I thought I would post how I cure my buds. After several harvests now I am getting pretty good at it but Im no expert. I have read many threads on how to cure and this is kind of a combination of a few methods but it is makeing some amazing buds for me now so here it is. OK...NUMBER1 thing....1.5 weeks of no fertilizer before harvest day. No water for 3 days if its a soil grow. Organic....well...just chop em I guess. Its been my experience that all the hay smell will go completely away if its cured for 2 months in jars. Has to be dryed slowely. Dry it to fast and all that green is locked into the bud forever. Dry it slower for a smoother taste. Im no expert on growing but getting better each cycle. I like to cut down the colas and hang em on hangers for 2-3 days. Way before the stems get crisp. Then I take em and put em all in a bag for overnight then hang them back up for another day or 2 then check them. At this point I take all the buds from the main stem except the 4 inch top. The key is to remove those thick stems so we arent redistributing all the moisture in the stem back to the bud. Back into a bag for another overnight period then its back out onto screens (because they are now not in big cola form and cannot be hung back up). Each time in the bags they will feel damp in the morning. This is what we want. Continue the process of putting them in bags each night then on the screens in the morning. When they no longer feel moist in the morning at this point its into mason jars that get opened each day for a quick check. If they feel moist then leave the lid off for a hour or 2 then seal em back up. Then check them every 4 days for mold. when you see that they are not going to be moldy and are perfect feeling...smoke a bong hit or two to test then continue cureing for 2 more months checking each week or 2 for mold. You will see the bud turn from bright green to a slight golden color and inside the bud will look different......it will look cured and you will know when its done by the amazing taste and high. And yes...the high will improve with time. Buds are like fruit or veggies. Take down a tomato that is green and it will ripen on your window sill. Buds are similer in that they just get better. More sweet like a ripe bannana does when its ripe. I dunno.....thats just how I see it. OK so give it a try this way and let me know how you did. I know its not feesible for a huge harvest but I do 8 plants at a time this way..... How does this compare to the way you do yours? Give me some pointers and help me improve the way I cure mine. If Im doin something wrong or you have a better way do tell. Its almost harvest time again........thats why I am browsing the forums stoned this morning.....all stupid faced....hehehehehe luv it! Good day all
It would be hard to add anything to that! I have pretty much done the same thing except instead of using bags, I was using rectangle cake containers so that they could be spread out and not piled up. It's a pain in the ass to cure correctly but SO important, especially those first 10 days. I have made the mistake ONCE of jarring too early and got some mold. There's no worse feeling after spending so much time caring for the plants. Also, most of us can't wait 2 months but at least save some for the 2 months just so you can see how better it gets.
One thing to add is how to hang them and where. Well I tried in a big box so its dark and with a draft and that all was good but a pain in the ass. My flower room is 10 x 15 and I have a area above my veg cabnet that is out of direct hps light and does not have a fan directly near it so I just hang them on cloths hangers in the corner near the cealing. It is a constant 77 - 78 degrees in my flower room year around and humidity is controlled with a dehumidifier at 45% so its about perfect. When they go into jars they are in normal 68 - 73 degrees for longer term storage. I also made my own screens from some bridal veil material and wood frames. Let them cure now....2 months is not long. If ya cant wait then grow more next time so your harvested plants last between when you crop. Or do perpetual like I do with 2 -3 plants every 2 -3 weeks coming down. Jetfan
Most, definitely a good post bro, I never thought to put em in bags and hang em back up, thats a great idea to know the levels of moisture. After there is no moisture in the bag "then" put them in the jars. I made that mistake once, but all the other bit was smoked before the mold ever got to it. All was not lost.
So, JetFan, does this cure bring the aroma around to something in the neighborhood of smelling like FEET??? Perhaps we could call it the PEDI-CURE??? Sorry. Just kidding. Good stuff. Nice post, and thanks for sharing.