Should I Jar? I always get it wrong...

Kookiemonsta

Active Member
I always over dry them.. It still ends up nice, and I am able to put moisture back in to the buds by throwing some fan leaves into the jars. If anyone has done this though; it seems that true aroma never returns :(

I generally hang in 40ish% humidity for 5-7 days (stem break). By generally I mean 4 or 5 times.

THIS TIME. It rained. It rained out for 4 days straight. All the windows stay open. MY humidity has sat around 60-65% for the last week. I hung for 3 days (sticks would then crackle when bent, but not SNAP). I then bagged for 2.5 days. Stems now easily snap. THEY SMELL PHENOMENAL. They are also much more dense then I have ever produced before (and its the same strain/conditions).

SO! I dont want to mess this up! If I pinch a bud as hard as I can it stays flattened, but I have no trace of moisture on my finger. I packed a bowl right now and am smoking it. When I spark the bowl it easily catches and spread across the bowl, but it does go out after 10 seconds or so.

MY QUESTION. If I were to jar at this point would I still risk getting Mold/Mildew within 24 hours? (I would check them in 24 hours and if too dry jsut take out...)
 

indipow82

Well-Known Member
It sounds like it would be safe to jar it. Just remember to burp it once a day to let out any moisture. I usually put my buds in the jar when they are crisp outside and feel dry(stem bends but doesn't quite break or snap), but once they go into the jar for a couple hours they get all sticky and feel wet again. I let em dry for few hours again and back to the jar when they feel crispy again. It keeps them sticky as hell but not wet and never molds either. Smell is always strong and good too.
 

Dubdeuce

Well-Known Member
If the stems of the large buds are breaking then they are definitely ready to jar. There's actually no such thing as jarring them too early honestly, but there is such thing as leaving your jars closed for too long with too high of a humidity though and that's what you need to be careful of.

An inexpensive way to ensure you are reaching the right RH is to get a Caliber III hygrometer. They are about $15-$20 online and are a very accurate humidity meter (hygrometer). Place your buds in the jar with the Caliber III and leave in there for 12-24 hours. If your RH is between 55%-60% then you are ready for cure. Technically, you could leave the jars shut as long as you want at this point.

We run an auto-curing system that forces air through the jars on a given interval. We are able to dry from as high as 80% RH inside jars with this system. We experience no mold and have to do far less work as up to 16 jars are being "burped" for us automatically. Point being, we've put buds in jars that were basically wet. The jar read 80% RH and was still able to dry/cure down to 57% RH with zero mold and great smell.
 

Kookiemonsta

Active Member
If the stems of the large buds are breaking then they are definitely ready to jar. There's actually no such thing as jarring them too early honestly, but there is such thing as leaving your jars closed for too long with too high of a humidity though and that's what you need to be careful of.

An inexpensive way to ensure you are reaching the right RH is to get a Caliber III hygrometer. They are about $15-$20 online and are a very accurate humidity meter (hygrometer). Place your buds in the jar with the Caliber III and leave in there for 12-24 hours. If your RH is between 55%-60% then you are ready for cure. Technically, you could leave the jars shut as long as you want at this point.

We run an auto-curing system that forces air through the jars on a given interval. We are able to dry from as high as 80% RH inside jars with this system. We experience no mold and have to do far less work as up to 16 jars are being "burped" for us automatically. Point being, we've put buds in jars that were basically wet. The jar read 80% RH and was still able to dry/cure down to 57% RH with zero mold and great smell.
GAH! That is a brilliant idea. I already have a Hygrometer, and it has an "Outdoor" reading attached to a small probe. That will be a very easy and effective way to keep tabs on the moisture. Thanks a TON!
 

LordRalh3

Well-Known Member
Your best bet is gonna be to throw them in the jar with a rh meter, watch what it does, if its going up multiple % an hour its still to moist leave it open for a while longer, your monitor is truly your friend at this point.
 

$waGgEr

Active Member
i like to put my trees in tins...they basicly allow a little air in and let a little water out..i got that idea from The Rev. writer for Skunk Mag. moist buds in a jar will mold if left unattended..when curing in a jar its important to open the jar every two or three days to let moister out and new air in. ur humidity should be under 50% but not lower then 40% here my humidity is arround 40% i hang for 3 to four days then cure in plastic tubs (lid off) for about a week i fluff or move the buds arround at least once a day in this stage, then i put the buds in popcorn tins or other little tins i have for a week or so before smoking them also have to open the tines every three or four days. my buds stay in tins untill smoked or sold away. you may want to get a dehumidifier and its important that your cure takes place in a dark area with little to no light. the perfict buds stems bend but dont snap. also i stop giving water about 4 or 5 days prior to harvest. this helps get the drying process started.
 

Dubdeuce

Well-Known Member
GAH! That is a brilliant idea. I already have a Hygrometer, and it has an "Outdoor" reading attached to a small probe. That will be a very easy and effective way to keep tabs on the moisture. Thanks a TON!
Just be careful with your standard "outdoor temp and humidity" meters. You will want to check out the manufacturers information and see how accurate they are. The Caliber III that I mentioned are +/- 1% as it is designed for use in a humidor which requires a very accurate humidity reading. Indoor/outdoor meters tend to be less accurate. This doesn't mean they won't work, but what this means, if you are +/- 3% in accuracy, you will never want to take your jar past 58% as it could actually be 55% at that point.

If you can afford it in the future, I would still recommend the Caliber III hygrometer for it's accuracy. You will never regret it.
 
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