i chop the bud from the plant, but i leave a couple of inches of stem on it still... than i trim all leaves as close to the bud as possible.. spring loaded scissors are the only way to go for this step... after bud looks all pretty, i take the stem that i left on it and use this to hang it in a dark environment.. i grow in a closet and since i was done growing, i used this space to dry in as well... you want the least amount of humidity that you can get.. hang the buds in the nice cool dark place.. let them hang till the stem no longer just bends when you bend it, but rather snaps now.. this will tell you that alot of the moisture has left your buds... once the stems snap, take them down, and put them in glass jars with a lid that will seal... put them in the jars, but be sure to open them a couple times a day for a few minutes to let the moist air out and dry air in.. this is important as if you don't burp the jars the buds can and will mold on you.. after a week or so of burping, you can just leave them in the jars forever and not have to open them any longer to burp... in all honesty, you can smoke the buds once they are done with the hanging and the stems snap.. the curing in the jars only enhances the flavors and reduces harshness..