Drying!

[pax125]

On my 6th crop and still can't get the right technique! I either, but not limited to, drying too fast or don't crop at the right time??? That's why I've come to you.
I flower from 3 to 3.5 months. Wait til trichs are somewhat red and crop. The last crop some trichs were bent over but that may be a different issue all together. The most stable environment I can find at my place is between 49 and 32 humidity and 74 and 78 degrees. I'm using a drying rack made out of a cardboard box. The crop before last I dried 5 days and they ended up too dry and smelled like hay and wasn't all that potent. The current one I dried for 3 and appears to have the same issue. I jarred them last night. Will look to see how they are this morning. Tired of going through all the trouble of growing then crapping out come bloom time. I haven't been letting them flush as I have some coming into bloom from veg before I crop. Any ideas? Questions? Ask away! Thanks!!

 

[Backwards-Critter]

Try reading the thread "curing by the numbers" that Hick re-posted, originally written by Simon



http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54451

 

[Hushpuppy]

Yeah that curing by the numbers is a good read on the right way to dry and cure. You do some varying from what he says but not far.

Now I'm not sure how much you know so I'll go back to basics. If you know this already, just bear with me a bit. With the potency of the plants, it sounds like you may be pulling too early, IF what you are calling trichs are actually the white pistels of the flowers. Do you look at the "trichs" through a magnifying glass or scope or are you looking at white hairs with your naked eye? Also do you know the strain or if it is very sativa or very indica in its structure? These will tell us how long you should flower.

I just looked back at where you said you flower for 12-15weeks. You may be going way past the prime if the plants are predominantly Indica in structure.

 

[pax125]

Right now I am growing tutankhamun. Time wise it does seem like a long time to be in flowering but I do use a handheld magnifier with a light. I wait until the trichs are around 30% red. I'm using 1000w hps that stays directy above. No track. I believe it is a sativa/indica mix. Mostly sativa.

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

BAh, this scares me, as I'm getting ready for my first harvest and everything is looking and smelling so great!

I'm seconding guessing EVERY aspect of curing and I hope I sort this out in the next couple weeks.

 

[pax125]

It is scary. Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes!

 

[Hushpuppy]

Drying is not as difficult as it seems. The key is to have it in a space that is contained but has air moving through it. And it needs to be dark when drying. I build a cabinet that is enclosed and has screen shelves that I place my buds on to dry. There is a small computer fan in the top of it that pulles air out, and there passive air holes in the bottom to let fresh air in. Some people do their cabinets with string across in in rows so that they can hang their buds. I don't have a fan blowing air in the space as that would dry them out too fast, but the exaust fan continually removes moisture laden air.

I let mine sit unchecked for 3-4 days then check to see how they are doing. If they are getting too dry, I cut the fan timer on to turn the fan off periodically to allow the buds to dry more slowly. Or if I don't have the cabinet full, just half, then I will turn the timer on at the beginning as smaller amounts will dry quicker in the same cabinet space. I typically never dry for more than 7-10days(16-20oz)

 

[pax125]

I let this last plant stay in my homemade cardboard rack. it was only in there 3 day as 4 days last time dried it out enough to begin smelling like hay. Now this one even though being burped in the jars is still pretty Damn moist. Especially the one that had the cola before i cut the buds off the day after i put them in the jar. They started to develope mold so i quickly remove the bad buds and let the jar breath for a while. This next plant i have drying now im going to try three and a half days to see what kinda difference it makes. None the less the stems never get to the point to which the stems actually break. Right now they are too wet or too dry. 3.5 days is my next attempt which will be tomorrow a.m. I like the idea of putting them in the box with the exhaust fan but does that mean I should have a lid on my box now? Also I do not flush as I only have three plants going at a time in each phase and there is always fresh ones in flower. Don't know if this has any effect at all. There seems to be mixed opinions. What about the hygrometer? Does anyone use one?

 

[Hushpuppy]

It sounds like your drying box is too dry for them. It is drying them too quickly, which is making them crispy on the outsides while still quite wet on the insides. The cardboard is probably the problem, being dry paper. I built my drying cabinet out of plywood and it is fully enclosed so that I can control the level of humidity and drying. Many people do use hygrometers for drying and curing, but if you build or buy a stable environment and can maintain it, then you won't need the hygrometer every time, only for getting it set up and anytime there are changes to the environment.

If you can't build a cabinet, go to the nearest landfill/trashdump and go to the appliance/metal recycling area and pick up a small, dead refridgerator with the door still on and functional(you won't need it to work). You can cut small holes in the bottom and a larger hole in the top and mount a computer fan to pull air through the fridge. Then you will be able to control the amount of humidity by putting the fan on a timer.

 

[pax125]

Do u think its a problem in itself to not have a lid on my rack? What if i line it with mylar? I actually have a old mini refrigerator that I can set up for a dryer if need be. How can I increase the humidity in it if I need more? How do you seal the one u made out of wood?

 

[DrFever]

pax your best bet for doing it properly is this way ask mainebud he followed my way of drying to the tee and was amazed not only did it dry it dyed and cured at the same time
The best way i found drying lots of weed was by using screens ( door screens)
1 - 2 fans per 36 x 48 screen room has to be dark with temps in the low 60's with fans 2 feet away from the buds blowing on and over them
do this for 3 full days
you will notice the surface of buds are dry but trust me inside isn;t so after 3 days on screens you will want to get a garbage bag place all buds in bag twist top of bag and press out all air really compress bag so there is no air in the bag now leave it for 6 - 8 hrs ( in bag ) then take it out place back on screens fans on for another 8 - 24 hrs what you have done is sweat out the buds moisture back to surface of bud so 24 hrs later they will be done bag em opening the bags up

Remember hotter the room the buds will change colors to none desirable looks , keep room low 60's <-- this helps with the slow dry and cure process so it slow drys normally 3 -4 days on screens then 6 - 8 hrs in compressed garbage bag then back on screen 12 - 24 hrs then bag them there done opening them up daily for like 5 mins

 

[pax125]

I'm dealing in a crop of only 3 plants at a time. Given my conditions I cannot get the right temps. Tried screens but Really dried quickly. I couldn't get to three days without them to be too crispy.

 

[grass hopper]

pax your best bet for doing it properly is this way ask mainebud he followed my way of drying to the tee and was amazed not only did it dry it dyed and cured at the same time
The best way i found drying lots of weed was by using screens ( door screens)
1 - 2 fans per 36 x 48 screen room has to be dark with temps in the low 60's with fans 2 feet away from the buds blowing on and over them
do this for 3 full days
you will notice the surface of buds are dry but trust me inside isn;t so after 3 days on screens you will want to get a garbage bag place all buds in bag twist top of bag and press out all air really compress bag so there is no air in the bag now leave it for 6 - 8 hrs ( in bag ) then take it out place back on screens fans on for another 8 - 24 hrs what you have done is sweat out the buds moisture back to surface of bud so 24 hrs later they will be done bag em opening the bags up

THIS sounds great and would love to try, as i too have had a difficult time KEEPING odors dank.
HOW DO YOU KEEP A ROOM OR AREA AT 60 DEGREES??? my ac units can't handle that, i think.. also, i think the size of the buds will make a difference on how long to screen..

 

[mistisrising]

On my 6th crop and still can't get the right technique! I either, but not limited to, drying too fast or don't crop at the right time??? That's why I've come to you.
I flower from 3 to 3.5 months. Wait til trichs are somewhat red and crop. The last crop some trichs were bent over but that may be a different issue all together. The most stable environment I can find at my place is between 49 and 32 humidity and 74 and 78 degrees. I'm using a drying rack made out of a cardboard box. The crop before last I dried 5 days and they ended up too dry and smelled like hay and wasn't all that potent. The current one I dried for 3 and appears to have the same issue. I jarred them last night. Will look to see how they are this morning. Tired of going through all the trouble of growing then crapping out come bloom time. I haven't been letting them flush as I have some coming into bloom from veg before I crop. Any ideas? Questions? Ask away! Thanks!!

What are you venting the space with? I had a problem with mine drying too quick. I dry in the grow space, and the fan I use for ventilation is too much for drying. So I added a inline booster (home depot) which is only a few cfm, and is just enough for drying if I turn off the other one. I put a small fan blowing across the bottom to keep it moving in there, and hang from the top. The humidity always stays around 50%, the temps at 70F, and it takes a about a week. Usually the smaller buds are really dry, but it all evens out in the jars. Haven't had a problem since I fixed the ventilation issue.

Since I use a 4x4 tent, and a small booster fan is enough to keep mine from molding. You may only need to put a computer fan in a small rubbermaid container to dry three plants. You still have high temps to deal with, but you may be able to fight it by getting rid of the cardboard, and adjusting the ventilation. Good luck.

 

[HighBrixMMJ]

Make sure you leave the buds on the stems during the drying process. The stems hold a lot of moisture and slowly wicks into the buds over time slowing the drying process, if its drying too fast turn the fans off for a while, the key is to let the chlorophyll dissipate before drying is done, this is the grassy smell you're getting. When you dry too fast it locks the grassy hay smell (chlorophyll) into the buds. I let it go for at least a week if not two in my drying cabinet, I use a hygrometer and pay attention to the temp and humidity the whole time. It needs optimal conditions to slow dry properly! Then to the jars to cure. If I see drying too fast I simply jar for twelve or so hours to bring moisture from the center out, and return to the drying box. The slower the dry the better your dank will smell and smoke!

 

[pax125]

Last night they looked pretty good considering all prev crops. The only thing I did different was put a cardboard bottom on instead of carpet. Still looks like they could dry some more as apposed to last crop. I do leave them on the stems when hanging. I do not seal the top off. That's a question that I have if I need one. Maybe I'm releasing too much moisture at once. I have a fan and a power supply now and may hook up tonight. Small computer fan and shoild i put it on top or on bottom likMistisrising is suggesting? I was venting them with a couple cutouts on top but that didn't work to well so I sealed them and have an external fan blowing slightly aside box at low speed to keep circulation. The ones I have jarred now are still pretty moist! One jar even began to mold on a couple buds so i quickly removed. Scared to leave open too long as they get pretty dry quickly. I don't think I need rubber tubs as there is only one plant with about 3 oz's and my dry rack is only about 3x2. Still considering the fridge idea as the last extreme resort. Help! More hanging with one to cut as soon as this one is done.

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

I want to make something like this cabinet. Either way, I need to make something within the next week or 2... I'm getting REALLY close to my due date and am still nearly clueless (at least I feel like) about this process.

hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLJzeBF_VRs

I feel like I surely can not find a place cool enough! I've read to try to keep it in the 60's??!?! :holysheep:

 

[grass hopper]

I want to make something like this cabinet. Either way, I need to make something within the next week or 2... I'm getting REALLY close to my due date and am still nearly clueless (at least I feel like) about this process.

hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLJzeBF_VRs

I feel like I surely can not find a place cool enough! I've read to try to keep it in the 60's??!?! :holysheep:

:yeahthat: