Cure Your Medicine by DJ Short

[BlueRhino]

Quality Post...

 

[Surfr]

I love this article. I dug it out just to see it again. I had done this for about 5 years with great success. However, I recently read in High times magazine that it was best to completely trim and manicure the plant before hanging it to dry. Claiming buds are less harsh them ones trimmed after. I didn't really notice but stuck to it because it was nice to be done when they were dry. It does seem a little faster for me too. Of course the trim is less sticky when dry....so...I don't care really about time as much as quality. Seems like some folks disagree with this. I will try a side by side this time and see if i can tell for real. Either way I'm glad you put this up because it means a lot that you agree with it.

Can anyone else comment on this?? I am curious as well...

:character0180:

 

[OGReggieBUSH777]

thank tex just was looking for this info

 

[The Joker]

I trim my buds before because it's half the work. I tried DJ's method leaving the leaves on with some fat buds and got mold. I went back to screens. I think the size of the buds makes a difference. With big buds , you should have a fan moving air around. WIth tiny buds like OG or Bubba Kush the fan will dry them out really fast. Those you have to watch out to make sure they cure slowly. So I think bud density and size is a judgement call.

I tried leaving the leaves on and there was no difference in taste except it took forever to trim.

 

[Islander]

I have some plants hanging now that were cut three days ago. I have a great place in my attic where I hang the entire plants but it just a little too warm during the days right now. The temp gets up to about 84 during the afternoon but settles back to about 65 during the night. Humidity ranges from 25 - 35%. I was planning on leaving them a week and then transferring to the bags where I can keep a close watch on them.

 

[sofakingg]

drying

So its not good to hang the plant in the light ? Does the place have to be totally black ? Ambient light, like when the curtains are drawn, is that ok ?

 

[koolace]

Thanks for the thread, the information is extremly helpful.peace...

 

[TyKaycha]

So its not good to hang the plant in the light ? Does the place have to be totally black ? Ambient light, like when the curtains are drawn, is that ok ?

Preference is total blackness but a little ambient should be ok. You want to avoid direct sunlight.

 

[Dial.A.BuD]

Thanks for this was very good to read taught me a few little tricks much appreciated :)

 

[TheCoolestMan]

I trim my buds before because it's half the work. I tried DJ's method leaving the leaves on with some fat buds and got mold. I went back to screens. I think the size of the buds makes a difference. With big buds , you should have a fan moving air around. WIth tiny buds like OG or Bubba Kush the fan will dry them out really fast. Those you have to watch out to make sure they cure slowly. So I think bud density and size is a judgement call.

I tried leaving the leaves on and there was no difference in taste except it took forever to trim.

This is right indeed! This is what i do when i have both small buds and big buds drying in the same place. I remove fan leaves on big bud. plants but leave them and small bud plants.

Drying will depend on ur conditions, temp and RH control are the key to a perfect curing and drying step.

Im following Simon thread on ic about the perfect cure. I ordered the small RH meters and will try this technique very soon. From the report i read seems like anyone trying this get a better curing than any previous one they did. Here is simon post i qouted.

This method is particularly effective for folks who are starting out, those looking to maximize quality in a shorter period of time, and folks who's like to produce a connoisseur-quality product each and every time with no guesswork involved.

It's a very simple and effective process:

Cut the product, trim it per your preference, but don't dry it until the stems snap. Take it down while the stems still have some flex, but the product feel dry on the outside. This is a perfect opportunity to drop the dry-feeling flowers onto a screen and collect prime-quality kief that would otherwise get lost in the jar.

Jar the product, along with a Caliber III hygrometer. One can be had on Ebay for ~$20. Having tested a number of hygrometers - digital and analog - this model in particular produced consistent, accurate results. Then, watch the readings:

+70% RH - too wet, needs to sit outside the jar to dry for 12-24 hours, depending.

65-70% RH - the product is almost in the cure zone, if you will. It can be slowly brought to optimum RH by opening the lid for 2-4 hours.

60-65% RH - the stems snap, the product feels a bit sticky, and it is curing.

55-60% RH - at this point it can be stored for an extended period without worrying about mold. The product will continue to cure.

Below 55% RH - the RH is too low for the curing process to take place. The product starts to feel brittle. Once you've hit this point, nothing will make it better. Adding mosture won't restart the curing process; it will just make the product wet. If you measure a RH below 55% don't panic. Read below:

Obviously, the product need time to sweat in the jar. As such, accurate readings won't be seen for ~24 hours, assuming the flowers are in the optimal cure zone. If you're curing the product for long-term storage, give the flowers 4-5 days for an accurate reading. If the product is sill very wet, a +70% RH reading will show within hours. If you see the RH rising ~1% per hour, keep a close eye on the product, as it's likely too moist.

Some well-worded and executed How-to using this technique from later in the thread:



HTH,
Simon

I will probably start a thread fro the experience, im harvesting pretty soon... :party0044:

peace :bong2:

 

[Dr. Spaceman]

Great post Tex, awesome info; and major points to the originator, Dj. Short.

What i found to make drying incredibly simple, in the past, was the purchase of a digital dehumidifier. Best part is that it wasn't that very much more expensive than the standard analog de-humidifier with a knob. With one of these beauties you can just plug in the exact humidity you want, I always prefer 45%, and let it rock; add a fan to move some air and your in drying heaven.

Sometimes you run into those winter months, when the humidity drops well bellow the desired level, bur you still need a top notch environment for your cure; so, you can simply plug in a mini humidifier. The humidifier will pump moisture into the air, and the digital de-humidifier regulates the moisture level; perfect conditions achieved!

I also picked up a tip from a magazine, for drying racks. If you have some open floor space and need more room, just buy some tomato cages. Set them upside down on the ground, and you have perfect racks to hang your flowers from. (I personally like to cut the metal stakes off the bottom. Call me over-cautious, but I can just see my clumsy ass tripping over and having one of those spikes impale me... try and explain that shit to the hospital ha ha)

 

[kmk4eva]

very good info tex! so im kinda new to the growing and my partner taught me a goood lesson.he cliped two buds off told me to trim one now and hung dry the other. when both were dry and smoke able the one we hung and trimmed dry was so much tastier and stanker then the one i trimmed wet and let dry. so hanging is the were doing it will have to try the brown paper bag

 

[madhatter201]

Nice Tex. Straight to the point.

 

[tillbert]

good info for all...

 

[FARM THIS]

i dont like the brown bag drying it ruins my smell everytime !!

 

[jonmac]

Yeah Tex ,nice 1there ,most people don't appreciate nice cured weed because you cant buy it on the street unless lucky enough to know s'1, I've not tried the whole bag thing, i just hang them till snap dry,usually 10-14days then place them them loosely in jars,remembering to burp the jars 2'c a day,15mins in the morning & again at night,i think 7-14days of this provides you with a quiality smoke although you can find your ouwn preference. ps.hung for 14days usually ensures no problems with mould.

 

[tortuga1503]

great 411 a good cure is crucial

 

[Bubz]

amazing post Texas thank you very much...makes my life a lot easier been stressing this final process with my brother and now we have a method :mysterymachine:

 

[Buddy Flowers]

thanks Tex. Anyone live at high altitudes and having problems with buds drying too quickly?

 

[goleboy]

Very cool post, and every one should definitely try trimming wet, and then hanging and bagging ect...I also tried leaving the fans on some of the larger colas we had grown and we wended up with mold growing from where the fans laid down against the buds...now we just ALWAYS wet trim, taking e nicest freshest trim and throwing it in the crock pot for some extremely potent budder....mmmmmm funfetti cup cakes!