The HerbsNOW Drying Method
A different approach to drying. Where temperature, time, airflow, moisture removal, and the condition of the flowers all work together.
A Different Approach to Drying
HerbsNOW isn’t traditional slow-and-low drying performed faster. It’s a different drying method built around the complete drying process.
Temperature matters, but temperature alone doesn’t determine the quality of a dry. Time, airflow, moisture removal, and the condition of the flowers throughout the process all play a role.
The HerbsNOW method uses continuous multidirectional airflow and a controlled temperature range to steadily remove moisture from freshly harvested flowers. Rather than trying to maintain moisture throughout a long drying period, the goal is to complete the drying process efficiently, then allow moisture within the dried flowers to redistribute toward equilibrium afterward.
Dry First.
Adjust Moisture Later.
Understanding that difference is important, because a HerbsNOW dry doesn’t always look or feel like a traditional slow-and-low dry while it’s happening.
What Happens During a HerbsNOW Dry
As freshly harvested flowers begin drying in the HerbsNOW Dryer, moisture is removed from the outside first. This means the surface of the flowers may begin to feel dry while moisture still remains inside.
As drying continues, internal moisture continues moving outward and is removed by the constant airflow. During this stage, the outside of the flowers may feel very dry to the touch while the stems are still flexible.
This does not mean your flowers are finished drying.
The HerbsNOW method is designed to continue removing internal moisture until the flowers reach the proper drying endpoint. That’s why surface texture alone shouldn’t be used to decide when to stop the dryer.
Instead, check the stems.
If the stems are still flexible and bend easily, more drying time is needed. When the appropriate stem snaps or breaks rather than bends, the drying endpoint has been reached. The stem does not need to separate completely; it may remain partially attached by plant tissue.
Once drying is complete and the flowers are moved into storage, moisture within the dried flowers begins to redistribute toward equilibrium, becoming more evenly distributed throughout the flowers.
01 — FRESHLY HARVESTED
Flowers enter the dryer with moisture throughout.
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02 — SURFACE DRIES FIRST
The outside begins to feel dry while internal moisture remains.
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03 — CHECK THE STEM
Still bends easily? Keep drying.
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04 — STEM SNAPS/BREAKS
Drying endpoint reached.
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05 — STORE, EQUILIBRATE & CURE
Moisture within the dried flowers redistributes more evenly.
Does the outside feel “crispy”?
A very dry-feeling exterior doesn’t mean the drying process is complete. Check the stem.
Concerned about aroma and terpenes? See the lab results →
Time Is an Estimate. The Stem Is the Endpoint.
The HerbsNOW Dryer comes with a default 96-hour timer because approximately four days is a common drying time for many harvests—but 96 hours is not a finish line.
Flowers vary. Size, density, moisture content, the amount loaded into the dryer, and surrounding conditions can all affect how long drying takes. Smaller or less-dense flowers may progress differently than large, dense flowers, and some harvests may require additional drying time.
That’s why the HerbsNOW method doesn’t rely on the clock alone to determine when drying is complete.
The timer tells you when to check.
The flowers tell you when they’re ready.
As you approach the end of the drying cycle, check the stems rather than judging the flowers by surface texture. If the appropriate stem still bends easily, continue drying. When the stem snaps or breaks rather than bends, the drying endpoint has been reached. The stem does not need to separate completely; it may remain partially attached by plant tissue.
Dense flowers may require additional time beyond the initial 96-hour cycle. That’s normal. Add drying time as needed and continue checking the stems until the drying endpoint is reached.
Time is an estimate.
The stem is the endpoint.
Temperature Is One Part of the Process
Temperature matters when drying freshly harvested flowers, but it isn’t the only factor that matters.
HIGH-70s TO LOW-80s °F
The HerbsNOW operating range
Temperature + Time + Airflow + Moisture Removal
Traditional slow-and-low drying methods are built around maintaining lower temperatures over a longer period of time. HerbsNOW uses a different approach. Rather than evaluating temperature by itself, the HerbsNOW method considers the drying process as a whole—including temperature, time, airflow, moisture removal, and the condition of the flowers as they dry.
Time is also part of the equation because harvested flowers continue undergoing chemical changes while exposed to oxygen. Lower temperatures can slow some reactions, while a longer drying period also means a longer period of oxygen exposure. The HerbsNOW method therefore considers temperature and drying duration together rather than treating temperature as the only variable in the drying process.
This is why comparing the operating temperature of HerbsNOW directly to the temperature used in a traditional slow-and-low environment doesn’t tell the whole story. The two methods aren’t trying to accomplish drying in the same way.
With HerbsNOW, the goal is to remove moisture efficiently within its designed temperature and airflow range, reach the proper drying endpoint, and then allow moisture within the dried flowers to redistribute toward equilibrium during storage.
Temperature matters.
But it works as part of a process, not by itself.
Dry First. Adjust Moisture Later.
One of the most important differences in the HerbsNOW method is what happens during drying and what happens afterward during curing.
The purpose of the drying stage is to remove the excess moisture from freshly harvested flowers. Trying to maintain a particular surface feel during this stage can lead to stopping the process before enough internal moisture has been removed.
With HerbsNOW, the drying process is allowed to reach its proper endpoint first. Once the dried flowers are moved into storage for curing, moisture within the flowers begins to redistribute toward equilibrium, helping the overall moisture level become more even.
Completing the drying process before adjusting final moisture creates a more consistent starting point and reduces the uncertainty of storing flowers with excessive moisture remaining in the interior.
DRY
Remove excess moisture
Follow the drying process to its proper endpoint.
Surface feel alone does not determine completion.
CURE
Allow moisture to redistribute
Move the dried flowers into storage.
Moisture within the dried flowers redistributes toward equilibrium.
This means the way flowers feel immediately after leaving the dryer may not be the way they feel after they have been stored and allowed time for moisture within the dried flowers to redistribute more evenly.
If a spongier final texture or a different moisture level is preferred, moisture can be adjusted after the drying process is complete rather than by stopping the dry early.
What Makes the HerbsNOW Method Different
The HerbsNOW method was designed as a complete drying process rather than a faster version of traditional slow-and-low drying.
The difference isn’t any single temperature, drying time, or feature of the dryer. It’s how the parts of the process work together.
Controlled Temperature
The HerbsNOW Dryer operates within a consistent temperature range designed to work together with continuous airflow throughout the drying process.
Continuous Multidirectional Airflow
Air moves around and through the flowers, allowing moisture to be steadily removed without the need to rotate or repeatedly handle them.
The Flowers Determine the Endpoint
Drying time can vary from one harvest to another. The timer provides a useful starting point, but the stem—not the clock or surface feel—determines the drying endpoint. If the appropriate stem bends, keep drying. When it snaps or breaks rather than bends, drying is complete.
Drying and Curing Have Different Jobs
Drying removes excess moisture. After drying is complete, storage and curing allow moisture within the dried flowers to redistribute toward equilibrium.
DON’T FOLLOW THE SURFACE.
DON’T FOLLOW THE CLOCK.
FOLLOW THE STEM.
What to Remember During Your Dry
Don’t judge the dry by surface feel alone.
The outside of the flowers may feel very dry while moisture still remains inside.
Use time as a guide, not a finish line.
The 96-hour cycle is a common drying time, but every harvest is different.
Check the stems.
If the appropriate stem still bends easily, continue drying. When it snaps or breaks rather than bends, the drying endpoint has been reached. The stem may remain partially attached by plant tissue; it does not need to separate completely.
Let drying and curing do different jobs.
Complete the drying process first. Once the dried flowers are moved into storage, moisture within the flowers can redistribute toward equilibrium and final moisture can be adjusted if needed.
The Results Matter, Too
A drying method shouldn’t be judged by temperature or drying time alone. What matters is how well the drying process preserves the qualities of the flowers being dried.
HerbsNOW has also used independent laboratory testing to evaluate dried flowers rather than relying only on how the process looks or feels while it’s happening.
What the laboratory results do show is that the HerbsNOW-dried sample measured a strong total terpene profile, with 6.29% total terpenes compared with 4.07% in the hang-dried comparison sample.
That single comparison doesn’t establish that HerbsNOW will always produce higher terpene levels. Different flowers, harvests, growing conditions and starting material can all affect laboratory results.
The process may look different from traditional drying. The finished results are what matter.
Learn More About the HerbsNOW Drying Process
If you’d like to explore the research and reasoning behind the method in greater detail, continue with these HerbsNOW resources:
Terpenes and the Drying Process
Learn more about terpenes, temperature, and what happens during drying.
The Goldilocks Drying Zone
Explore the relationship between temperature, moisture removal, and the drying environment.
HerbsNOW Lab Results
View independent laboratory results from HerbsNOW-dried and comparison samples.
HerbsNOW FAQs
Find answers to common questions about drying time, temperature, flower size, storage, and using the HerbsNOW Dryer.
A Different Method. A Simple Goal.
HerbsNOW was designed to make drying more consistent and repeatable without requiring a dedicated drying room or a traditional slow-and-low process.
Dry First. Adjust Moisture Later.
HERBSNOWDRYER
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