How I dry/cure my harvest

[Shaded_One]

I can see that appeal. In fact I will probably get some ¼ and ½oz Grove bags for gifting flower to friends.

I'll be grabbing some smaller bags for that exact reason alone :) gives a professional feel to it

 

[BigBlonde]

IMO starving doesn't provide any benefit. I believe the plant gets more benefit from available nutrients than from cannibalizing it's leaves.

For some crops, like tomatoes, stopping fertilizing a few weeks before harvest is done to improve the flavor. Evidently, fertilizer tastes bad and some of it ends up in the fruit. I've heard that some fertilizer ingredients can adversely affect the flavor of weed, too. I think it's either potassium or phosphorus that is unpleasant, but I can't quite recall which at the moment. I was just reading about it and now my brain has gone to sleep.

 

[MercDod]

It was my understanding the burbing was to release the gases released from the chlorophyll.
See attached video at 11:15 mark.
Is this guy wrong or just doing it different?

 

[chuck88]

For some crops, like tomatoes, stopping fertilizing a few weeks before harvest is done to improve the flavor. Evidently, fertilizer tastes bad and some of it ends up in the fruit. I've heard that some fertilizer ingredients can adversely affect the flavor of weed, too. I think it's either potassium or phosphorus that is unpleasant, but I can't quite recall which at the moment. I was just reading about it and now my brain has gone to sleep.

I don't think that is the case.

Whatever nutrients have made their way into the plant are not magically going to disappear in those last two weeks...

A long slow cure is going to affect the flavor the most !

Cheers

 

[chuck88]

It was my understanding the burbing was to release the gases released from the chlorophyll.
See attached video at 11:15 mark.
Is this guy wrong or just doing it different?

Yes to releasing the off gassing And excessive moisture !

Notice he burped down to 51%, much too dry IMO

Cheers

 

[MercDod]

I personally like 58% RH to smoke but store anywhere from 58 - 62%.

 

[growsince79]

I don't think that is the case.

Whatever nutrients have made their way into the plant are not magically going to disappear in those last two weeks...

A long slow cure is going to affect the flavor the most !

Cheers

Then why do the leaves turn yellow. Isn't that the plant using up stored nutes? idk but after growing the first couple hundred plants both ways I decided I like less chlorophyll taste and flushing does speed the break down. If you have less than optimal drying conditions, its even more important to flush.

 

[chuck88]

Then why do the leaves turn yellow. Isn't that the plant using up stored nutes? idk but after growing the first couple hundred plants both ways I decided I like less chlorophyll taste and flushing does speed the break down. If you have less than optimal drying conditions, its even more important to flush.

Leaves turning yellow is the plant using up stored nutrients mostly because they are not being supplied by feeding.

So in the sense there is less "green" there is less chlorophyll to deal with

But that is in the fan leaves which are normally discarded anyway....

Allowing the sugar leaves to also yellow may be inviting bud rot.

I've never quite believed in the natural "fade" before harvest. Instead I believe that is a sign of lack of nutrients.

Cheers

 

[The_word]

So do you need to do anything to mason jars or just make sure you close them properly? Tia

 

[chuck88]

So do you need to do anything to mason jars or just make sure you close them properly? Tia

For long term storage I like to vacuum seal them....

Cheers

 

[Deadstill]

The bags were stored in a tote to keep them in the dark but not airtight. My place only has wood heat so that stove is going from November to the middle of May nonstop. The humidity I would guess never gets much above 40% due to the drying effect of the woodstove. I would guess never gets much above 40% due to the drying effect of the woodstove. The three bags ranged from 45 to 50% according to my cheap hygrometers. Pretty dry. A half gallon mason jar about half full sealed at the same time read 64%. Probably about what it was when I put it in. The bags if heat sealed probably would have fared better if kept in an environment that was a little more humid. The oxidation didn’t look too bad , Probably about the same as the jar. View attachment 1250989View attachment 1250990View attachment 1250991

What about trichomes stuck to the sides of the bag? They were at CannaCon 22 in Denver and even held a seminar. One of the claims was that they don't collect trichomes on the sides of the bags like other containers do.

 

[The_word]

For long term storage I like to vacuum seal them....

Cheers

How do you do that?

 

[Moshmen]

How do you do that?

Food sealer

 

[chuck88]

And one of these....

Oliso Freshkeeper Mason Jar Sealer Attachment for Oliso Vacuum Sealer - Fits Wide Mouth Ball & Kerr Jars Only : Amazon.ca: Home

Oliso Freshkeeper Mason Jar Sealer Attachment for Oliso Vacuum Sealer - Fits Wide Mouth Ball & Kerr Jars Only : Amazon.ca: Home

www.amazon.ca

Cheers

 

[SmokinJo421]

Greetings,

Hopefully some might find this useful !

To start I feed right up to harvest.

IMO starving doesn't provide any benefit. I believe the plant gets more benefit from available nutrients than from cannibalizing it's leaves.

My last watering is three days before chop. Up till the week before they were taking a gallon every two days in 3 gallon fabric pots with ProMix HP.

Harvest is when ALL the white pistils have turned color and receded. AND the trichomes are all at least cloudy/white, some amber is good.

I chop when lights normally come on, no dark period other than regular lights off.

My last crop I wet trimmed on the plant, seemed to be quite a bit faster.

Then I cut off the branches and hang in the dark. Best I could do was 45% RH and 70 degrees. A suggested ideal is 50-60/60.

I had a staggered harvest so I built a frame and threw a tarp over it

And had a 50cfm fan blowing in. Takes six to seven days for the buds to feel "crispy", I never did get the hang of the "snap the branch" thingee..

View attachment 1248209

Cut the buds off the branches and loose fill a food grade container to at least 3/4's full. Anything less is too much air.

OR multiple jars, your choice

Pop in a hygrometer (less than $20 for 5 off Amazon) and check it the next day. Takes a while to get a good reading as the crispy parts will absorb moisture from the bud interiors.

Ideally it won't be over 70. If it is leave the top off the contain for a half hour, three times a day. Much over 70% is mold area and I would either paper bag it or lay it out on newspaper for a while. You will get the hang of this part, no pun intended !

It's handy to have an extra container the same size. Place on top of the original and flip. This is less harsh than fluffing up the buds and gives the bottom of the container access to the burp.

When RH is in the high 60's burp the container twice a day for a couple of minutes until it reaches 58%.

Hopefully this will take at least two weeks.

View attachment 1248208

Then I vacuum seal in 1 L mason jars with a 58%/size 8 Bovida pack.

Some prefer 62% but 58% works best for me to grind for joints or pipe.

The KEY to a good cure is paying attention to the RH !

Gelato auto.

View attachment 1248210

Purple Silverback auto.

View attachment 1248211

Please feel free to add your comments/alternatives to this method.

Cheers

I've done everything damn near spot on & once I jarred it 2/3 or so full
In 24 hrs it has fresh smell & no weed.
I've never experienced this have you?
What would you recommend?
We already have alot in common in our processes

 

[chuck88]

I've done everything damn near spot on & once I jarred it 2/3 or so full
In 24 hrs it has fresh smell & no weed.
I've never experienced this have you?
What would you recommend?
We already have alot in common in our processes

I'm not sure what you mean ?

If you slowly dried/cured over a period of time before placing in a jar it should be ready to smoke but will benefit from more time in a jar.

Cheers

 

[The_word]

I've done everything damn near spot on & once I jarred it 2/3 or so full
In 24 hrs it has fresh smell & no weed.
I've never experienced this have you?
What would you recommend?
We already have alot in common in our processes

Did someone switch your stash out for oregano?

 

[The_word]

Food sealer

But how would this work on a mason jar? Lol

 

[chuck88]

But how would this work on a mason jar? Lol

If you followed my link you would have seen this >

You screw it onto the jar with a lid and the hose attaches to the vacuum port of the machine.

Cheers

 

[MercDod]

Once dried correctly (not over dried) to about 62% rh, place in jar at about 80% volume with a hygrometer. Maintain the rh, keep in the dark at as close to 60F as possible ( I can only maintain 68f) after the curing process which is ;
Burping Schedule, maintain about 62% rh and store in the dark at as close to 60f as possible
Week 1, burp twice a day for 15 - 30 minutes
Week 2 - 3, once per week for 15 - 30 minutes
Remainder once a month for 6 months for 15 - 30 minutes

I personally don't vacuum seal unless shipping in a smellproof bag and I have 7 month old weed that appears the same as when I put in in the jar. But everyone has their own preference.