Drying and Curing Northern Lights Buds

Drying Northern Lights is like babysitting a sleeping dragon. You don’t mess with it too much, but you sure as hell keep an eye on it. First off, chop the plant—whole, if you can. Hang it upside down in a dark room, 60-65°F, 50-55% humidity. That’s the sweet spot. Too dry and you’ll crisp it into hay. Too wet? Mold city. And mold smells like regret.

Some folks trim wet, some dry. I say—depends on your patience. Wet trimming is sticky, messy, and fast. Dry trimming? Slower, cleaner, more control. Northern Lights has these fat, resin-heavy buds that can gum up scissors like peanut butter in a typewriter. So sharpen your blades or bring extras. You’ll need ‘em.

Now—drying takes time. 7 to 10 days, give or take. You’ll know it’s ready when the small stems snap instead of bend. Not the big ones, they lie. Snap test is gospel. And don’t rush it. Rushing ruins everything. Like microwaving a steak. Just... don’t.

Once dry, jar it. Mason jars, glass, airtight. No plastic tubs unless you want your weed tasting like Tupperware. Fill ‘em about ¾ full—leave room to breathe. This is where curing starts. And curing? That’s the magic.

First week—burp the jars. Open them once or twice a day for 10-15 minutes. Let the moisture out, fresh air in. Smell it. If it smells like grass clippings, it’s not done. If it smells like a pine forest had a baby with a skunk in a spice rack—you’re on the right track.

Second week—burp less. Maybe once every couple days. Third week? Once a week. After a month, you’re golden. Two months? You’re in flavor country. Some people cure for six months. Those people have patience I do not possess.

Northern Lights cured right is smooth as jazz and hits like a freight train. Earthy, sweet, a little peppery on the exhale. It’s the kind of bud that makes you forget what you were talking about mid-sentence. Which... what was I saying?

Oh—don’t store it in the light. UV kills THC faster than a cop at a house party. Keep it cool, dark, dry. And for the love of all that is holy, don’t stick a Boveda pack in there until after the first month. Let it cure naturally first. Then you can stabilize it.

One last thing—don’t show off your fresh cure to everyone. People get grabby. And they don’t respect the work. Drying and curing is 50% of the final product. You can grow the best plant on Earth and still screw it up in the jar. So take your time. Treat it like art. Or at least like a good sandwich—worth waiting for.