microwave vs normal drying???? weight loss

bigweeds

Active Member
hi just wanted to know how much weight you lose if dried in the microwave compared to letting dry natural??? i know doing it in the microwave is rubbish and shouldnt be done, but was just wondering if doing it in the microwave loses you alot more weight??? cheers
 

stoner1984

Active Member
Cant think why you would want to do this unless you have some really wet weed you need to shift quick, if the weed is mega damp, its probibly not worth its weight anyway so when you mic it it'l loose loads of moisture and be less valuable.

It tastes shit outa the microwave and you take away all the good stuff so its not worth it for the smoke either, if you wana dry it fast but not completly ruin it, get it spread out on something metal and put it over a warm but not boiling radiator, best way ive found when short of time.

fan assisted oven at say 30c might do it too
 

bigweeds

Active Member
just curious really but thanks for the replys. i got some hang drying in a dark room humidty bout 30-40% and low temps is this right??? cheers
 

bigweeds

Active Member
lol i agree. however it was a question in thought so if u have nothing useful to say beat it chump
 

Brick Top

New Member
just curious really but thanks for the replys. i got some hang drying in a dark room humidty bout 30-40% and low temps is this right??? cheers


Drying Marijuana After Harvest

You probably don't want to smoke marijuana that is harsh and bad tasting.

If you do not take time to dry the bud, you will not get the best possible smell and taste your crop is capable of producing.

Proper drying and curing will also ensure maximum potency of the marijuana you have grown.

Marijuana is not potent just after harvest. Some of the THC is in a non-psychoactive acidic form. Drying marijuana the right way will convert the non-psychoactive acidic compounds into psychoactive THC.

The area where the drying is done should be dark. Light and high temperatures (higher than about 80 degrees) will cause THC to break down into less desirable chemicals, this will lower the potency of the finished product.

A good way to dry the crop is to hang the buds upside-down by the stem, from some string or wire.

The drying marijuana must have some circulation blowing over it at all times. A gentle breeze that circulates over all the plants is necessary.

A fan or two will circulate air within the drying room. Fans will aid in drying the plants evenly, and reducing the chances of mold. If mold starts and is allowed to grow, it might ruin all of your crop. Mold looks like white fuzz and has an odor that is unpleasant.

You will have to keep the temperature and humidity within a certain range for optimal results.

Conditions should remain constantly somewhere within the following ranges, temperature should be between 65-75 degrees F, relative humidity should be between 45%-55%.


At temperatures lower than 65 degrees, drying time will be lengthened.

At temperatures higher than 75 degrees, the heat will cause the outer portion of the bud to dry quicker than the inner part, and the taste will suffer.

At humidity levels lower than 45%, the marijuana will dry too fast and the taste will suffer. At humidity levels higher than 55%, the marijuana will take a long time to dry, and it will be prone to mold.

Keep a hygrometer and a thermometer in the drying area, close to the plants. A hygrometer will allow you to keep an eye on the relative humidity level in the room and a thermometer will display the temperature.

Some hygrometers
have built in thermometers so you can measure the temperature and humidity together.

Depending on the time of year and your location, a heater or an air conditioner may be necessary to adjust the temperature. To control humidity, a dehumidifier can lower humidity and a humidifier can be used to raise humidity. There are warm mist humidifiers and cool mist humidifiers.

A warm mist humidifier will raise the temperature while a cool mist humidifier will not affect the temperature. There are also humidifiers that allow you to switch between warm or cool mist.

If you are going to purchase a humidifier for this purpose, take your climate into consideration and buy an appropriate humidifier.

Warm mist models will actually heat the water and release warm humidity. Cool mist water isn't cooled, it just means that water is not heated.

In most cases a cool mist will work best. To be safe you can get a humidifier that lets you switch between warm and cool mist.


Curing Marijuana

It will take at least a week or two to dry the crop with temperatures between 65-75 degrees F and relative humidity between 45%-55%.

You will know when the marijuana is dry if the stems snap or break (rather than fold) when they are bent. Try smoking a small bud (1/2 gram or less) in a joint to be sure it is dry enough.

At this time, small buds will be dry enough to smoke. But larger buds should be cured (slow dried) to ensure that the marijuana is as potent and tasty as possible.

If necessary, you can set aside buds that are less than 1/2 gram for smoking, while larger buds cure.

The cure lasts a week or two. The aim of what you are doing is evenly finishing the slow dry process, so that mold will not grow when the buds are stored long term. Also, by the end of the cure, any remaining inactive THC will be converted to active THC (that increases potency).

To cure the crop, you will need one or more containers made out of glass or plastic. Some people say plastic can impart a taste to the marijuana.

Personally, plastic containers that some types of roll your own tobacco are sold in, have no negative effect on the taste.

Containers that have a rubber seal work best, but any type of container with a tight fitting lid will do.

One quart canning jars do a very good job if you are curing a few pounds or less. They have a rubber seal and hold 2 or more ounces of marijuana per one quart jar.

When curing quantities in excess of a few pounds, large (over 40 quarts) plastic storage boxes
are recommended. They are not air tight, but will do the job when smaller air tight containers are not practical.

Gently place your marijuana in the containers (cut buds to size if the are too big to fit in the container) and put the top on.

Store the containers in a dark area where the temperature is between 50-65 degrees and the humidity is between 40%-60%.

You will have to open the containers for a few minutes to allow moisture to escape by fanning with your hand. If any moisture builds up on the inside of the cap on your container, wipe it off. Do this preferably 2-6 times daily, at regular 4-12 hour intervals.

You should also re-arrange the buds by giving them a quarter-turn once a day. This will ensure that different parts of the buds are exposed to the air in the container.

Keep up this routine for 7-10 days. When properly dried, marijuana will burn evenly when smoked in a joint (if stems are removed).

The taste will be as good as it can be, and the THC will have reached a point where it is ready to be ingested or stored.

You can keep any marijuana that will be consumed within a few months (1 year maximum) in the same containers used for curing, without having to keep opening them to release moisture.


If the marijuana is to be stored for more than a few months, you can use a vacuum sealer (designed for storing food) to seal the marijuana in an airtight environment.

If stored in a dark area that is between 40-55 degrees F, the marijuana in vacuum sealed plastic will remain potent for up to 5 years.

Dry marijuana can be stored in a frost-free freezer, but some of the THC on the outer part of the buds may be damaged when frozen. A refrigerator is in the right temperature range but they tend to be humid (unless you can control the humidity).

If stored in an area of high humidity for months or years, even vacuum sealed marijuana can eventually become as humid as the surrounding air. This will necessitate drying it again before smoking.

But, unless mold develops, humidity itself will not degrade the THC or make the marijuana any less potent.
Light will degrade some of the THC, so dark containers can be used for storage.

If you place the marijuana in a see through container, it will have to be located in a dark area that is not exposed to light or high temperatures.

Always make sure to properly dry your marijuana prior to storage, if you grow your own or if the stuff you have is very moist.

And remember that to preserve marijuana potency at a maximum level, keep any exposure to air, heat, and light at a minimum.
 

bigweeds

Active Member
thanks for that i believe with the low humidity and lower temps i should be ok fingers crossed!!
 
Top