so basically my plot was found and somone was clipping buds off my plants, i had no choice but to take everything i had, mostly premature bud, how can i dry and cure it to make the most of what i have??? dry it longer? leave more leaf and dry it longer? what can i do? any help would be appreciated. thanks
If you chopped thats the most you can do. Hang it and cure it. Its not going to be anything close to the best but it might get you high. Be happy that you got at least that and not the entire plant taken away. Damn thiefs!!
Bud taken early will indeed dry too fast ime. Leaving the leaves on is probably a good idea, just watch out for mold!
Really depends on how early. I assume by a month or so if not 2. May be good for cooking. A long cure or extra slow dry is not going to be the answer as bud ripens on the plant. THe drying and curing phase is for flavor, proper moisture distribution throughout the buds, and converting non-psychoactive compounds into psychoactive compounds. The compounds that are converting are present in the mature ripened buds. Although there may be a small amount of these chemicals in your early picked plants there is no way to increase that. Either dry and cure and smoke as is, or use it for cooking. Next season you need a better spot my friend! I am truly sorry for your losses.
I mostly agree w/ your post but it really depends on just what the op means by premature. The compounds you speak of are at peak concentrations when the plant is ready. As you say, there are a small amount on a younger plant, why not make the most of them by keeping the conversion process active? As I understand it, this conversion process is stopped or retarded when the plant losses so much moisture. Here's where I'm coming from: I had one of my girls fall in to her DWC my last grow and I had to take her early. The calyx's were hardly swollen but still crystally and the buds were airy. There was one branch that I kept putting off any trimming on and I happened to notice the bud from the branch tasted better and was noticeably more potent than the stuff I canned earlier. Really, whether or not that helps you depends how premature your bud is. My bud was smokeable so maybe for some people that would preclude it from being "premature?" In any case, cooking or QWISO seems like a good bet if the bud is unsmokeable.
To the OP: As much as you probably want to catch and hurt this thief, don't do it. The most it will bring is some temporary satisfaction, but the worst it could bring is trouble. If one of you where seriously injured and required medical attention then you need a cover story. I'm sorry for your loss. Maybe try indoor next time. On a just realized side note. If you can afford it, why not try a hunting camera that wraps around a tree to get a picture of the next potential thief. Just remember to walk up behind it and turn it off before you go to your grow space. You don't need to leave your picture in a camera next to your grow spot.