I’m not quite there, but I’m a planner and it’s time to figure out what I’ll need and where to get it (while also figuring out what I want to do different next time and what I need for that). I think I’m good inventory-wise, but the research process raised questions. I saw a convincing video step by step, but wanna confirm with some of the people here, who I’ve come to really trust.
To paraphrase:
1 - Cut down and dry for 7-10 days
2 - Trim
3 - Cure for at least 3 weeks in mason jars - about 1oz per qt jar.
4 - For the 1st 3 days, dump the jars out and dry for 10-60 minutes.
5 - For the rest of the cure, every 2 days, open for a couple minutes.
And now the questions
1 - Does this sound about right? I understand there are variables, but generally?
1 and 2 -I’m going to be using a net-type drying “rack” hanging thing. Do I put whole branches is there? How much should I trim at that point, before going into the rack?
Magarz 4 Layer Drying Rack Net Hanging Collapsible Solar Dehydrator with zipper (black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071D547YW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vUm6zb0G5WZEJ
3 thru 5 - Again…variables, but in general?
I’m asking because I see so many variances in info. I saw a dude drying his crop in a toaster oven. Seems like a really risky and bad idea to me, but hey.
Temperature and humidity for drying is another one I see all over the place. 70*/45% seems the common one for drying.
Nothing common at all about cure temp/hum values.
I am interested in Boveda 2-way humidity packs - 1 in each jar. They claim to keep the humidity from going too high or low. Constant 62%. I have an Integra Boost 55 in my med bag right now and it’s perfect.
Boveda packs are not good for moist buds at all fyi don’t recommend putting them with it till dry lost a whole batch due to it not pulling moisture out great for dry buds though
Before harvest 48 hours darkness, then cut put on your racks in dark room with fan blowing underneath. Since youre using racks youll have to flip over to completely dry. You can do either a dry or wet trim, up to you. Depending on strain curing may take 2-4 weeks. AK47 tastes like azz until about third week of cure. Amnesia haze however was cured in 2 weeks. I burped the jars once daily for 30 minutes & shook the jars to mix in air. This info was provided on forum. Hope it helps & congrats on healthy grow!
You’ll want to burp jars for the first two weeks for at least 15 min twice a day this releases the harmful gases released during the cure from the jars
After second week you can burp them twice a week for the next two weeks try to maintain 55-60 % humidity in jars during the cure
After the forth week you can just seal and leaw the jars in a dark place till ready to use
I actually vacuum seal mine after the forth week
Hope this helps @muffybunny
The most important factor is to control your humidity of the drying zone.
Also remember that you actually move your weed through the humidity zones in a controlled manner. Start with 45 to 55 to dry out the very wet buds. Then after they’re sorta crunchy but the stems dont snap I move to jars.
4x 8g boveda packs at 62% PER half gallon mason jar. Then I place all these in a cardboard dark box.
As people have said the burping of the jars is important and needs to be done. I failed to do this and mold grew on my bud…it isnt a good feeling.
This refers to the humidity level of the bud once in jars to fully cure. After first dry stage and trim.
Here’s my .02 It’s in total agreement the Robert’s blog post @TDubWilly shared above with the addition of slightly more humidity and air circulation.
60-70% humidity, temps under 70°F, circulation fan(s), and hang no less than 2 weeks before even thinking about trimming sugar leaves.
Drying too quickly before curing is THE #1 mistake so many new growers make then kick themselves for. Some may never figure out why their perfect buds taste awful grow after grow.I’ve experienced myself a couple of times with much smaller harvests I used to grow when I started in 2002.
Correctly drying is equally important as growing and curing and way too easy to rush and ruin a harvest doing it wrong.
Having an unfinished basement or large garage is a huge plus.
Growing outdoors in New England is the perfect set up since it’s less humid and slightly cooler than summer at harvest time, Growing directly in fertile ground vs. in pots lends to a more balanced terpene content and buffers any synthetic or chemical taste prevalent in all the indoor grown weed I’ve ever sampled.
New growers put all kind of time and money to produce stellar produce only to fail to exercise the same vigilance and patience with post-mortum processes to end up with smoke that could taste so much better.
One other thing that I will always do before harvest is washing the branches in peroxide. The unforeseen benefit is the dried bud stays green longer and the aroma is heavenly.
Well my growing seems fine, grows well, smells awsum, Frosty, dried slowly in an aired room with a fan and dehumidifier, and then l think it’s either my curing or drying or combination of the 2, where I’m losing alot of the smell and frostyness, the drying I’m hanging on peg hangers for 7 to 10 days or even longer if it needs it and then curing using the burping method, but I’ve recently been put onto the netting method which I’m trying right now, any help is appreciated
Your smell will come back after curing bro. The chloraphyll gets killed off and the plant / hay smell goes away. Then you start getting strong skunk or whatever smell based on strain. I do a cure at least 1 month. Big big difference.
