How long can you leave plants hanging?

[Eternal Sun]

How long can you leave plants hanging post harvest?

Sorry if this has been covered. I tried searching several ways, but found nothing about my situation.

At harvest time (outdoor grow), in Michigan, I was caught short (had to cut everything due to 2 inches of snowfall arriving the next day), so basically cut and hung everything.

Most plants got hung whole, with as many fan leaves removed as I could. But not all of them.

Hanging environment is a small pole barn, with clotheslines strung across side to side, no windows (dark), couple of fans (just for air circulation- not blowing directly on them), open soffits (increased airflow), and a ridge vent.

No control for temperature or humidity. However the weeks following harvest were almost perfect 60 degrees and 60% humidity for the most part. And I trimmed and jarred what I could as I progressed.

It’s been about 11 weeks since harvest and still have a few plants hanging. During this time as the temperature drops around 20F-40F degree range, the humidity sometimes increases (rainy days = high humidity 80-90+% inside the barn) the plants absorb this moisture and go from dry to almost “soggy”, and dries out again during dry days.

So far nothing seems to be adversely effected,

What I have smoked is smooth and good.

Some of the large buds (OG Kush) did show bud rot, and those buds were discarded. But that rot could have also been present at harvest, as far as I know. No other rot has been found at this point.
So far I just keep trimming away, as fast as I can.

Now for the important questions:

How long can I let them hang?

How long is too long?

Thanks in advance for the advice, and constructive criticism.

 

[oldfogey8]

My concern would be mold and/or missing the cure zone(especially since it is not a controlled environment) . Looks like you have quite a few plants do it is understandable that you couldn’t get them all barbered up. I don’t know how long is too long though.

 

[WeedHopper]

Ill be right over.

I go by feel.
My outside plants always get trimmed into single limbs and then hung up until the buds feel dry on the outside but still squishy when squeezed. Then i take it down,,trim ,and put into jars for curing and of course burping.
BUT,,I only grow a few plants at a time because of where i live.

 

[Eternal Sun]

My concern would be mold and/or missing the cure zone(especially since it is not a controlled environment) . Looks like you have quite a few plants do it is understandable that you couldn’t get them all barbered up. I don’t know how long is too long though.

Yes I too am worried about mold, and look closely with jewelry loops to ensure there is none, but I think it has been cured for awhile now, if that happens, lol.

Seems everyone does the 7-10 day hang, then jar / cure / burp.

I really just want to know if anyone has hung plants beyond the traditional time frame, and what the result was.

So far I am sampling as I go, and have not been disappointed thus far

 

[bigsur51]

we have some plants still hanging , going on 27 months

i will try and take a photo and i will pinch off a bud and smoke it and let ya know how it was

 

[Eternal Sun]

we have some plants still hanging , going on 27 months

i will try and take a photo and i will pinch off a bud and smoke it and let ya know how it was

27 months! Wow. I’m definitely not going to be that long, I’m actually progressing along well. But that is pretty much the information I’m seeking.

 

[bigsur51]

27 months! Wow. I’m definitely not going to be that long, I’m actually progressing along well. But that is pretty much the information I’m seeking.

i am pretty sure it will smoke just fine….maybe a little to dry

we can keef it and make some stony hash i guess

there is plenty in the freezer , seal a meal freezer bags vacuumed tight , same stuff and it smokes pretty good after 27 months

ecsd x ogers , some skunks , etc etc

 

[Eternal Sun]

So far it has smoked really good, except some strains (LSD, and a couple others) get extremely gooey by about 1/2 joint smoked.

 

[RosterMan]

So far it has smoked really good, except some strains (LSD, and a couple others) get extremely gooey by about 1/2 joint smoked.

Gooey is the best LOL
Get a heat press and make some Rosin

 

[pute]

Ill be right over.

I go by feel.
My outside plants always get trimmed into single limbs and then hung up until the buds feel dry on the outside but still squishy when squeezed. Then i take it down,,trim ,and put into jars for curing and of course burping.
BUT,,I only grow a few plants at a time because of where i live.

^^^yup. One thing to add.....when the small branches snap when bent it is time to trim. You are gonna need some help......

 

[Eternal Sun]

They got to the snapping point, then high humidity made them limp and non snappy again. However I still keep trimming, because I know I have to.

 

[pute]

Yup, with all those plants you don't want them to get to dry.

 

[WeedHopper]

Just remember to burp burp burp. Dont want any moldy weed.

 

[Eternal Sun]

My progress…yes it’s snowing

 

[oldfogey8]

i am pretty sure it will smoke just fine….maybe a little to dry

we can keef it and make some stony hash i guess

there is plenty in the freezer , seal a meal freezer bags vacuumed tight , same stuff and it smokes pretty good after 27 months

ecsd x ogers , some skunks , etc etc

I have been smoking some 3 year old Sweet Cindy(dried and cured them stored in a mason jar with a Boveda pack). That stuff is amazing. Golden buds which are pretty but the pain relief is darn near instantaneous. An ortho doc told me I needed a hip replacement 10+ years ago but I was running 6 miles a day a few times a week at the time so he was surprised but told me to revisit him when I couldn’t run anymore(lol). Hips(both of ‘em) are killing me lately(damned Nordic genes) but I ain’t going under the knife in these times. A little CBN heavy weed seems to do the trick.

 

[bigsur51]

My progress…yes it’s snowing

that snow is good for the plant

slow cure

 

[Eternal Sun]

Snowing another 4” overnight. 29 degrees 70% humidity

 

[bigsur51]

Snowing another 4” overnight. 29 degrees 70% humidity

perfect

 

[sharonp]

So far it has smoked really good, except some strains (LSD, and a couple others) get extremely gooey by about 1/2 joint smoked.

I'm growing LSD autflower right now. I like it a lot.

 

[Eternal Sun]

Just an update for anyone following, I’ve trimmed all the important stuff, now just down to three remaining plants (full plants). Not sure if they are worth the effort. I’ll sample some, and most likely just trim the big buds. And burn the rest. Never doing this many ever again, lol