Hello I have some questions about the drying and curing process that I hope someone can answer. Me and 2 other close friends decided to grow a few plants together we have minimal to no experience on growing but we have already started and put a lot of research into making sure they grow healthy and the basics to it. As of right now the plants look healthy. I was doing some researching on drying and curing and my mind was blown i had no idea how important and delicate of a process it was. We want to have a successful harvest and I want to know what exactly would we need to ensure that. Also wondering if there are any tips on how to set up it would be really appreciated.
dark room with a dehumidifier and fan. hang bud, and set the dehumidifier to 60 for the first day or two then 55 then 50. once at 50 and not emptying ur dehumidifier check to see if the stem snaps, once they do they are ready for trim.
======================================================= 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.. =========================================================== Cut and pasted as I get tired of typing it out, BNW
i dry like that to make it easier to trim and skip the paper bag process. just throw em in a jar with a humidity pack
Do not put them in a room with a dehumidifier, I repeat do not put them in a room with a dehumidifier until you know what dried bud looks like and even so I would not use a dehumidifier. I tried using one once after I already knew what I was doing, those buds dried up within 6-7 days, that is not good. I find in an ideal enviroment ~2 weeks is about the right time, some take less time but 10-14 days should be where you want it to prevent it from drying to fast and greatly affecting the taste and smoke. I've never sweated buds in paperbags, don't really know to many that do anymore. I follow the K.I.S.S method to everything I do so if you like complicated don't ask my advise lol. I do like the boveda packs in jars though. At the end of the day you'll read 100 different ways of doing every step of the grow process and see very knowledgable folks argue methods, find 1 method that works for you and perfect it before trying a bunch of new methods.
I can share with u what i do. Grojak id right there are a 100 different ways depending who u ask. I will share what i do. I have a separate dry/cure dark room thats ducted with intake and exhaust. My rh starts at 35 until i put in product which brings it up to low 50s usually. Temps range from 50s to 60s depending on year. I prefer cooler personally. Anyways i hang till bud feels dry and stems snap not bend but mostly dry buds to touch. Then i mason jar batch. I have a temp / humidity jar meter. U can get one for every jar if your super worried but i dont. I just bounce a couple around. Your goal is to get rh low. Personally i prefer 59 but some say 55. 55 to me feels a bit to dry but whatever. It will start at like 66. If it goes to 70 dump jar out for a few ours and then back into jar. Once rh starts to drop just burp jars. At first i burp a couple times a day then less and less till rh is on a steady drop. Its hard to explain but honestly just watch for to much rh, u dont want mold. If inside of jar gets a damp look then dump out jar for a few hours or overnight and then back to jar. Ive found this is not hard man. Just dont rush it and it will be fine. I will add that sometimes depending on where u hang dry it could take longer to be ready for jars..the dry room i use makes this step a bit faster but if it takes longer just let it hang then . btw wet trim if u can, its alot easier and less damage to plant in my opinion. Lastly if u have the time yet on your grow you could cut a Little and do a test run. Dry a little, then jar it just to gain some experience and develop your own way, then when main batch is done you will have that knowledge Sent from my LG-K373 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Only use a dehumidifier if you live in a humid area. Midwest summers, Hawaii, and southern states. All very humid. Brassnwood has it down for hot and dry climates. Ideal is as he said, 7/7/7. 7 days at 70° with 70% humidity. That's 70° Fahrenheit. But in reality, who has a dedicated climate controlled room? That's for drying Then you put the buds in a jar and burp until they are dried to your liking. After that keep the jars sealed and in a dark cool area for a few weeks. Now your bud is ready to smoke.
Everything you want to know about drying and curing can be found here: www.growweedeasy.com. If you follow it you will have properly cured buds. Good luck.