No time to dry...need to store right after harvest!

[Zaycor]

Hi everyone,

Currently growing 7 auto's (https://www.rollitup.org/t/first-grow-autofems-outdoor.847835/) & I need to harvest by day 78 as I go abroad the next day for over a month. I can't leave them dry out openly in the house because people will come round in my absence. My only 2 options are;

1) Harvest by day 76 regardless & dry them for a couple of days before storing them in a locked suitcase.
2) Harvest on day 78 & immediately store them in a locked suitcase.

What would be the best way to store these goodies i.e. plastic containers, shopping bags, newspapers etc? is there anything I can add to help the herbs?

Thanks people

 

[Flagg420]

A locked freezer, and run the whole batch into QWISO?

The no drying thing, Its the only way I can think to save the THC and not run the problem of mold, funk, or the smell of fresh nugs attracting attention...

If u pull them early, dry em best u can, drop into a big jar w/ a bovida humi-pack so if they sweat, it can absorb it, if they are too dry it can hydrate them, come home to... mostly cured buds (no burps may leave the flavor a lil flatter, dunno, never tried this)

 

[Zaycor]

Thanks buddy, but no idea about QWISO & cant store them in a freezer. Is it worth harvesting a day or two earlier just to dry them openly before putting them away in a jar? they probably won't be optimal by day 78 & thats why was thinking to harvest as late as possible & skip the 1 or 2 days of drying in the open.

How much should be stored in a jar %wise?

 

[furnz]

both 1 and 2 will mold.
Could speed dry in a day or 2 in front of electric heater or similar. Or
Cut them early so you have a week to dry completely out , then put in a paper bag when your gone.

 

[Zaycor]

both 1 and 2 will mold.
Could speed dry in a day or 2 in front of electric heater or similar. Or
Cut them early so you have a week to dry completely out , then put in a paper bag when your gone.

Cheers furnz thats what I was thinking, couple of days in a heated room before storage then hope for the best, unless a better idea turns up. So a paper bag is better than a jar?

 

[furnz]

Yea even after a week drying, you can't just throw in a jar and forget.
Needs to be burped multiple times a day.
So yea paper bag is best bet if you can't jar cure. Shouldn't mold as long as you don't brim the bag full.
Not sure about the bovida packs.

 

[Johnny Vapor]

Gone for a month, even in a paper bag you'll need to open it up and move the buds around a couple of times during that period. You must have someone you know & trust that can do that for you. Give 'em 20% of your harvest. Better than losing the whole thing.

Don't take offense here, but next time figure out when harvest will be and then factor in 3 or 4 weeks of drying / partial curing time. A proper drying or cure is actually one of the more important facets of growing.

 

[churchhaze]

Is it too late? Cardboard box or brown paper bag is the best solution for this. it will come out great. Do not put them in the jars or they will mold, and don't quick dry. It will be fine without jar curing.

 

[machinegreenkelly]

Depending on how big the yield is? I would hallow out a dresser and put an ozone generator inside with your weed... You can staple mesh inside the drawers or remove the paneling entire for more space instead of hanging. Or a mini inline fan with filter and timer if there is such a thing? Got any like minded and trustworthy friends who can store your herb? Hope it all works out for ya man.

 

[reddan1981]

I agree with johnny. After making a similar over look. I fortunately had a chest freezer. So I left my plants to dry out till death completely de leafing, then I chopped and boxed it and left it open in the freezer. After 8 weeks I was released lol. The bud was squashed and ugly. But surprisingly crispy frosty and clean tasting. Note made after investing amongst other things my emotion for the whole period I owe it to my self to correctly dry and cure.

 

[Commander Strax]

water cure??
https://www.rollitup.org/t/greenx-how-tos-how-to-water-cure-w-pics.102641/#post1224061

 

[Ace Yonder]

water cure??
https://www.rollitup.org/t/greenx-how-tos-how-to-water-cure-w-pics.102641/#post1224061

I can vouch for water curing, but it still takes 7 days, which I doubt he'd have time for if he doesn't even have time to dry them. My advice would be, whatever method you choose, store them with Dry Ice. Not only will they be kept cold for a substantial time, inhibiting mold growth, but the dry ice will pull moisture from the buds as it sublimates, so it will actually dry them for you, since dry ice sublimates straight to a gas, skipping it's liquid phase, and thermodynamics means it pulls all available moisture from the air around it during this process. So yeah, if you dry your buds as well as you can, and chuck as much dry ice in with them as you can fit, I think you'll be okay.

 

[churchhaze]

I really hope he chose the paper bag/box method... without the dry ice... (how great would it be if my cardboard box plan was blamed for your CO2 stopping all respiration)

oxygen is needed for the buds to burn sugars and starches... why would you smother it out with CO2!

Who cares if it doesn't get into a jar on time... just dry the damn weed! Put it in a box and fill the box with paper. done.

And what's with the water curing suggestions? So you can't get into a jar on time (which doesn't even really matter), so you want to ruin the whole product? That's insane!

It's all moot point now anyway because this poor fool already went away for a month just to come back to a bunch of ruined autoflower buds. he was doomed from the start.

 

[Zaycor]

Thanks for the suggestions y'all & just so you know I had no option but to grow without curing...next time i'll have the time to do it all properly. In this case Ive read some interesting ideas but I think will probably go the paper bag/box way...sounds like a sensible method & stress free lol

oxygen is needed for the buds to burn sugars and starches... why would you smother it out with CO2!

I would still have to store the box in some kind of suitcase or rucksack...would the buds get enough air if put a few holes, might dry them even slower which might help??

Thanks again & much appreciated amigo's

 

[Ace Yonder]

I really hope he chose the paper bag/box method... without the dry ice... (how great would it be if my cardboard box plan was blamed for your CO2 stopping all respiration)

oxygen is needed for the buds to burn sugars and starches... why would you smother it out with CO2!

Who cares if it doesn't get into a jar on time... just dry the damn weed! Put it in a box and fill the box with paper. done.

And what's with the water curing suggestions? So you can't get into a jar on time (which doesn't even really matter), so you want to ruin the whole product? That's insane!

It's all moot point now anyway because this poor fool already went away for a month just to come back to a bunch of ruined autoflower buds. he was doomed from the start.

Yes... I hope he chooses the option he CAN'T choose because he already stated he doesn't have time to dry it, and also started that it must be in a locked container. But yes. Lets just ignore the parameters stated by the OP, and continue to suggest the standard drying methods that he clearly stated he can't use. If he listens to you and puts his plants straight into a box without drying them and without anything to remove the moisture, he is going to come home to a box full of fuzzy, moldy buds.

 

[churchhaze]

He said he could dry for 2 days. That's plenty enough time for preboxing. It's not like he's putting it into a jar.

Here's an option to reduce the chances of mold in the box, assuming you can keep it from falling over. It's a product called "damprid" (calcium chloride), that absorbs water out of the air.

You can get it at home depot complete with water collectors. The salt absorbs the water and it drips salt water into the bag.

 

[Johnny Vapor]

Here's a story about Boveda packs. Used 'em for the first time a year ago for the outdoor harvest. Normal jar curing method and then put a Boveda in each jar after it got down to the RH I like. Works well. Last years harvest tastes better today than last year.

Anyway, I also had an opportunity last year to middleman a deal. A grower friend just got tired of trimming. Threw a whole bunch of wet trimmed buds in a tote, let 'em dry and just left it. Picked up an amount months later for pennies on the dollar. Looked like shit, but no mold. Dry trimmed them up, put 'em in jars with a Boveda and they actually RAISED the humidty. Made the smoke taste far better as well, Took it down to the only small time dealer I know, a disabled buddy in LA. He sold quarter ozs for $50 & quadrupled his money. I kept the dry trim, enough for several batches of budder.

I don't have a connection with Boveda, just passin' on a suggestion.

Peace out

 

[Dan Drews]

If you dry for a couple of days, then put trimmed buds in a paper bag with a large Boveda 62% (nothing higher) depending on the size of your harvest, then seal in an ice chest or trunk, you might have a chance to open up in a few weeks or months and have mold free buds... but it's definitely a risk. I've seen several posters say they found weed in paper bags months later that they forgot and it was awesome. BUT I doubt anyone stored it in an air tight container which is were your risk lies, you need something that will remove the moisture - hence the Boveda bag.