Appreciate it! What if my bottom sites are finishing faster because they had supplemental lighting and the top didn't? I added a CFL to the top and my main light is an LED. Should I pick those sites if they end up finishing quicker, which they're on track to, or should I let them go til the whole thing is done? Will it affect my main sites? I'm coming up on 5 weeks, the smaller sites have more than a few pistils turning and were quicker to form calyx. Also does the bud only produce in areas the light are hitting it? Therefore, if my supplemental CFL is only hitting one side at any given point, will only that side of the bud be producing more? Maybe adjusting both CFL's to the main site would be an option, but if those bottom sites are superior, I want them to continue to get what made them that way. I also don't want to affect the plant in it's final stages.
Thank you Biz. I usually use Rumples posts as a general guideline and have had good success. I am an attic grower...so temps get high in the summer. I am in the last week of this current grow and will be harvesting 3 Afghan Kush Special plants. I grow in FFOF and use GH with a 600w HPS and a 225w LED Super UFO hung over one plant (for experiment). In my 4th year and have gone through all the growing pains (pun intended). Last harvest, I hung one plant in tact and after 5 days needed to trim the biggest leaves as they were preventing the buds underneath to properly dry with the rest of the plant. I knew this worked better but wasn't sure why. Your explanation did answer some of my questions and I plan on drying all 3 untrimmed. One question: What benefit is there in leaving the roots on vs. chopping at the base?
I'm working on my first plant, and she looks to be about ready. I was just going by what the seed bank recommended for flower time, but after looking over her this morning I realized she looks to be about done now. I found this method of drying/curing, and it sounds pretty good to me. I grew with organic soil and can just leave the plant in the grow area, so is it really as simple as stopping the watering and shutting off the lights? Or would it be better if I tried to uproot it? I can easily tie up the plant for support, so I wouldn't have to flip it over.
It would be best to turn the lights off and keep the air movement which will help prevent mold...I actually had been drying whole plant wise for a much slower dry a while ago (when this forum 1st started) & man the difference is crazy!
Great read OP, I been doing dry trim and slow drying for a while now, and I have kept with it because of the amazing results. I literally can take some bud that I just trimmed up after it's dried and smoke it with someone, they would have no idea whatsoever that it has had NO cure so far. Whenever I used to trim immediately, it would be a long time until the grassy smell went away. I recently had to change my harvest method for security reasons, can't do a long dry since I have a visiting nurse for a while, but I couldn't smoke the dry buds I have now, there's no way they would taste good. Whereas when I dry trim I can smoke it right after it's trimmed.
Thanks for the info, man. I think this round I'm going to do half your method and half Rumple's. I read this today, and I was going to harvest(chop) this weekend, but to save myself some time I emptied my bubble buckets today and turned the light out and took it off the timer. I'm still going to cut and hang this weekend, but I'm hoping that having it dry in the buckets first will speed up the drying process and add a few of the other benefits that this method comes with. My RH is in the 40's with temps n the 80's right now, do you think drying in the buckets will work well in this environment? Thanks again!
Are the buds supposed to be super spongy, like super squishy? I checked my girls today and one plant has super squishy buds where they were super dense when the light was on and there was water in the buckets. I taller plant isn't really squishy at all. Don't wanna kill my ladies' with mold so close to the end. Please help.
Think I'm gonna give your ideas a run. I'll lyk how it turns out. Thanks for posting this man! Great ideas all laid out lol. -Waldo NewLifeCannabis "The best teacher is experience and not through someone's distorted point of view." - Jack Kerouac Everything seen here is taken from sources online and in No WAY is this real at all. These posts are purely for entertainment value only and hold NO truth.
As they are drying? This is normal and they will harden as they dry. They will start to lose a lot of weight and size while drying. Its all water. If your rh is acceptable and you have good air flow you should be fine. If you think you're seeing mold the just take a peak inside the largest flower. Visual inspections can do wonders, and there is also the sniff test of course since you can smell mold. Hoping I am answering the question correctly.
Thanks man. I don't think its moldy. It kinda smells like collard greens in my tent but I usually don't equate soul food to mold. Just wanted to make sure I'm doing the right. I didn't chop and hang the whole plant, I just left them in empty buckets. Gonna finish off using Rumples method Sent from my Nexus 4 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Everything will catch up trough a slow plant senescene; that is why whole plant drying is wonderful. Its normal while it is growing for pistals to die and recede into the calyx while new ones grow I usually trim off the lower 1/4 of the plant and keep only a handful of cola sites. Denser buds this way. Don't trim large fans; they collect any energy the plant can use (light). Trimming bud sites or any pruning will stress or the plant so its best not to do it past 4 weeks into flower IMO Buds will grow everywhere there is a bud site but the ones under the light or closer to the light will receive more lumens, thus will be denser and larger. I used his a few times also but my only issue was every once in a while my temp would get to hot and I would diminish the quality but I noticed when this happened with a whole plant dry it had more of a resistance to over drying the outer layer of the cells. :eaving the roots just gives one less path for moisture that the cells want to escape. Even one little cut will evaporate water. Cutting the stalk does even more so. Trimming the whole plant is the fastest way to lose the cells outer moisture or dry unevenly and needing a lengthy cure. Just to ramble off topic; did you know that the reason people like boiling the roots at harvest or uprooting the plant and claim to have higher quality or more said thc? This is only because the plant is alive while you are letting it know its time is up and if she has anything left in her pockets then to give it up :lol: Usually you get a little more of a push to try to catch any pollen, and what catches pollen? Resin. All this is is using mother nature to stimulate what you want the plant to do and at harvest it is die Slower is better with drying. Its easier for a novice to maintain a even dry while doing it slower. Timing is everything and if you learn your preferred harvest times you can rush senescene by stopping your waterings. Remember, when in doubt, wait a week. If you want it to dry faster then uproot it. Solely up to you the grower, or your patience preferred method.
They will start to smell funny as they create ethanol through the ripening and senescene. This will go away as they dry
I love hearing how whole plant drying is working great for everyone. It lets internet researchers see that this method is proven to work.
I've been told by the breeder of the strain I'm growing that drying them whole is the best way. This thread has helped me lots. Can't wait til harvest day now Keep up the good work. Check out my auto grow http://forum.grasscity.com/absolute-beginners/1306901-blazemans-indoor-auto-grow.html?forceDownload=1&_k=fa013142b86a0423f9885328145d7fcc
Bumping for the best way to harvest. Doing the damn thing over here! Seeing some posts about losing flavor. This dry method will help with that.
Just started my T.D. Don't harvest too soon. Five weeks seems early from the pics. Seems like high calmag Using calmag additive? It shows, and is not vital to a successful garden. They look fine otherwise. Kudos.