Harvest at the right time. Smells (terpenes) build up throughout the flowering stage. If you harvest too early you will have far lower levels of terpenes, and your buds won't be nearly as fragrant as they would be if they had been allowed to develop to maturity.
High Times says, “Essentially, all the chemicals that make marijuana special break down. Over time, many of the cannabinoids and terpenes found in cannabis slowly break down and lose potency. As the terpenes break down, your bud loses flavor and scent.
Buds Dried Improperly. Buds generally should be slow-dried for at least 3 days (and as much as 7-10 days) after harvest for the best results in potency, smell, and smoothness. Don't cook or dry them under a fan, as that can make buds weak and/or harsh.
The cannabis curing process involves a large variety of lesser-known weed odors; many people report a “grassy” smell during curing when jars are burped, which fades over time as the chlorophyll content of the plant diminishes.
Cure Your Weed to Enhance Aroma
Curing cannabis buds vastly improves their aroma and helps to preserve terpenes. Chemical changes occur in the flowers during this time; the chlorophyll breaks down—removing the grassy flavour—allowing terpenes and other aromatics to dominate when it's time to smoke.
A simple test you can do is to take one of your bigger buds and put it in a small jar or bag. Come back in an hour and if there is any moisture on the inside of the bag or the bud is suddenly damp to the touch, then you know it needs more drying time. If it's just a bit too wet to smoke, it needs another day.
Sniff something with a strong fragrance for a few minutes several times a day, and you'll help your system create new neural pathways for heightened smell sensitivity.
Cure the buds in a dark, cool room for 2 to 4 weeks.
The buds will keep drying and will develop more flavor and aroma.
While buds are forming in the flowering stage, your environment has a huge effect on their smell, taste, and harshness. In the flowering stage, keep humidity around 45-50% once buds start fattening. Keeping the humidity under 50% RH is also the number one thing you can do to prevent bud rot.
This process is called “curing” and is super important, as it can have a big impact on the flavor and potency of your buds. If you smoke your buds while they're too wet, they're more likely to go moldy and lose potency, so it's important to dry your buds out completely after harvesting them.
Examine its appearance
Vibrant greens are often the most prominent, but high-quality cannabis comes in many hues. Expect fiery hair-like “strings” in many strains; these are the remnants of the pistils of a fertile, mature cannabis plant, and indicate that your cannabis was harvested at its peak.
Grow temperature and the effects on cannabis buds
Excessively high grow temperatures also result in light, fluffy cannabis buds. Not everyone can afford grow-room air conditioning, meaning that many serious indoor cannabis growers avoid growing in the hottest part of the year.
Deliver the right type and amount of nutrients
During the flowering stage, use nutrients specifically formulated for budding. At this stage, it's important to raise the levels of potassium and phosphorus.
The signs of bud rot will be much more visible now. Look for greyish brown calyces. The leaves on your buds will become darker, turn purple and dry out. Mushy greyish-brown spots will be visible on your buds.
The two most common reasons weed gets dry beyond its optimal point are overdrying after harvest and inadequate storage.
Often the layer of sugar-like substance is so thick, that the flower looks as if it has a layer of frosting. After a sugar application, the resulting sugar-like crystals are the flower's trichomes, which are believed to double in production after the plant is treated with sugar.
For example, sinus infections, sinus tumors, and neurologic diseases such as multiple sclerosis may be associated with a reduced sense of smell. Smoking leads to increased mucus production, reduced clearance of airway mucus, and damage to olfactory cells in the nose responsible for the appreciation of odors.
Anosmia is the partial or full loss of smell. Anosmia can be a temporary or permanent condition. You can partially or completely lose your sense of smell when the mucus membranes in your nose are irritated or obstructed such as when you have a severe cold or a sinus infection, for example.
For the first time, scientists show that yes, we can, ScienceNOW reports. Our basis of self-smell originates in molecules similar to those animals use to chose mates.
The ideal drying room must be dark, as light can damage the THC in your buds. While it does not hurt to have a light source inside to check on the progress of your buds, you should keep it off most of the time, and block all other passages of light that can enter the room.
Over-curing essentially means over-drying. Properly cured cannabis will still be spongy and sticky, but not wet. Drying your flower too quickly will cause it to become too brittle and harsher to smoke. This can also cause your cannabis to lose some of its potency and aroma.
The best way to check the trichomes on your buds is to use a magnifying glass or a specially designed-trichome viewer. If you see that the trichomes are mostly clear, the plant is not mature enough to harvest. If you see that the trichomes are milky white, the plant is ready to be harvested.
Some people also believe large buds are more flavorful and potent. But the reality is, you can get the same good quality flower when you buy small buds - so you'll save money just because they're less popular. And because the potency is the same, there is no reason to pay the higher price!
In the last two weeks, the buds will mostly be ripening and not really growing much more in size. At this point, the previously white pistils on the buds will now slowly turn amber-brown.