So, you bought your basic supplies, grew your own cannabis and learned from my mistakes. Now it’s time for the final step before you get to smoke those beautiful flowers: Curing.

Curing is super, super easy and costs $0. However, it does take up to two months. I know… it’s torture to see those lush green buds in your jar begging you to smoke them. But I promise, it’s worth the wait.

HOW + WHEN

Once Your Buds are Dry

After you have dried your flower, it’s time to put them in big mason jars. I use the old lady kind with the screw-on lid, but you can also use the ones that latch. I like my old lady jars. Then set them somewhere dark with low humidity. My closet happens to be a cement block safe room. So I store mine up in the top of the closet behind some stuff to block the light. Just think: Where would granny store her veggies?

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The First Week

For the first week or so, open the jars for about an hour a day. This helps finish the drying process. You’ll notice a few more crystals forming, and the pungency will increase a little by the end of the week. OK, this is when you can take your first hit. Grab a small nug, and see what you’ve created. Pure bliss! Now leave it alone! You really don’t want to sample your supply to death. Especially before it’s reached it’s potency potential.

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The First Month

You’ll only need to air out your buds every couple days, after that first week. When you open the jar, the smell should really start kicking you in the face — and hopefully the outside of the buds will form that magical crystal crust. At the four-week point, I like to try a joint’s worth of my home grow and dance around and sing a song about “smoking the marijuana.” It’s a purely magical moment.

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The Second (Final!) Month

Continue the process for another four weeks and then smoke away! At eight weeks the buds should be mostly cured. I continue airing out my buds every few days. At the very least, it ensures there’s no moisture buildup to cause mold issues.

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WHY

The biggest benefits of curing cannabis are preservation, smoother smoke and higher potency. As the cannabis cures, the last of the moisture is pulled out, and it can be stored longer. Another benefit is a smoother smoke. As the buds cure, the last of the sugars break down, which reduces the harshness of the smoke. Maybe the most important benefit is the increased potency. Curing your precious flowers properly will help them to finish turning THCA into THC, a process that continues after you hack the plants down. It’s true, this is a magical plant!

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If you’re going to do something, do it right — and do it to the best of your ability. And if you’re going to grow the best cannabis possible, curing a critical step. Yes, it’s a total pain in the ass and a true test of your patience to wait the full eight weeks to cure properly. But you’ll definitely thank yourself the moment the first few puffs of smooth smoke put that Headband around your head. You know what I’m talking about!