My grow is So Calif and between the temps and the very low humidity it's very easy to over dry.. Even a single day to long on the line can ruin it all.. To keep the wife happy all my work is restricted to the garage so I get to be inventive at times.. If you search long enough you'll come across the 777 of curing .. This being the 7 days @ 70 degrees @ 70% humidity.. Works well if you have a temp and humidity controlled room.. We don't so we use jars to achieve the same ends.. While I started in jars this soon proved impractical trying to unscrew all the jars over and over.. Some trial and error later I worked out a method to limit exposure to our stone dry air and still get things done in a timely way.. I take the plant a branch at a time and trim close while seconds off the living plant.. All the leafs are standing tall and you don't get a better shot at trimming.. Hang.. http://forum.grasscity.com/uploads/m...1393031894.jpg Depending on temp and humidity this stage can take from 24 hours to a week.. just hung bud is dead limp to the touch after 12 hours or so.... When the buds start to stiffen when slightly compressed I remove from the branches.. http://forum.grasscity.com/uploads/m...1393031909.jpg And the buds get placed in cut down paper shopping bags about 3 inches tall.. http://forum.grasscity.com/uploads/m...1393031922.jpg Next I place the bags in a air snug-tight container.. Mostly I use either an Ice Chest or a New unused Trash Can.. I try and size the container to the load.. You don't want 1 bag of buds in a trash can.. While I did use several hygrometers early on for this stage I've since found I can do it all just by feel now.. Leave bags in can till limp to the touch again.. This first day that won't take very long. a couple of hours... Once limp remove from container and set bags out till stiff when compressed slightly.. I'll flip the contents of the bags to a third bag to get the lowest buds up on top.. I'll continue this rotation of the bags into and out of the container gradually spending less and less time exposed.. the last few days the bags will only be out an hour or so.. This takes me about 7 days.. This is where I do use the Hygrometers.. The can is now acting like a large jar.. Your best readings come in the morning after the can has had 12 hours or more to stabilize and will tell you how much exposure your product will need that day.. Combined with a hygrometer telling me what is outside helps.. http://forum.grasscity.com/uploads/m...1381192804.jpg A full can requiring a single meter as well as being able to get the product in and out rapidly made this a much more practical way at least in the extremely dry SW USA.. Once the can has reached 65% and 7 to 10 days have elapsed It gets jarred in Half Gallon mason jars with a 62% Boveda 60 gram and I'm done.. 60 days minimum cure time for me.. Longer is better but you'll have a very respectable smoke in 2 months.. http://forum.grasscity.com/uploads/m...1393296931.jpg Caution this may get you a large container of mold in a less dry area.. Just what I've worked out in my smoking hot and extremely dry garage..
I'm drying in so cal right now and I'm stressing about it. They've been hanging three days and my boveda 62 packs will be delivered today or tomorrow (to add to the drama). They feel like they could dry a little more but I tend to over dry so I just want to get them into the jars with the boveda packs asap within reason... The advice to jar them "when they feel crunchy" is where I lose my way. How crunchy/stiff? just the outside or the core of the nugs too?
u know what i have realized that all the bad reports on certain breeders is not true at all 9 times out 10..the grower never wants to admit that it is his fault and its always easier to blame the breeder..i have never seen a hermie in my whole life,but yet i see on these boards some growers seem to have them ever cycle..its alot easier to blame someone else then it is to say oops i fucked up! i did reefers mighty mite and it was damn good..did great outdoors for my humid climate..if he would offer fem seeds i would be growing more of his stuff..dinafem does a great power kush and i just seen on herbies they are giveing critical sensi star as a freebie..i been wanting to grow serious's kali mist but not got around to it yet..i like delicious seeds alot. i got 4 of their strains in my seed stash..i have grew their marmalate and northern light blue both awesome smokes. ya i let mine do exactly like that..the core moisture will come back thur when u jar it..i take it all the way out the jar for about 10 mins and then put it back up..the curing process is something im still trying to master as well..sometimes u will get it just perfect and then others a bit to dry..
thanks brother for the post! have u ever grew the blueberry headband from emerald triangle seeds? i know u prolly dont do much seed grows since u can get the best clones in the world..just wondering if its really as resistant as they claim with a big yeild