Ghost Guide: Finishing Cannabis – Flushing, Drying, Trimming and Curing
Cannabis plants typically take anywhere from 10-32 weeks, or about 3-8 months, to grow from seed to harvest. There are many important steps along the way, but one of the most crucial phases for ensuring quality is the last few weeks before harvest and the next few weeks following harvest. During this time, four main processes occur – flushing, curing, trimming, and drying. In this article we will look at each of these 4 processes and explain how they affect the quality of the end product. Ghost Drops ensures that all our micro-cultivator partners grow and finish each plant with care and expertise.
Flushing
Flushing cannabis is a controversial topic among some growers. Some think that the efficacy of flushing is a myth while others think it’s a critical process that creates the best end product for smoking and vaporizing. The logic is that you should stop feeding your plants nutrients a few weeks before harvest, thereby encouraging the plant to use the non-assimilated salts and nutrients remaining in the plant. This is supposed to result in a cleaner, smoother smoke with lighter, white ash. Having too much remaining nutrients in the end product is supposed to result in a harsher smoke and darker ash. It is important to remember that this is just one theory and the validity of these claims are contested by certain growers.
Drying
Once the plant is fully mature and harvested, the drying, trimming, and curing process begins. Drying cannabis properly improves and maintains the flavour and potency of the plant. Drying is just as important as the growing process. Bad drying protocol can ruin even the best batch of cannabis. Drying reduces the water content of the plant which results in a higher quality, smoother smoke. Different growers have different methods of drying but generally hang-drying in a climate-controlled room is preferable.
Trimming
After the plant has been harvested and fully dried, it is time to trim the excess leaf off the buds. Fan leaves, trim leaves surrounding the buds and extraneous material are removed with scissors. What’s left is a well-manicured bud (almost) ready for consumption.
Curing
Curing occurs after flushing, drying, and trimming is complete. Curing is one of the most important aspects of producing premium quality cannabis but is often overlooked by inexperienced growers. You can think about curing cannabis like aging a fine wine. Curing cannabis slowly removes further moisture from the plant under controlled environmental conditions. The curing process encourages the degradation of byproducts such as sugars, chlorophyl and starches – which serve as breeding grounds for mold and mildew. Curing helps to eliminate the byproducts from your cannabis, protecting your plants from bacteria and resulting in a smoother smoke. A low, slow cure can help preserve terpenes and bring out the full flavour profile of the plant. Curing at low temperatures also allows growers to maintain the potency and THC percentage of their finished harvests.
The finishing phase is just as important as all of the time spent growing the plant itself. All of Ghost Drops’ cannabis is grown by skilled craft micro-cultivators using tried and true growth methods and mediums. You can be sure that all of Ghost Drops indoor premium flower products are expertly flushed, dried, trimmed and cured.
