Drying and curing about a pound.

So it's not even really getting close to time to dry and cure. But for me it's time to start planning that out because I feel it's this step that can almost make a weaker weed but can definitely break an amazing strain or grow.

So I'm growing in an area with very very low humidity. In my grow room I struggle to get humidity above 40 percent.

I don't want to dry my weed too fast and loose most flavour and make it harsh so I'm wondering what people's suggestions are for slowing down a drying process.

I thinking of getting a chest freezer. Put a small computer fan in the bottom a hole on the other side as well. Lots of string inside would mean lots of room for hanging bud. Probably dry for 2 days hanging outside of feezer and then move into the freezer once bud starting to dry but not quite crunchy.

Has anyone ever tried this? Or something like this. Or am I just crazy and I will be just fine in a room with 35% humidity for drying.

A second reason I'm considering the freezer is because when I'm not drying I could clone and veg I'm such a chamber.

I use a grow tent as a drying room. It sits in a closet, in the room I have a humidifier, dehumidifier, air conditioning and baseboard heat/digi thermo. I set it years ago and forgot all about it. works like a charm, buds in hanging baskets, no molds, no fermenting in jars, perfection in 4 weeks some prefer it sooner.
35% humidity could cause you issues. I found all of this in my first grow bible, settings and ideas for the build too helped me much.

TokyWartooth said:

So it's not even really getting close to time to dry and cure. But for me it's time to start planning that out because I feel it's this step that can almost make a weaker weed but can definitely break an amazing strain or grow.

So I'm growing in an area with very very low humidity. In my grow room I struggle to get humidity above 40 percent.

I don't want to dry my weed too fast and loose most flavour and make it harsh so I'm wondering what people's suggestions are for slowing down a drying process.

I thinking of getting a chest freezer. Put a small computer fan in the bottom a hole on the other side as well. Lots of string inside would mean lots of room for hanging bud. Probably dry for 2 days hanging outside of feezer and then move into the freezer once bud starting to dry but not quite crunchy.

Has anyone ever tried this? Or something like this. Or am I just crazy and I will be just fine in a room with 35% humidity for drying.

A second reason I'm considering the freezer is because when I'm not drying I could clone and veg I'm such a chamber.

Click to expand...

How many plants are you pulling down?

I dry in low humidity. To extend dry time, make sure not to wet trim your sugar leaves. You may also need to get your temps down in your dry room as much as possible. I dry in the 40-60 degree F range in my garage and after 2 weeks hanging, I'm usually in the 70% rh range when first jarred. If you can't get your temps down, you'll have to get your rh up.

Bugeye said:

I dry in low humidity. To extend dry time, make sure not to wet trim your sugar leaves. You may also need to get your temps down in your dry room as much as possible. I dry in the 40-60 degree F range in my garage and after 2 weeks hanging, I'm usually in the 70% rh range when first jarred. If you can't get your temps down, you'll have to get your rh up.

Click to expand...

I like the garage idea. As mine stays above freezing in the winter. Do you know how cold it can be to use think kind of method.
The reason I'm trying to avoid drying in the grow room is so I can keep things growing while I dry... Aiming for continual harvest or some approximation of it. My 1000 watt gets the room too hot and dry to properly dry the weed.

Jypsy Dog said:

How many plants are you pulling down?

Click to expand...

I will be harvesting around 7-9 plants depending on gender grown under 1000 watt in coco with smart pots. I'm not claiming to be a pro but I hope to pull a lb of high quality medicine for myself.

TokyWartooth said:

I like the garage idea. As mine stays above freezing in the winter. Do you know how cold it can be to use think kind of method.
The reason I'm trying to avoid drying in the grow room is so I can keep things growing while I dry... Aiming for continual harvest or some approximation of it. My 1000 watt gets the room too hot and dry to properly dry the weed.

I will be harvesting around 7-9 plants depending on gender grown under 1000 watt in coco with smart pots. I'm not claiming to be a pro but I hope to pull a lb of high quality medicine for myself.

Click to expand...

The colder it gets the more it slows down the drying process, which is not a problem. I don't know of any issues as long as you keep it above freezing.

chemphlegm said:

I use a grow tent as a drying room. It sits in a closet, in the room I have a humidifier, dehumidifier, air conditioning and baseboard heat/digi thermo. I set it years ago and forgot all about it. works like a charm, buds in hanging baskets, no molds, no fermenting in jars, perfection in 4 weeks some prefer it sooner.
35% humidity could cause you issues. I found all of this in my first grow bible, settings and ideas for the build too helped me much.

Click to expand...

Sorry I don't mean to cause any offence! But this seems much different than the "typical" way to dry then cure. i feel like I understand it tough. I've seen your posts about curing on other threads and have kept it in the back of my mind as I am patient and am fine with sitting around for a month waiting for a more quality product. Cannabis takes time is what I've learned.

As far as the science to it goes my guessing what what your doing is essentially slow drying the cannabis so you don't lose our beloved terps and colour, but also fast enough that it doesn't mold. I like this method because of the lack of jars which I don't want to have to acquire.

But I personally would want to hear more about the science could you refer me to a post where you have explained it well before as I don't want to make you type it out again?

Bugeye said:

The colder it gets the more it slows down the drying process, which is not a problem. I don't know of any issues as long as you keep it above freezing.

Click to expand...

Sounds good if the other method above doesn't work I will most likely be doing this! Thanks a lot!

TokyWartooth said:

Sorry I don't mean to cause any offence! But this seems much different than the "typical" way to dry then cure. i feel like I understand it tough. I've seen your posts about curing on other threads and have kept it in the back of my mind as I am patient and am fine with sitting around for a month waiting for a more quality product. Cannabis takes time is what I've learned.

As far as the science to it goes my guessing what what your doing is essentially slow drying the cannabis so you don't lose our beloved terps and colour, but also fast enough that it doesn't mold. I like this method because of the lack of jars which I don't want to have to acquire.

But I personally would want to hear more about the science could you refer me to a post where you have explained it well before as I don't want to make you type it out again?

Sounds good if the other method above doesn't work I will most likely be doing this! Thanks a lot!

Click to expand...

What you have to understand is drying/curing is all one thing.
It's about slowly bringing the moisture out of the bud, without getting mold.
There's many different ways to achieve the same end.
When the plant is harvested the flowers are still alive until they dry out, during this time the there is a fermenting process going on inside the buds which is slowly breaking down the chlorophyll and other things. This is when most people notice the hay/grass smell and its a normal part of the process.

The bottom line, dry your weed as slowly as possible without mold.

Your problem with Rh.. Dry in paper bags, double em up if need be.

You got this.

Bugeye said:

I dry in low humidity. To extend dry time, make sure not to wet trim your sugar leaves. You may also need to get your temps down in your dry room as much as possible. I dry in the 40-60 degree F range in my garage and after 2 weeks hanging, I'm usually in the 70% rh range when first jarred. If you can't get your temps down, you'll have to get your rh up.

Click to expand...

Bugeye
what do you mean by low humidity. I have to deal with humidity below 25 percent in the garage and the buds are dry in 3 days. Temperature in garage was about 65F. this is way to fast. my next crop is due early January and the garage will have to have heat added as it will be 20F.
Are you saying if i keep temps at 45F with this low humidity it will take 2 weeks to dry?

Smokey

Smokey57 said:

Bugeye
what do you mean by low humidity. I have to deal with humidity below 25 percent in the garage and the buds are dry in 3 days. Temperature in garage was about 65F. this is way to fast. my next crop is due early January and the garage will have to have heat added as it will be 20F.
Are you saying if i keep temps at 45F with this low humidity it will take 2 weeks to dry?

Smokey

Click to expand...

I'm in Colorado mountains, so our rh is often very low. My drying temps will yo-yo in the 40-60F range and after two weeks the buds are in the 68-70% rh range after trimming and jarring, so they could hang longer if needed and still be ok for curing.

Smokey57 said:

Bugeye
what do you mean by low humidity. I have to deal with humidity below 25 percent in the garage and the buds are dry in 3 days. Temperature in garage was about 65F. this is way to fast. my next crop is due early January and the garage will have to have heat added as it will be 20F.
Are you saying if i keep temps at 45F with this low humidity it will take 2 weeks to dry?

Smokey

Click to expand...

Not trying to teach if you knew the science behind lowering temps. Air with a lower temp can hold moisture more easily. So from the way i understand it, and I use this to help my grow room too. When temps are lowered humidity goes up.
So if your RH is 25% at 80 degrees F it might go up to nearly 50% when you drop to 45 degrees F.

TokyWartooth said:

Sorry I don't mean to cause any offence! But this seems much different than the "typical" way to dry then cure. i feel like I understand it tough. I've seen your posts about curing on other threads and have kept it in the back of my mind as I am patient and am fine with sitting around for a month waiting for a more quality product. Cannabis takes time is what I've learned.

As far as the science to it goes my guessing what what your doing is essentially slow drying the cannabis so you don't lose our beloved terps and colour, but also fast enough that it doesn't mold. I like this method because of the lack of jars which I don't want to have to acquire.

But I personally would want to hear more about the science could you refer me to a post where you have explained it well before as I don't want to make you type it out again?

Sounds good if the other method above doesn't work I will most likely be doing this! Thanks a lot!

Click to expand...

no offense at all. find technique that works for you and your habits.
my dedicated dry area(old grow tent, in closet, in studio) has a zipper front I can close up then close the closet.
Inside the tent is a large hanging multi basket drying rack, a small work bench, misc tools, papers, black light, magnifying scopes
rolling tray, baggies, scales etc. A smaller phresh carbon can is always on in the upper corner exhausting through a vent cut above the closet doors. The room has baseboard heat always set to 70, a dehuey/humidifier keeps RH under 55 over 45 most days I see the meter high low is 50%... The room is also air conditioned to keep the temps below 76(never got that hot yet) buds are final manicured, cut from stems and laid onto the hanging baskets according to expected dry times/labels. I have jars too, rolling tray scraps for projects, some misc buds stored long term or left over. hope helps

I use a humidifier in the winter. I dry in my small extra bathroom(never gets used). so hang the plants turn on humidifier and box fan. check at least twice a day to adjust humidifier or refill if needed. otherwise I was looking at 65f and 25+/- rh.
I think take what you would spend on the chest freezer and hop on amazon but a 2x2 tent and drying rack and a fan (carbon filter if wanted) and humidifier. here just put it together real quick, can use line instead of rack, carbon filter can be added, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/cart/view.html/ref=nav_cart under $200

stoned-monkey said:

I use a humidifier in the winter. I dry in my small extra bathroom(never gets used). so hang the plants turn on humidifier and box fan. check at least twice a day to adjust humidifier or refill if needed. otherwise I was looking at 65f and 25+/- rh.
I think take what you would spend on the chest freezer and hop on amazon but a 2x2 tent and drying rack and a fan (carbon filter if wanted) and humidifier. here just put it together real quick, can use line instead of rack, carbon filter can be added, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/cart/view.html/ref=nav_cart under $200

Click to expand...

Slowly starting to realize based on what other people have said I shouldn't have much of a problem using a humidifier on low in a bathroom. Obviously monitoring using a hygrometer. I'm guessing the carbon filter is if your using your bathroom fan as the source of airflow for the bathroom? Which is rather brilliant to avoid direct airflow on nugs but still ensuring great enhance rates.

Personally I always dried in a closet or grow tent. for 7-14 days small computer fan on floor or hanging. Keep temps between 40-60 Keep It simple.

All good ideas.
One small thing i find that increases drying time generally; if i cut down branches, dip/wash the branch/buds in luke warm water (directly after cutting), then 'spin dry' the branches and finally hang. This seems to cause the drying time to increase for me (by about 3 days), maybe due to standardizing the level of moisture in all the washed buds? By default in my area if i simply dried after cutting some buds are dry in a couple of days while other buds were many days from drying (washing helped stop that for me ..as well as making them cleaner to smoke

To be honest some of the lesser (more low tech) drying/curing methods seem to work well in my area (london/uk). I'm honestly finding great results simply by using large paper bags, cutting buds off plant, trimming and then placing 1.5 / 2 ounces in each bag (paper bag size and amount of product is important). The bags seem to maintain a good environment (by wicking then dispersing moisture out of the bags) for slow drying with the right bag size/product ratio (once dialed in it's a very fire and forget form of drying+curing). For a pound (for me) that is about 8 to 10 large paper bags. Place closed bags in a cool/dark area. Shake bags a few times a day if possible (to aerate and remove any 'wet' spots in the product by dissipating them through the bag). When you hear the buds are separately moving around (as opposed to sticking in large clumps) you can open the bag to check if its ready to move to jars. Never had mold issues ..just seems to work for me.
fyi - i use these bags (the large size) , Italian made no less
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brown-Twist-Handle-Paper-Party-and-Gift-Carrier-Bag-Bags-With-Twisted-Handles/281313284879?epid=1762410705&hash=item417f94130f:m:mWd7Xc88EgAcLyncs8pZhWA