I harvested exactly how it says to do on this site. However, theres no smell at all. The smell that was so pungent when I harvested is gone and so is the clorophyl smell. I have them in jars right now and am doing what the curing thread says to do. They have been in jars about five days now. At first, I smjelled an ammonia type smell but now its gone too. Is that normal? If so, how long will it take for a smell to be noticed? If not, what did I do wrong? Anyone? I would appreciate any advice that could help me do this right.
How long did the bud dry for? Should be no less than 5 days (depends on bud size/wetness), and not dried too quickly/severely. A short, quicker drying process would lower the quality of the smoke in the end. It is normal for the smell to become lost during drying/before curing. It will come back around when the buds have cured and chemical reactions have taken place. In maybe 2 weeks or so you'll pop open a jar and find that stinky smell again.
I dried them about four days but the bud was dry before the stem cracked. I didnt want to let them dry too much. Am I right that the drier the bud, the less there is to cure? Doesnt moisture have a role in the process? Am I wrong to think that there must be some moisture remaining? I am a little confused. I didn't put a fan in the room at all and dried it in a downstairs closet that was cool. Would a fan have made a difference? I just thought the buds were drying too much but I could be wrong on how that works. I am a complete beginner and would love to get this part down. Five days and no less huh? I will be harvesting my plants this week so I will try that. Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.
So you put into a jar before the stems cracked? That's fine...I mean, I wait until the stems snap a little bit, but there is a ton of debate on the issue. Moisture does have a role in the curing, but mostly in terms of mold and frequency of burping...you'll have to pop open the jars more often/longer with some semi-dried buds versus the bone-dry, stem-snapping buds. Some people find the smoke quality is different if you leave some moisture in the buds when they go into jars. Others find it cures faster if there is less moisture left in the buds. Plenty of opinions to go around, because each experience depends on the bud quality and conditions. As I said, there is a lot of debate...I've seen plenty, anyway. I suggest going with what your gut tells you, after you do some more research. Personally, I've dried until the stems snap in the larger nugs (#of days varies), then put into jars, burping once a day for one week then once a week, or whatever seems necessary. I still haven't gotten a good method down yet though. One thing that everyone seems to agree on for drying is to let it go as long and slow as possible. This means having only adequate ventilation...just a small breeze moving over or under the buds, but not directly on them. The slower the moisture and chemicals are released the smoother your smoke will be in the end...Of course, curing has a large effect on the quality, but drying is important too. Here's a good sticky, if you haven't check it out already: http://forum.grasscity.com/harvesting-processing/424138-simple-harvest-cure-step-step.html personally, I've never used the paper bag method, but I've heard good results. You'll get this down eventually, like after two or three harvests, you'll find what works and what doesn't for your plants/environment.
it was prob the dry and not the cure...temp's and humidity do play a major role and alway's dry in a cool dark place..
Good thread. Dont be to quick to put it in Jars unless you can keep a close eye on it. If there is any moisture in that jar it will jump onto buds and you have problems. Also dont over stack the jars unless you sure that the bud in there is totally dry. You dont want to find what looks like a orange in the middle of you jar 2 weeks later.
Sorry I cant even remember responding to this thread. The orange would of meant, that mold in buds can turn them into a gooey mess like a peeled orange ... Forget about the orange, just keep an eye on mold both when flowering/drying/curing. I still havent got the curing down pat, but Im getting better.