Some growers point out that a few buds are easily dried by placing them in a loosely folded brown paper bag at room temperature. Larger amounts are hung or placed on trays in a dark area such as a closet. The buds need some air circulation and have a relatively high humidity, so that they dry fairly slowly. It is reported that bud dried for 2-5 days smokes much smoother than it does when it is dried quickly. The reason is that after picking the buds are still alive and some of the chlorophyll and starch is used by the dying cells.
Some growers use a microwave or oven to dry the buds. Microwaves do not hurt the THC, but marijuana dried this way has a harsh taste as compared to the slow dried. Growers microwave by placing a wet bud in the oven for 30 second periods until it is smokeable. After seeing how long the sample takes to dry, the grower sets the timer for a minute less than the total time used on the sample so the grass does not get crispy.
Oven drying is riskier. If the temperature is too warm, the THC evaporates and is totally lost, so the oven is kept at a low temperature, and should not go above 150 degrees. Hemp kept in the oven too long comes out crisp and stale.
Electric dehydrators are safe to use, but once again, the hemp is dried very quickly and has a harsher, green taste, than when it is dried over a longer period of time. Cannabis connoisseurs do not recommend solar dehydrators. Sunlight reduces the potency of drying buds.
