are believed to provide an energetic boost to the smoking experience.

These boiling points become important to consumers trying to enjoy the terpene content. For example, if your consumer wants to experience limonene terpenes, they may not want to heat their cannabis above 350°F without destroying the overall terpene content.

As consumers become more savvy cannabis shoppers, brands know they are curious about which terpene profiles work best for them. Lab testing can help lift the curtain on which terpenes are present, in what quantities, and in what proportions.

How are terpenes preserved?

Because terpenes are so delicate, great care must be taken to preserve them from the point of harvest. In cannabis flowers, exposure to excess oxygen, heat, humidity, and light can quickly break down terpenes and reduce the overall quality of the cannabis. This means that storage, shipping, testing, and distribution pose a risk to the quality of the terpenes unless the bud is stored under the following conditions:

Flowers should always be kept at temperatures below 70°F after harvest.

Humidity varies, but generally should be between 45% and 65% after harvest.

Containers should be airtight and not allow oxygen ingress.

The containers should be dark or opaque and not transmit ultraviolet (UV) light.

Conservation of terpenes in concentrated extracts

With concentrated extracts, things are more complicated. These products are typically made using solvents like butane or ethanol, and some require heat and pressure to make them. Unfortunately, terpenes are too fragile to survive these extraction processes; However, there are some extraction methods that preserve terpenes.

With terpene-rich extracts, extractors typically reintroduce terpenes into the concentrate after it has been made. To this end, extractors can use low temperatures to isolate and extract terpenes from another cannabis plant (or even another plant that contains terpenes entirely). After extraction, these isolated terpenes can be added back into the concentrate to create a more flavorful product and enhance the expected effects of the cannabinoids.

However, once these terpene-infused extracts are made, the same rules apply to storage. The terpenes added back to the extract can still be easily broken down, so concentrates should also be stored in cool, dark, dry, and airtight containers.

How terpene profiling is done

To perform terpene profiling, cannabis testing labs rely on techniques like gas chromatography (GC). This method helps analysts determine the levels of each target terpene present in the sample by gasifying them and analyzing their relative masses and concentrations.

Terpene profiling demonstrates product quality

In the legal cannabis industry, brands need to differentiate themselves by demonstrating product quality and safety to consumers. This is especially true in emerging markets like New Jersey, where recent cannabis legalization means a surge of new companies entering the space.

While New Jersey does not require terpene profile testing, consumers are increasingly choosing products based on this information. Additionally, as the Garden State’s adult cannabis program comes online, it’s possible that requirements will change to include mandatory terpene profiling. Whether you produce cannabis for the medicinal market or intend to work in the adult market, True Labs for Cannabis conducts detailed tests that identify and quantify terpenes with precision. Contact True Labs to learn more about our terpene profiling services.

“I was dissatisfied with so many different products in terms of curing. Grove Bags just discontinued a product. There are 2 pound pickle bags that have changed the game for us over the last few months and we won’t be healing anything without them.

The goal of the Grove Bag is not just to conserve the terpenes, to conserve flower quality and simply maintain an overall perfect atmosphere at 62 percent humidity. We think we’re doing that pretty well. They make it big for us. I think it took our flower’s nose to a whole new level. ….All about it. It’s just such a sane way to heal.

It is illegal not to carry a photo ID in Turkey. You should carry your passport or residence permit with you at all times. In some busy areas, notably Istanbul, Turkish authorities can stop the public for ID checks. There are also a number of police checkpoints on main roads in Turkey. You should work with control officers.

Smoking is prohibited on public transport and in all indoor workplaces and public places. Smoking is prohibited in some outdoor areas where cultural, artistic, sporting or entertainment activities take place.

Turkey has strict laws against the use, possession or trafficking of illegal drugs. If you are convicted of any of these crimes, you can face a hefty fine or 4 to 24 years in prison.

Possessing, selling and exporting antiques is illegal and punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 12 years and a large fine. Some historical items found in local markets and antique shops can be sold within Turkey but are illegal to export. You should check legal requirements before considering a purchase or returning home with an antique/historic item.

Dress modestly when visiting a mosque or religious shrine to avoid offense.

Do not take photos near military or official installations. Ask permission before photographing people.

Homosexuality is legal in Turkey. However, many parts of Turkey are socially conservative and public displays of affection can attract unwanted attention. Before you travel, check out our LGBT community information and advice page.

It is a criminal offense to insult the Turkish nation or national flag, or to deface or tear money. If you are convicted of any of these crimes, you face a prison sentence of between 6 months and 3 years. You should be aware that the checks carried out by the Turkish authorities, including those that take place at airports, may involve the examination of electronic devices.