I cut down my plant on a Monday and trimmed today, Saturday. Took off the biggest fan leaves but left a few smaller ones. Didn’t hang the plant whole but instead cut off branches and hung them. Humidity levels 35-58%, with an average of 44%. I had an oscillating fan going for a day or two because I’m afraid of mold, but then I read that there shouldn’t be a fan in there so I turned it off. I had my exhaust fan going, was that a mistake?
Anyway, every day, I did the branch snapping test and picked off buds to see if they left strings. To me, the buds felt very dry but branches weren’t snapping and I was still getting strings so I figured it was best to stick to the advice I was given.
Well, I trimmed today and it’s pretty bad. Most of the sugar leaves just crumbled off, and the buds felt very dry. I threw it in a jar with a hygrometer and I’m getting readings of like 50%. Where do you think I went wrong?
Wait a day or 2. Lets see where they come up to. Still wet inside. Will soften up.
Should try to maintain a 60% rh during dry.
And a temp between 60-70 deg f.
Low and slow is the way. 
And agree with @Storm Give them a couple days and see where they settle.
Since posting the numbers have come up a little. I’m hopeful. They feel too dry to me but tbh I’m not sure what it’s supposed to feel like.
What if I have to run a humidifier to achieve 60%? Is it OK for the humidifier to be running in the tent while it dries?
Personally I’d just have the fan on low moving a little bit of air with the exhaust fan only on occasionally for a bit of exchange in your tent.
Your aim is to get a 7 - 10 day dry time.
Give them another day in the jars and see how they come back.
I trim wet and screen my buds so they dry fairly quick but I’ll bag them if I feel they’re drying too fast and let the moisture even out in the bag. If still too wet then I’ll lay them out again for a few hours.
How long do you think it needs to stay sealed up in the jar before I get a true, stable reading
24-48 will do it. Might go up in 12 if very wet inside. I think the drying rh and fan sped up the outer dry. I dont think it got to the heart. We shall see soon. They arent unsmokable by any means. Just wont cure if under 53 or so. Still be just as potent.
So on the off chance that they’re too wet, and I leave it in a sealed jar for 48 hours, that’s not going to potentially create a mold problem
I’ve got Boveda packs and was going to put one in but I’m curious to see how much it comes up overnight
I’m fortunate enough to control my drying environment to perfection effortlessly due to proper environment and equipment.
I don’t believe depending on a branch snap is anywhere near an accurate assumption of dry in a perfect 60% and 60° my buds typically dry and are ready to go and to cure bags within 7 Days of hanging them. Testing this Branch theory has always proven ineffective as it takes approximately another 5 to 7 days before a branch will actually snap. My buds would be Earth dust by then.
In conclusion, I call BS on the branch thingy 
It’s rough. Some were snapping and some weren’t. Some buds popped off, others left strings. I’ve no choice but to grow in a shed unfortunately. I’ve got a humidifier and a dehumidifier, but I’m nonetheless subject to the whims of the weather. The good news is it does seem to be leaching moisture from the inside out. The buds don’t feel quite as crispy and the jars are reading 65% so I actually had to lay the buds out for a little while. Crazy
65% in a jar is beautiful. Just give it some 20 minute burps a couple times a day and that RH will drop down to a perfect 62%, 63%
Personally I don’t like to go below 61% as it gets too dry at 58% to me
If you wait until branches break is too long in my experience. I will usually jar when stems aren’t pliable. Won’t break when bent but won’t sping back either. Jar buds and give some time to equalize, if rh is above 65% I’ll dump them oit for a bit and then jar again.
Had the same experience with the snap test buds were way dry so wont do that again🙃
I did exactly the same my first dry. Now I wait until the branches are stiff an crack a little on the far side away from the nugget then I put in jars. Has worked well. Again I’m only on my 3rd grow tho.
How many days drying and what temperature and what humidity?
Around 7-10 days temp 63f rH 63%. Just what works for me.
Temperature and humidity not bad, maybe a couple days too long, maybe too much airflow in tent,should be moving just ever so slightly, i dont know seems like you did everything right so maybe a couple days to long
Next time try this, chop, take off large leaves,leave some smaller ones to help keep from drying to fast, hang plant or plants whole, get temperature and humidity in tent both at 60, 60 degrees and 60%, have a fan somewhere moving plants just ever so slightly, ever so slightly, no exhaust fan going unless thats absolutely necessary to help maintain that temperature or humidity and start checking after 5 days, wont be ready but start checking anyways, ever so slightly that means when you look at plant hanging you say to yourself okay i think i just saw it move, when curing, cure for a minimum of 15 days preferably 3 or 4 weeks, thats when i start giving mine away(wink, wink)