Hay smell during drying. Help please

[FunkyMonky]

Hi guys, I cut my plants last Saturday and put them inside my grow box to dry. When I cut them the smell was so potent that I headed the whole condo but as soon as I put them in to dry I started to get an almost nauseating veggie/hay smell and I was wondering if this is normal... if I open the tops I can smell some of that original smell but I'm a little worried about this situation! Do you guys think it might improve with time? Or is this normal anyway? I know that during the drying process you can smell the chlorophyll but I read that there are many people who don't think this is normal and as many who say the opposite.
The temperature is 62°F and the humidity varies between 50/55%

 

[Green Dreamz]

Not an expert here but the smell is going to change in the drying process. There was some people here advocating drying at cooler temperatures such as 60 for 10 days so I gave that a try only to lose about half a pound when they became covered in white mold. I am glad that I only tried this with part of my outdoor grow rather than all of it at once. I had no problem at all with drying at 68 for a week before jarring and it does smell so good in the jars and nothing fancy was done.

 

[Stuck27]

Not an expert here but the smell is going to change in the drying process. There was some people here advocating drying at cooler temperatures such as 60 for 10 days so I gave that a try only to lose about half a pound when they became covered in white mold. I am glad that I only tried this with part of my outdoor grow rather than all of it at once. I had no problem at all with drying at 68 for a week before jarring and it does smell so good in the jars and nothing fancy was done.

I'm sorry to tell you that the reason there was mold was not because of leaving it for for 10 days. Has to do a lot with the RH.. I dry for around 14 days at 60-65 RH and 18c .. no problem at all

OP the smell of hay is caused by the breakdown of the chrolophyll. The smell will go away unless dried too quickly or harvested early. The smell should leave if it is the chrolophyll

Edit: forgot to mention it could also be genetics XD

 

[Pacoson71]

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sounds good

Welcome to RIU

 

[McShnutz]

Slight air circulation is necessary in the drying room. Fungi and mold WON'T GROW anywhere there's air movement.

 

[FunkyMonky]

Not an expert here but the smell is going to change in the drying process. There was some people here advocating drying at cooler temperatures such as 60 for 10 days so I gave that a try only to lose about half a pound when they became covered in white mold. I am glad that I only tried this with part of my outdoor grow rather than all of it at once. I had no problem at all with drying at 68 for a week before jarring and it does smell so good in the jars and nothing fancy was done.

I read that the major goes for 60F/60rh and I think it makes sense for the chlorophyll speech... when I was younger I didn't care so much and I used to hang them without checking anything with a very high humidity to the touch and I think those were the best! Then surely it depends on the density... maybe, as it happened to me, the problem was caused by the fact that there was already a beginning of bud rot! Last year around summer I dried a pound in 6 days with 45%rh and 74°F but the mold was still there.... With continuous air exchange!!!
I made this thread because 50% of the time the nasty smell goes away and the other 50% of the time it stays...I'm breaking my balls to end up with awesome grass full of resin but smelling like a mid quality...

 

[FunkyMonky]

I'm sorry to tell you that the reason there was mold was not because of leaving it for for 10 days. Has to do a lot with the RH.. I dry for around 14 days at 60-65 RH and 18c .. no problem at all

OP the smell of hay is caused by the breakdown of the chrolophyll. The smell will go away unless dried too quickly or harvested early. The smell should leave if it is the chrolophyll

Edit: forgot to mention it could also be genetics XD

Eh but more or less I was aware of the chlorophyll discourse but as I said above sometimes the smell vanished and sometimes it remained during the curing... I just wish the smell was as good as the top!

 

[FunkyMonky]

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sounds good

Welcome to RIU

Thank you very much! Hi everyone

 

[FunkyMonky]

I'm ruling out mold! After a few times this has already happened to me as soon as I cut I have to necessarily rape certain parts of the flower to check inside...I didn't find anything this time and I have a small fan pointing at the wall and the extractor set to idle on!

 

[Stuck27]

Eh but more or less I was aware of the chlorophyll discourse but as I said above sometimes the smell vanished and sometimes it remained during the curing... I just wish the smell was as good as the top!

The thing is .. There isn't much more reasons then that for the smell going hay. If the smell vanishes while "curing" do you shake the jars? Are the buds completely trimmed well? Some buds are more dense than others and will take a little more time, you might be smelling those buds at times. What is the RH of the jars you have them in and the temperature as well? The ones at the top could be more dried a bit better and increased the smell.

 

[McShnutz]

I read that the major goes for 60F/60rh and I think it makes sense for the chlorophyll speech... when I was younger I didn't care so much and I used to hang them without checking anything with a very high humidity to the touch and I think those were the best! Then surely it depends on the density... maybe, as it happened to me, the problem was caused by the fact that there was already a beginning of bud rot! Last year around summer I dried a pound in 6 days with 45%rh and 74°F but the mold was still there.... With continuous air exchange!!!
I made this thread because 50% of the time the nasty smell goes away and the other 50% of the time it stays...I'm breaking my balls to end up with awesome grass full of resin but smelling like a mid quality...

Microbes are everywhere, and if they're were used in the substrate/media then the myco and bacteria is in the plant tissues.

60-70F
Minimal air movement (indirect)
60-65% RH
10-15 days.
If a branch snaps but doesn't break in two and is still connected by a little fiber. They're done drying. They're going to smell like grass but if you rub or squeeze them they stink. Cure them at 62%RH for at least 1 month. I use digital temp/humidity Guage and once cured I toss in a 62% BOVIDA 2-way pack.

 

[McShnutz]

The phenomenon known as cureing only happens due to bacteria. A flaculative anerobe.

 

[McShnutz]

Eh but more or less I was aware of the chlorophyll discourse but as I said above sometimes the smell vanished and sometimes it remained during the curing... I just wish the smell was as good as the top!

Buds were over dried or wernt dried enough when passed off to the cureing phase. If they stay wet too long they'll keep their grass/hay smell.

 

[FunkyMonky]

The thing is .. There isn't much more reasons then that for the smell going hay. If the smell vanishes while "curing" do you shake the jars? Are the buds completely trimmed well? Some buds are more dense than others and will take a little more time, you might be smelling those buds at times. What is the RH of the jars you have them in and the temperature as well? The ones at the top could be more dried a bit better and increased the smell.

They are not in the jars yet! I'm about 4 days after cutting them and the leaves at the end are dry and in the middle are still wet...if I touch the flower you can feel they are still quite wet.
For curing I'm going to hygrometer inside the jar and as soon as I get to 62% with the burping I'll put the boveda in at 62%.

 

[FunkyMonky]

Microbes are everywhere, and if they're were used in the substrate/media then the myco and bacteria is in the plant tissues.

60-70F
Minimal air movement (indirect)
60-65% RH
10-15 days.
If a branch snaps but doesn't break in two and is still connected by a little fiber. They're done drying. They're going to smell like grass but if you rub or squeeze them they stink. Cure them at 62%RH for at least 1 month. I use digital temp/humidity Guage and once cured I toss in a 62% BOVIDA 2-way pack.

The phenomenon known as cureing only happens due to bacteria. A flaculative anerobe.

Buds were over dried or wernt dried enough when passed off to the cureing phase. If they stay wet too long they'll keep their grass/hay smell.

I didn't even have a hygrometer inside the jar and initially they were dry then they moistened again ,quite a bit, and out of laziness I didn't remove the flowers but tried to make up for it by opening the lid several times for more time.
I usually wait until the smaller branches break off but don't come off cleanly and wait until the flowers are crisp but the stem doesn't break by bending.
I just want to understand one thing.... Does this happen to you guys during the drying process? Or is this something that can happen sometimes?

 

[McShnutz]

I didn't even have a hygrometer inside the jar and initially they were dry then they moistened again ,quite a bit, and out of laziness I didn't remove the flowers but tried to make up for it by opening the lid several times for more time.
I usually wait until the smaller branches break off but don't come off cleanly and wait until the flowers are crisp but the stem doesn't break by bending.
I just want to understand one thing.... Does this happen to you guys during the drying process? Or is this something that can happen sometimes?

If at any point in time there's condensation on the glass, they're too wet. Pull them out and put in a shoe box or something to dry a bit.

Burping is as needed if you have a guage. Only burp to drop RH, if it's at 60-62, leave it sealed up.

Follow the branch snap tek, don't worry about the crispness of the flower. Your only feeling the outside, inside is where all the moisture is. Never squeeze buds to see if they're still wet in the middle, if rat branch doesn't snap but bends only, or folds. Wait till it snaps.

 

[inth3shadowz]

I find it I hang the plant whole, for like 12-14 days til stems just barely crack, I get the best smell and texture. Tried other ways and none seem to keep the dankness smell quite like the long dry. Quick drying is going to really lose alot of smell.

 

[FunkyMonky]

If at any point in time there's condensation on the glass, they're too wet. Pull them out and put in a shoe box or something to dry a bit.

Burping is as needed if you have a guage. Only burp to drop RH, if it's at 60-62, leave it sealed up.

Follow the branch snap tek, don't worry about the crispness of the flower. Your only feeling the outside, inside is where all the moisture is. Never squeeze buds to see if they're still wet in the middle, if rat branch doesn't snap but bends only, or folds. Wait till it snaps.

Sisi I will do as you said! Thanks for the advice I appreciate it. However, I have noticed that if I "open" the tops I can smell what I am looking for.

 

[McShnutz]

I find it I hang the plant whole, for like 12-14 days til stems just barely crack, I get the best smell and texture. Tried other ways and none seem to keep the dankness smell quite like the long dry. Quick drying is going to really lose alot of smell.

Correct!
The plant is still relocating water to various parts after its been Chopped. Microbial activity depends greatly on hydration. The longer the time in dry, the better the bacteria can work. Low & Slow dried cannabis is always top shelf.

 

[FunkyMonky]

I find it I hang the plant whole, for like 12-14 days til stems just barely crack, I get the best smell and texture. Tried other ways and none seem to keep the dankness smell quite like the long dry. Quick drying is going to really lose alot of smell.

In fact it seems that I want to complicate my life... every time I get to the cut and I don't trim the whole plant but only remove the fan leaves but every time I overdo it! Practically 4 months of hard work ruined every time in the end... next time I won't even remove a leaf! My problem is that with the net I can't cut the whole plant.
However, it is still not dry so I was hoping that by exposing my problem someone could tell me if this is just a normal part of the drying cycle.