Food dehydrators for drying

[Neal Pritchard]

I have a food dehydrator that I have considered using to dry my buds when they are ready. Is anyone out there using this method?

 

[RosterMan]

Folks have used them , I never have but to me why rush the way weed has been dried for 1000 of years. If you are in a medium humidity environment it dries in less then 10 days and jarred to burp then cure.

 

[RosterMan]

Can You Dry Weed in a Dehydrator?​

Food dehydrators use heat to dry out meat, fruit, or other foods in order to extend their shelf-life. We do not recommend using a food dehydrator to dry your weed, as the heat from the dehydrator will degrade the cannabinoids and terpenes in your bud in the same way an oven would, making for a flavorless, less potent smoke.

When it comes to drying cannabis buds, patience is key. The drying process is all about activating cannabinoids and reducing the moisture in your flower, making for a more potent smoke with a longer shelf-life. While there are many express ways to dry out your buds, we do not recommend any of them. Though they're faster, these techniques all rely on heat, which breaks down the cannabinoids and terpenes that give your weed the effects and flavors you love.

 

[Bugus_Monkey]

I wouldn't do that. If you wanted to take a couple and run it through maybe... But based on your pictures... I wouldn't do that

 

[Bugus_Monkey]

You got some tasty looking strong looking buds going there. You waited this long and based on the last set of pictures you are so close if not there.

 

[RosterMan]

Good read
https://www.leafly.com/learn/growing/harvesting-marijuana/drying-curing-cannabis

 

[Bugus_Monkey]

You made it this far. Your about to find out growing it is half to 3/4 of the battle. A good dry and cure. Holy Cow - You going to have some good stuff there buddy. I throw this out there... Trim branches and hang them up on a string or coat hanger. There are pictures out there.. If there is any way you can get to 60 degrees F and 60 Relative Humidity with a fan circulating air. Not directly on them but off to the side, on low... Keep it dark always in where ever this is ... Should take about 2 to 3 weeks. You do what you can for that set up.... After about 2 weeks, when the stem is able to snap over get it in some mason jars. You need to set them out on the counter with the lid off at least once a day for at least an hour. Some Times I have to take mine out (Bad) leave them on a plate for an hour or 2 and stick them back in and re-seal them up. You can google this stuff - Dry and cure. You remember what the handful of stuff taste like from the dehydrator, then take a couple puffs of this - Holy Cow..

 

[Bugus_Monkey]

Google or youtube trimming or manicuring weed or buds.
Only my opinion - - - -
If you live in an area of a dryer climate, leave your fan leaves on and if you live in a higher humidity area, trim as you hang.
Summer time drying in Illinois, I trim first, In the winter, like now, here, I leave all my big fan leaves on when drying.
That is just how I DO IT.. - THAT DOENT MAKE IT THE RIGHT WAY AT ALL !!!!

 

[CrashMagnet]

I use a dehydrator most of the time. I run it at 95 degrees in increments of 90 minutes. Between each increment I fill one jar and give it 6 hours before measuring RH. When it gets below 65% RH it's ready for jars and and burping to finish at 62% RH. Others who dry bud the traditional way have smoked plenty of bud I dehydrated, and say they can't tell the difference.

 

[Bugus_Monkey]

Very cool. I tried a bunch of ways to dry it faster. My best was I would lay one on the cable box before I went to work and when I got home, roll that up. Generally wasn't too nasty bad. That kind of info is good stuff know!

 

[CrashMagnet]

I'm playing with the lotus drying approach now. You put the trimmed buds in a paper bag or pizza box in the fridge, and flip the bag/box daily to keep the buds from getting flat spots. My poor sense of smell won't be able to tell the difference, I'm sure, but others say they can.

 

[RosterMan]

Why change perfection
I stick with my drying room set at 60/60

 

[Bugus_Monkey]

Based on my experience trying to get stuff dry faster, I would guess crash had a bit of practice fine tuning that. Or he is just good or lucky or a little bit of both. Hahaha. If I had one, I would def stick a bud or 2, 3 in early on and try his method.

 

[CrashMagnet]

^^ Maybe just less discerning : )

 

[Hippie420]

A dehydrator would be better than the microwave that I've heard of people doing, but I'd only do a couple of buds if I needed some to smoke, but I'd cure the rest old school. If I've got a huge crop, I always put them on the kitchen table with newspaper under 'em and kept a ceiling fan on low. After a few hours, I roll 'em over and let 'em sit for another hour or two. After that, it's the jar and burp routine.

 

[Neal Pritchard]

You got some tasty looking strong looking buds going there. You waited this long and based on the last set of pictures you are so close if not there.

Well last year I hung the branches in my basement which in the winter runs at 40% RH or so. My furnace has a vent that circulates air around the hanging branches. When they felt dry I put the buds in glass jars and stored in the dark with "Integra Boost, 2-Way Humidity Regulator" packets. The packets maintain the RH at 62%. I tried to burp the jars daily for a bit (more than 1 month). The buds came out this way such that they were dry but not crispy or crumbly to the touch.

 

[Hippie420]

Sounds like a plan!