After cutting down marijuana plants at harvest, a proper dry and cure are crucial for buds. These processes help preserve and accentuate flavors by retaining terpenes and cannabinoids, while diminishing chlorophyll and getting rid of the vegetal taste of the plant.
The drying process is the initial drying of buds, which usually happens in the open air—freshly harvested plants can lose up to 75% of their weight to moisture loss, as well as sticks, stems, branches, and leaves that get trimmed off.
When dry trimming, drying happens first and then buds are trimmed; in wet trimming, vice versa.
A dry shouldn’t be too quick or too long: Too quick and the outside of buds will appear dry but the insides won’t be; too long and buds could develop mold.