Harvesting & Curing Problem! Please Help

[Mr Bomb]

It seems like every time I do a decent job growing my plant I somehow mess up the buds by over drying them. I am looking for as much help as possible with figuring out the proper way to dry and cure my harvest.

Here is what I have been doing:

1. I cut my plants at the main stalk as close to the soil as possible.
2. I manicure the plants by cutting the branches into workable sizes and then removing the leaves.
3. I hang my manicured bud containing branches upside down in a cool (70 F) dark place for 2 days.
4. At the 2 day mark I remove the buds from their branches and put them in quart size mason jars to cure.
5. I cure them for 2 weeks in a cool (70 F) dark place making sure to open them for burping at least 30 minutes of every day.

A few final notes:

Everything seems fine all the way up to when I hang the plants to dry. Then things start to go downhill. First of all 2 days of hanging upside down seems awfully fast but the outside of the buds feel very dry and are almost crunchy.

Then even after I put the buds in the quart sized mason jars the smell never improves. The buds either continue to smell very grass like or have basically no smell at all.

I have searched everywhere I can think of online and here at rollitup including the grow faqs but have not found anything I am not doing correctly or could do differently. I appreciate any help from experienced harvesters and curers.

 

[ghostsamurai25]

It seems like every time I do a decent job growing my plant I somehow mess up the buds by over drying them. I am looking for as much help as possible with figuring out the proper way to dry and cure my harvest.

Here is what I have been doing:

1. I cut my plants at the main stalk as close to the soil as possible.
2. I manicure the plants by cutting the branches into workable sizes and then removing the leaves.
3. I hang my manicured bud containing branches upside down in a cool (70 F) dark place for 2 days.
4. At the 2 day mark I remove the buds from their branches and put them in quart size mason jars to cure.
5. I cure them for 2 weeks in a cool (70 F) dark place making sure to open them for burping at least 30 minutes of every day.

A few final notes:

Everything seems fine all the way up to when I hang the plants to dry. Then things start to go downhill. First of all 2 days of hanging upside down seems awfully fast but the outside of the buds feel very dry and are almost crunchy.

Then even after I put the buds in the quart sized mason jars the smell never improves. The buds either continue to smell very grass like or have basically no smell at all.

I have searched everywhere I can think of online and here at rollitup including the grow faqs but have not found anything I am not doing correctly or could do differently. I appreciate any help from experienced harvesters and curers.

If you find out how to fix that nasty ass smell let me know, ive had this problem for two years every time I try that mason jar bullshit. The only time my bud smelled like bud was when I did a freezer cure. Putting the buds in the freezer in a zip lock bag for a month taking it every so often to let the bag air out and dry out. I decided to try the damn jar thing again and have nice buds smelling like shittttttt

 

[Mr Bomb]

If you find out how to fix that nasty ass smell let me know, ive had this problem for two years every time I try that mason jar bullshit. The only time my bud smelled like bud was when I did a freezer cure. Putting the buds in the freezer in a zip lock bag for a month taking it every so often to let the bag air out and dry out. I decided to try the damn jar thing again and have nice buds smelling like shittttttt

You got it my friend, as soon as I know you will too! Its so frustrating dont you think?

 

[Mr Bomb]

I know its getting late for tonight but is there anyone online that can help me? If not please respond when you can, Im subscribed so I will definetely see your reply.

 

[cincikid101]

yer not drying them long enough at all. try 4 to 7 days, then put them in mason jars

 

[svchop889]

yeah 2 days is too soon not enough chlorophyll has left the leaves yet this is why you get the grassy smell.

 

[terrorizer805]

What's up man I'm on my first harvest and I let my buds dry for 5 days then transfered them to mason jars. They have been in mason jars for 5 day today and still no smell but I tell ya it's getting better smelling by the day, from what i'm told it can take up to 2 weeks for your buds to smell like bud. Also you're not letting your buds dry out enough let them hang dry for 5-7 days then throw them into mason jars.

 

[Little Tommy]

The outside of the bud is not a good indicator for you. I test the stems while they are hanging. When the stems are dry enough that they can snap when bent (or just before that) the buds are ready to be removed form the stems and cured. There is still plemty of residual moisture in the bud that will redistribute during the curing process. On another note, it sometimes takes an extra day or two of drying for the larger buds as they retain more moisture. If the outside of the buds are drying too fast, try lowering the temp and raising the humidity a little where they are drying. This will allow them to dry out a little slower. This is critical. It will make the difference between good buds and great buds. I hope that helps some. Some people are in a big hurry to force fast production. If that is the case, then you have wated all the time you have invested to this point.

 

[Mr Bomb]

yer not drying them long enough at all. try 4 to 7 days, then put them in mason jars

yeah 2 days is too soon not enough chlorophyll has left the leaves yet this is why you get the grassy smell.

I understand what you guys are saying about 2 days not being long enough but after only such a small period of time the bud seems so crunchy and crisp on the outside. I dont understand why it dries like that and what I can do to slow the process down some.

What's up man I'm on my first harvest and I let my buds dry for 5 days then transfered them to mason jars. They have been in mason jars for 5 day today and still no smell but I tell ya it's getting better smelling by the day, from what i'm told it can take up to 2 weeks for your buds to smell like bud. Also you're not letting your buds dry out enough let them hang dry for 5-7 days then throw them into mason jars.

I will give it a try but it seems like after 5 days I will come back to a pile of shake its so dry.

The outside of the bud is not a good indicator for you. I test the stems while they are hanging. When the stems are dry enough that they can snap when bent (or just before that) the buds are ready to be removed form the stems and cured. There is still plemty of residual moisture in the bud that will redistribute during the curing process. On another note, it sometimes takes an extra day or two of drying for the larger buds as they retain more moisture. If the outside of the buds are drying too fast, try lowering the temp and raising the humidity a little where they are drying. This will allow them to dry out a little slower. This is critical. It will make the difference between good buds and great buds. I hope that helps some. Some people are in a big hurry to force fast production. If that is the case, then you have wated all the time you have invested to this point.

Well just for the record I am in no hurry at all. I will take the time needed to get quality smoke. What your saying makes sense about the inner part of the bud being wetter and the curing more evenly distributing the moisture throughout the entire bud so I will try and see how things turn out. Also thank you for the temp/humidity adjustment advice, any ideas on how to achieve a lower temperature and higher humidity inside of a closet?

Thanks to all of you for your help. It is very appreciated so I have added to your reputation.

 

[jolly8541]

My question is are your buds totally mature when you harvest ur smoke? Do you have any bud shots?

 

[Mr Bomb]

My question is are your buds totally mature when you harvest ur smoke? Do you have any bud shots?

Trust me this isnt my first rodeo my buds are fully mature when harvested.

 

[Little Tommy]

Higer Hunidity can be achieved by something as simple as an open container of water or hanging a wet towel in the area. As far as lowering temps, I do mine in the basement. I am not sure if that is an option for you.

 

[TheDifferenceX]

Higer Hunidity can be achieved by something as simple as an open container of water or hanging a wet towel in the area. As far as lowering temps, I do mine in the basement. I am not sure if that is an option for you.

Hey Tommy, i see your replies on here a lot... seem to know what you're doing...

What's the temperature/humidity in your basement?

 

[terrorizer805]

I will give it a try but it seems like after 5 days I will come back to a pile of shake its so dry.

Yes but that's were the curing process comes in, the buds might seem like they are dry and crispy but in only a few days of them being in mason jars you will notice them getting nice and moist again again since there is stil moisture in the stems.

 

[Mr Bomb]

Yes but that's were the curing process comes in, the buds might seem like they are dry and crispy but in only a few days of them being in mason jars you will notice them getting nice and moist again again since there is stil moisture in the stems.

Ok Im harvesting tonight and I will post pics on this post as soon as I can. Thanks to all for the advice.

 

[amsterdayum]

didnt read to see if any1 said this already but did you flush and did you harvest to early????

 

[Mr Bomb]

didnt read to see if any1 said this already but did you flush and did you harvest to early????

Thanks but yes someone asked that already.

 

[Little Tommy]

Hey Tommy, i see your replies on here a lot... seem to know what you're doing...

What's the temperature/humidity in your basement?

Temps are about 68F and the humidity is 40-45%.

 

[smartguy345]

I have it on a shelf up top with a fan blowing below buds while hanging. I also use a dessicant to keep rh low. Yes I did early harvest and I know what grassy smells is. I did early harvest on few buds to educate myself on the process of flowering and developed buds. I harvest 3-4 weeks earlier then suppose to, to give you in idea. Even after drying for 3-5 days and curing for like 2 my buds started to develop bud smell, especially when broken up. Anyways I look forward to seeing how your results are this time around.