How to Dry Weed Fast [Quickest Ways of Drying]

You’ve been growing your plants for weeks now. It’s finally time to harvest, and you couldn’t be more stoked. But, there’s one little problem. All of your buds are still too moist to smoke! You’ve spent an ample amount of time growing them, and now you want to use them. Don’t worry, we totally get it. Thankfully, there are some quick ways to get your weed dry and ready to use.

If you’ve just finished your harvest and you can’t wait to try your product out, check out the following methods. We’re going to cover each one in-depth and let you know the fastest ways to get your weed ready for use. Each method will have explicit instructions, so you won’t have to second-guess a thing.

Keep in mind, these should only be used when you’re dying to get a taste of what you’ve grown. We’ll cover more on that later, though.

Contents

The Quickest Ways to Dry Your Buds

Method 1: Baking the Buds

Drying your cannabis in the oven is the quickest method to get it to a usable state. A significant drawback, though, is in need. Cannabis buds are wasted when baked. It will reduce the quality and cannabinoid content of cannabis. Now that we’ve established that, we can move on.

How to Dry Weed Fast [Quickest Ways of Drying]

This last-ditch method of drying weed should really only be used for sampling, or if you’re so dry that you’re willing to lose some. Only use a small sampling of your crop, and dry the rest in any other way. Follow the steps below to oven-dry your weed:

Trim your buds to an appropriate size.
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Lay the buds on the parchment paper in a single, thin layer.
Set the oven to 125°F or 50°C
Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven, and let the weed bake for 8 to 10 minutes
Remove the tray from the oven and flip the buds, then place them in the oven for another 5 minutes
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow it to cool completely

What you’re going to get is a mediocre version of what you’ve grown, at best. Again, this should be the last method that you try, but for the sake of transparency, it’s definitely the fastest.

Method 2: Brown Bags and Computer Fans

Brown paper bags are a perfect medium for drying your buds! They’re cheap, you can get them anywhere, and they dry weed excellently. They’re also quick, even without the method that we’re going to talk about! If you grab a small handful of buds and toss them into a paper sack, they’ll dry completely in about a week. If you’re in a hurry though, you can speed the process up.

Rather than letting the buds stay in the bag for a week, you’ll let them start the drying process for 2 to 3 days. This is the halfway point, and where the additional method comes into play. Grab your computer, be it a desktop or a laptop, and locate the cooling fans. They should be easy to find, since they’re pretty noisy, and are situated behind an obvious vent.

The job of the fans in your computer is to cool the electronics. They do so by consistently pushing warm air out of the computer case. It’s rare for this air to be considered hot, by any means. However, it is warm enough to speed up the drying process. After placing your nugs near the fans, they should be finished drying within an hour or so. Check out the detailed steps below:

Trim your buds of leaves and place them in a paper bag; a small handful is an ideal amount
Put the brown paper bag in a cool, dry place for 2 to 3 days
After the waiting period, remove the buds from the paper bag and place them on a paper towel
Locate the cooling fans on your computer
Place the paper towel directly into the airflow created by the cooling fans
Flip the buds every ten minutes
Continue flipping until the buds are completely dry to the touch

How to Dry Weed Fast [Quickest Ways of Drying]

When you dry your weed this way, you’re sacrificing a bit of the flavor, but none of the potency. The cannabinoid levels should remain high, and will give you exactly what you’re looking for. The flavor, however, will be less noticeable. In certain cases, it will actually be somewhat harsh, being noticeable only in the exhale of smoke. If you can live with this, then this is a great way to dry your weed.

Method 3: Sun Dry Your Buds

If you want to dry your weed as they did in the old days, or you’re just looking for a natural method that’s quick, sun drying is a great option. Like the previous method, you’ll need a brown paper bag for this, as well as a warm, sunny day.

Take a handful of your smaller buds and pop them into the brown paper bag. In addition to a bag, you’ll need something to weigh it down. Nothing would be worse than losing a brown paper bag full of weed to a gust of wind. We suggest using a flower pot, a sizable rock, or a chair. Here are the steps you can take to start sun drying your weed at home:

Check the forecast and make sure you have two consecutive days of almost full sun
Put a small handful of buds into a brown paper bag, and fold the top several times to close it
In the morning, place the bag in an area where it will get direct sunlight, and weigh it down
Return in the evening to grab the bag and bring it in for the night
Repeat step 4 the next morning, allowing the bag to get sunlight for an additional day
In the evening, open the bag and check your weed; if it is not dry to the touch, repeat the sun drying process for an additional day

How to Dry Weed Fast [Quickest Ways of Drying]

When you dry your weed this way, you can expect to have a dip in both potency and flavor. Sunlight and heat tend to degrade the quality of cannabis. You can think of it like this – constant sun exposure tends to age people. It does the same thing to your buds. Don’t expect the best weed by using this method, but it will certainly work in a pinch.

Method 4: Drying Buds in the Boiler Room

This method is only going to work if you’re in a private living situation. The majority of private homes are going to have a boiler room where the hot water heater (also known as the boiler) is kept. A water boiler’s only purpose is to create heat to make sure that you have hot water. As such, the room that it’s kept in will be just a bit warmer than the rest of your home. You can use this to your advantage.

In a boiler room, you’re going to find that the temperature is higher than in any other room of the house. Additionally, you’ll tend to notice that it’s not very humid. The only reason your boiler room would have high humidity is if there’s a leak, which should be taken care of. Now, because you have an entire room for drying, you can dry small buds and large buds.

Now, depending on the size of the buds that you’ve got, you’re going to have two methods of drying. One will be for smaller buds, while the other will be for the larger buds, or the colas. Take a look at each method below.

Small Buds

Gather small buds and place them in brown paper bags
Place the bags in the boiler room for 3 to 4 days
Check the buds to see if they are dry to the touch
If buds are still moist, return them to the boiler room for an additional 1 to 2 days

Large Buds

In the boiler room, hang strong twine between the walls
Arrange larger buds and colas on the twine
Allow buds to dry for 6 to 7 days, then check for dryness
If larger buds are still moist, allow them to dry for an additional 1 to 2 days

Surprisingly, this method can be accelerated, as well. If you flip your water boiler to the “on” position rather than the “auto” position, it will continuously heat water. This will lead to a warmer environment, as well as a higher power bill. However, it’ll dry your larger buds in as little as 3 days.

How to Dry Weed Fast [Quickest Ways of Drying]

This method of drying has a lower impact on flavor and potency than the others on this list. However, it will still result in lower quality weed, unfortunately.

Method 5: Hanging Buds to Dry in a Dark Room

This is the longest method on our list, but it’s also the best solution for drying your weed. When you’ve got a fresh harvest, the best way to dry your buds quickly is by hanging them in a dark, dry room. When done properly, dried weed can be accomplished in as little as 7 to 10 days. Now, we know that’s not very fast, but it can be sped up.

First things first, choose the right room. You want it to be big enough to have good airflow. You also want it to have no way for light to enter it. Walk-in closets are great for this, and so are watertight sheds. Be sure to grab a fan, as well. You’re going to need it. Follow the steps below to dry your weed:

Create a way to hang weed in the room, either with a rack or with strings
Hang the weed upside down
Position the fan in a corner of the room, with the airflow running parallel along the wall, this increases air circulation
Leave weed to dry in dark conditions
Check the buds after 7 days
If still moist, allow them to dry for another 2 to 3 days

How to Dry Weed Fast [Quickest Ways of Drying]

This is the slowest method, taking at least a week for your weed to dry. However, the process can be sped up. Rather than promoting air circulation, point the fan at your weed on low. This will speed up the drying process, with large buds finishing in as little as 4 days’ time.

This method, if done over a week’s time, will produce the best weed when compared to the other drying methods listed here. It’s a great way to make the most of your harvest.

Slow Dry vs. Quick Dry: What’s the Best?

When it comes to drying your weed, you probably want it to be done as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, faster isn’t always better. This is especially true when you’re talking about drying your buds. One of the common themes you’ll find is that the faster you dry your weed, the lower the quality is.

If you’re dedicated to preserving the quality of your harvest, you’ll relish the drying process, and let things go slowly. When you do that, you preserve potency in your plants. This means that the flavor will be better, the smoke will be less harsh, and the cannabinoids will be preserved. When it comes to drying your harvest, take your time. It’s taken months to grow your cannabis, what’s another 10 days?