Curing, a myth perpetuated by bad growers

[garlictrain]

That hurts a Lil? Marijuana growing is an art.

Back to the drawing board.

Don't let that get you down oracle!
Let it be known that out of those 14 samples, the 5th place holder (bbk) was literally chopped 5 days before the gathering. Very little time on the line (2-3days here in CO) then trimmed and burped out in large rubbermaids (for a day or two).
It was fresh, semi-flash dryed even by Co standards and yet still folks felt it was better than 9 other entries tried.

From personal experience the best grown flowers need little to no LTS beyond the 10-14 day drying and "wicking" process (ikik introducing another "curing" term!)

An interesting curing perspective comes from R Clarke's Hashish... talking about how many of the first waves of hippy trail hashish making it's way west had been buried and sat on for years as much of the hash producing regions had no current outlet for their wares. The process had evolved into pressing and storing for extended amounts of time underground, giving each brick a distinct aroma and patina. Did they do this because it became better over time or because a brick in the ground is $$ in the bank?

Another perspective from personal experience comparing the drying process of commercial between coastal mendo california and dry arid CO.

Mendo: 15 miles from the coast, Ghouses/outdoor, chopped nd hung in multiple cabins and yurts, running heaters, dehueys. 60% moisture dissipation over 48hrs then bucked off stem into 30 gal rubbermaids filled 3/4 full, with box fans resting on bins blowing directly or indirectly on the flowers depending on how far along. Market ready within 10 days of chop.

CO: front range, swestern co, indoor,ghouse,outdoor. chopped hung, add humidfier to keep rh above 45%, try to keep slow drying for at least 5 days. Not unheard of to see machine trimmed flowers flash dried in 2 days with no added moisture. If you can't hang for that long let stuff stay on the stem but use a lrg rubbermaid to wick moisture from the stems into the flowers.

I wish I had known 10yrs ago that grow skills and genetics are paramount over whether you use glass or plastic or cure or slow dry etc.

 

[homebrew420]

@oracle3301 I dont believe it is not an art. One can give replicas of replicas with a formula. Not really art as I see it in the greater scheme of thing.
I know what good great and extraordinary flowers are. I havveseen smomesmoked and grown soooo many at this point. And I felt as I was moving through the trials and errors I was mislead by plenty of people telling me I did great. When I did ok. Thats no helpful to me. Brutal honesty was the way I learn best.

 

[oracle3301]

@homebrew420 exactly my thought. We suger coat quality and enjoyment just so we don't have to feel anxiety telling someone their hard work is sub par, but we should be honest with each other so we can grow. I was glad to hear you critique the strain I grew. I find this very motivating and now realize that using super coco is not good enough anymore I want to be better and to give a better product to the people I share with. The only way to survive in this industry is to be the best.

Also at the potober fest their was a plant that had been cured long term over 6 months this is my favorite strain and I have grown this plant many times and have always smoked all of it before i could do a long term cure, I realized I prefer it fresh after having a long term cured product it lost the fresh dank smell it had, it was almost like having frost bite on food after long term storage it lost pungent oder, distinct flavor and smoothness. This is just my personal opinion but I think you are onto something with the no cure.

For the record I dry slow for 6-8 days then jar up for a week this is all the cure I need. I am still not sure if this even a cure it's more of a slow dry with a delicate finish.

Thanks homebrew for being different and honest.

@garlictrain I was not down just more motivated to be a better grower.

 

[mofucka]

okay so I'm sure some one has said something along these lines, idk where, I'm not ganna look for it!

I'm just ganna list my what I've done and tryed. To find the best time to smoke and maybe sell
fresh picked bud right off the plant on harvest day:
takes for ever to get burning. And starts to get a humid taste after a few hits.
smells wet

after three days:
pretty close to same smoke and burn as fresh picked smells wet

6-7days of drying:
starting to smell a bit better
the bowl burns more even and is easier to get burning
smooth smoke all the way till the last couple of hits

after jarring for a couple days. Burping and setting out:
buds are again alittle wet on the out side. And smell alittle wet again needs to be cryed a bit more
smoke is still alittle harsh but over all alittle better.

after jarring for a week plus:
most the unwanted moisture has pulled out of the buds. Smell is more desierable
smoke is smoother. And didn't burn your tongue and mouth
burns more even


I think though its mostly up to you and what works better for you.

if you can hang your shit that long and do a nice slow dry while maintaining proper inviorment then by all means.

if you like me and your drying room isn't perfect conditions. And can't really hate your plants up for that long
then jar your shot after its dryed a little


to most important thing is.. Are you happy with the end result??
if so then a pat on the back and a good job to you my friend
keep doing what your doing

if your not happy then try some new shit. experiment.
no one can tell you what is ganna best for you..
take advise
listen and learn

 

[resinousflowers420]

bud definitely improves with a good cure,a 2 week cure makes a difference.but also a slow dry is better than a quick dry.a slower dry will help to retain the dank smell.curing will help to bring out smells and flavours that wernt there before.

 

[sadpanda]

Vaping fresh weed is delightful.

 

[Ace Yonder]

I don't jar my flowers any longer than it takes to make them vanish.
A cure has always meant a month or more some claim. No?. I just cant agree on any level

I should have been more specific on the title and put the explanation of what I really meant to say. The title draws you in. The thread moves along or it doesnt.

So pose this, if the herb in question was of high quality, clean etc. would you as a grower, smoker, and fellow human beings, and dicks, use the term "cure" if stored a week in a jar?

To you, mostly, I must have a different definition.
and too be clear I live in CO an extremely arid state.

This issue that bothered be with curing idea that was already, I think, agreed upon. That being, a cure is not going to make mediocre flowers into anything more than mediocre flowers. It seems to me in many experiences, many people way over think the entire process.

Have a good day gents
peace

Thinking that curing will make shitty flowers suddenly great is like thinking that aging will make two buck chuck will suddenly taste like a top notch pinot noir. But that doesn't make curing, or aging, invalid. Curing is also something that is easy to do wrong, leading to people calling OLD weed CURED weed when there is a huge difference. I think the problem is that you are seeing a lot of people claiming a cure is some sort of miracle, and that it changes the character of the smoke more than any other single variable. And you are clearly experienced enough to know that that's not true. But just because it doesn't live up the the most wildly extreme claims, doesn't mean that it has no merit. As I said, the only evidence you need is already in front of you, namely the fact that you see an improvement after a 12 day dry over a 1 day dry. If curing weren't a thing, then it wouldn't matter at ALL how fast you dry it. It would taste and smoke the exact same if you threw it in the oven for a couple hours or if you dried it over a month. But you, and I, know that's not true, and that, for the most part, the longer the dry the better the smoke, and that is because you have the luxury of controlling your environment to such a degree that you can cure during your initial dry without needing further processing and climate controlling via jars or tubs. I think you have gotten hung up on a specific definition of curing that I feel is exceptionally inaccurate, I don't think that it's only "Curing" if it is stored for a month+, because the term doesn't correspond to a specific time period, just a process. It doesn't matter if it's stored in a jar, or hung on a line, and it doesn't matter if it is done for a week or for a year, if the internal process of chlorophyll and starch metabolization is taking place then curing is taking place. So if it was stored in a jar for a week at a maintained RH of 60% (Having never dipped below 55% while drying), then yes I would say it has been cured for one week. If it was stored in a jar for a week at an RH of 40%, after having been fully dried, then I would say no, it is NOT cured, it is just a week old. I would also like to add that certain people love the taste of chlorophyll, as it can become an acquired taste that can be rather pleasant and minty, and if you are one of those people than a cure will never seem to make weed better because it will remove something you have become accustomed to.

 

[skunkd0c]

certain people love the taste of chlorophyll, as it can become an acquired taste that can be rather pleasant and minty,.

i guess its possible, but i doubt there are many folk who really like that green taste
they just do not know any better

the green taste mainly comes from weed that is dried too fast and all the little dark green leaves left on the bud
if the weed is dried slowly and all the little leaves removed there will be no green taste before the cure
although some plants/phenos are pretty tasteless to start with, no drying process or curing will help with that

peace

 

[homebrew420]

@oracle3301 this too has been my experience.
For the record I broke out some flowers I have had in srotage a long while, Feb harvest, and proceeded to roll a few. Overall I was not disappointed, given what to expect. I probably would have never opened until I needed the jar again if it wasnt for the thread here.
All this negative energy had me questioning myslef. Haha not really.

Glad tobsee that most at this point in the thread have at least mostly understand what i am saying here. Which NOT if you cure you are a bad grower. I dont believe that to be the case at all.

Peace folks have a wonderful day

 

[Cannasutraorganics]

Vaping fresh weed is delightful.

We take new buds off plant, splay them open in a pipe and hit with a torch. Only the tricoms vapor off and the green weed smoldered a little. Basically a vape hit.

 

[Cannasutraorganics]

decarboxilation? also occurs upon ignition.

Only partly. It destroys some of it without getting to use it...

 

[Cannasutraorganics]

I've had @homebrew420 's, and I can tell you that many more people buy his pot than yours for some very good reasons:

Try his and it will be an unforgettably potent, flavorful, aromatic and enjoyable experience. I can honestly say that about everything he's ever given me.

Then again, some people still try to do production with Subcool gear, too. There's always somebody...

And about the two month cure? We do it in a week or less and people rave over how smooth it is. It's just technique, not time.

It's the people you sell to that don't know the difference so they don't know how it's supposed to be. Just saying. Your from an area where it's still not legal I bet. Lol

 

[Cannasutraorganics]

I honestly don't know the long end of all this. The OP has a point, but the way OP said it comes across as quite aggressive.

After growing for 15+ years outdoor and a couple indoor, my 'curing' techniques have changed slightly. However, what I can state from experience is that a proper dry, followed by a good long 'cure' is that taste is much smoother... specifically, the 'taste' quality is consistent throughout a single ounce, or a few dozen pounds.

I like consistency in my smoothness. That's why I 'cure', and that's why I've adapted my curing techniques to new things I've learned over the years.

If anything else, curing creates consistency. Nobody can doubt that fact.

-spek

That's why I cure in 2 to 10 gallon jars. Getting my porcelain curing jars made this winter. 2 to 4 pounds per jar. Can stack 5 tall. I'm all about long cures. Unless you've smoked 6 month to 2 year cured and stored correctly weed, you have no idea. Guys making a mint selling long cured weed.

 

[ttystikk]

It's he people you sell to that don't know the difference so they don't know how it's supposed to be. Just saying. Your from an area where it's still not legal I bet. Lol

We live in Colorado.

 

[Cannasutraorganics]

We live in Colorado.

Even worse. Lol. Dry to fast there. If organic your fine with dry and jar. Long cures will get it better. But if you over dry first, a curs won't fix it. It's the slow dry but not too dry. Then a few weeks curing and burping. This whole time chemical reactions are going on and the left over nutes are getting used up. If you over dry you stop this and it leaves it scratchy and bad. Nothing you can do to fix that. My pipe shows all the bad first. Then if that's all good then it allows you to taste more flavors in the weed. Complexity you can't get in a bong. Many come over with what they thought was clean smoking weed. Then the pipe shows the truth. I smoke mine right off the plant. Smoke it after a few days dried. And to most it's great. But when they try a cured batch they can't believe the difference. Tastes and smells that were hidden come out. Like aging a good wine. My pipe is like letting a bottle of good wine air out for an hour. More and better flavor.

 

[Dr.Amber Trichome]

yeah my fresh herb always better then my bud cured more then 2 months. totally agree. I tend to keep strains curing for over a year and they just don't pack that same initial punch as the first 2 mnths.

 

[Cannasutraorganics]

So can we all ahree that this "cured" weed is not great after a month? How about 2?
if the answer is yes....then what is the point of a cure? Proper storage is more important it would seem.
anyone use Nitrogen as a storage gas? We may try that at the store and see if it helps or hinders flavor.

Being done at many clubs. Locks it where it's at for a very long time.... Smell, flavor and taste. And tricoms don't progress further with no oxygen.

 

[Cannasutraorganics]

I am now a preachy dick. Haha maybe the title was a bit harsh.
look I just came from a home growers cup in denver. Not an ass load of people, 14 samples. All claiming to have a one month, 2 month cure. As if the cure was something to be proud of. There was so little to be proud of..period.
now this is a singular most recent experience with poorly grown and cared for.
what I find funny here is how personal people take this.
@mojoganjaman I of course have tried curing. It is not the curing and storing process that makes your herb as good as it is. And you are really going to try and have us believe your year old flowers are better than fresh properly dried flowers. I dont believe a word of it. Are you vac sealing or nitrogen sealing the flowers? Maybe. That is a mute point if the case.

The cure everyone keeps refereing to, seems so wishy washy.

If your weed got better, after being properly dried to 55-60% moisture content, you did something really wrong. This is from experience, plenty of amateur grows the first year or so. As we ell as plenty of amateur grower friends for the first few years.

In all honesty I knew this would stir some shit. What I am not surprised about is the lack of info people have about what is really going on in a jar. Deterioration of fine cannabis. If you have done a not so great job of growing, sometimes the "cure " hides this fact a tad. It is still not great/good flowers. And I really dont care how many people who have not experienced great flowers decide to chime in and be offended because they cant remember how good the flowers were a year ago..or cant admit they would rather smoke freshly harvest and PROPERLY DRIED flowers.

If you are in the Denver, Colo Springs boulder or NorCO. Bring it. I would love to be proven wrong about this....Dont really believe this will happen though. I am happy to match flower for flower. A put your flowers where your moth is friendly challenge.


Does vac sealing create a "cure"? WHy/why not?

Good luck and great growing everyone. Sorry I can be a preachy dick.

Near sacramento. I'll smoke yours against mine. I'll bring recent dried and the same strain cured for 5 months. And my pipe. Then we'll go to a club and pick 4 people out and have them do the test and tell us what they think. Did this with a San jose club owner, stuck his whole crew for 5 hours. Had to close early. I'll use a cross so you can function. Competition breeds excellence! If you beat me and prove me wrong I'll just save time by stopping all the curing I do.

 

[Cannasutraorganics]

I'm just laughing my ass off at the comments here. Knowing @homebrew420 personally, I can vouch for his humility and low key, approachable character. I've asked him some pretty stupid questions over the years and he's never once come across as preachy, let alone a dick, lol

Aaaaaaaand boy, if anyone had the right to get on a high horse about pot... he never would, it's not his style- but really; how many of the responders to this 'trolling thread' (rotf) have held a position as head breeder at ONE OF THE BEST DISPENSARY/BREEDING FACILITIES FOR CANNABIS ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH?!

Damned few is a safe bet. He's been there for years, get it? Not a flash in the pan kind of guy.

I'm just saying that with his resume, If I were many of you I wouldn't be namecalling, I'd be fucking taking notes. I've done exactly that for years now and his advice has always been on the money. I have him to thank for much of my own progress as a grower and engineer.

And as if that weren't qualification enough, he's also a licensed electrician- so his advice about shit you plug in is just as good as it is about what to smoke and how to grow it.

In short, he's one of the most highly qualified people I've ever met in this industry, hands down. With my network here in Colorado, that's as good as saying he's the best there is at what he does, anywhere.

Better yet, don't take my word for it; you can go meet him yourself where he works, he's not exactly making a secret of it. By allllllll means, DO go have a visit; and while you're there, I dare you to try and find just one mediocre strain there.

Homebrew is a troll.... BWAHAHAHA!!! I needed a good laugh!

Good for him. He's still wrong on the curing. Lots of professional people tout the wrong side all the time. Being in a profession a long time doesn't always make you right. I've met long time growers with botany degrees that can't agree on many basic and not so basic information. Remember it's easier to fool many then it is to convince one he was fooled. And if they paid for the knowledge they are less likely to go against it. Just saying. I'm all about trying everyone's idea, if they make sense to me.
I grow more then 2.5 pounds per light in soil with organic nutes. Use cool pots and other stuff. I do this with many strains at the same time under the same lights. If you grow real quality a cure does very little for 3 months. Just a good long dry and set humidity in jar and done..... But when taken to 6 months, your both wrong. Taken to two years. WOW. If you haven't done it, don't even talk about it. And I'm not talking forgetting some weed in a drawer for a few years and smoking that. Under 70 degrees all the time with NO light... Better in a cellar.

 

[Dr.Amber Trichome]

LOL! damn HomieBrewski LOL! I dig your confidence and spirit and I agree with everything you bring. no way I would go up against you, im no fool. sure wish I was in CO though to sample your delishious medications. if the comp comes out to WA please let me know I would love to subject myself to these clinical trials.lol