Drying

[dan]

hello

was wondering how people dry there bud out once cutt. is it any good to hang it in the grow room whith the light on or does this dry it to fast?

Also when is a plant ready to harvest (when all hairs are orange)?? and does it get any better or do any harm if you leave it growing for longer?

[dan]

most of it looks like this. bit leafy i think?

[dan]

and this

[OMH]

light degrades THC, as does heat.

The best way to dry your buds is to trim the leaves while they are still wet (otherwise they stick to the buds and are a nightmare), hang the stalks up somewhere dark on lines, that is well ventilated and has a fan in there to move the air around (to reduce the risk of mold). Leave them there for 10 - 14 days, until the stalks are brittle and snap easily, then cut the buds off, stick them in a brown paper bag (don't use white ones, cos they have bleach in them) for another 5 - 7 days, then put the bud in glass jars for 4 - 8 weeks to cure them

[dan]

fu** do you really leave it that long thats like two hole months, i was thinkin dry it for a week or two max

[OMH]

depends if you want to do it properly. You can quick dry it inside a fortnight, but the strength and taste will suffer, and it will end up being harsh.

Also, lots of people make the mistake of thinking its dry when the outside of the buds seem dry - if the stalk is not fully dried out, then the buds are not dry, and can turn to mush if put in a baggie at this point.

It seems a shame to spend all that time and money growing it, to rush things at the end, and finish up with an inferior product.

If you are that short, smoke some of the crap from the bottom of the plant for a few weeks until your stuff is done properly

[pinhead1337]

cut the buds off, stick them in a brown paper bag (don't use white ones, cos they have bleach in them) for another 5 - 7 days, then put the bud in glass jars for 4 - 8 weeks to cure them

what does the paper bag thing do? And what actually happens to the bud during curing that makes it more potent?

[OMH]

the brown paper bag draws the last of the real moisture out of the buds once they have been removed from the stalks. You miss this part out, and there is a chance the plants will sweat and go moldy during curing

Curing means that compounds such as CBD get converted to THC during the curing process, as well as breaking down the excess nitrogen in the plant matter, and so removing that harsh green taste.

[Cheech]

i dont do the brown paper bag stage and it is always ok.. might give it a go next harvest to see if it makes a difference..

i normally start smoking my bud after they are dry and the stems make a 'snap' when bent, but i do put the whole lot in glass jars and the bud it gets stronger and taste's nicer over time...

[StonedBrittania]

For those who haven't got much space i've found drying inside a large cardboard box does it very nicely. Just string some line across the top of the box and let it hang inside, cover the top to stop any light getting in and leave open for an hour or so a day.

Personally i've found the buds are dry enough to smoke after 10-14 days of drying, but while it may be dry enough to smoke it's just not comparible to the quality after the same buds have been cured in glass jars for at least 2 weeks. Give it 2 months and it will smoke like a dream mmmm

SB

[Nitramkram]

uglybudly Serious controled curing there goin.

one Q - How big is the machine and room you need ?

[evoh_1]

couldn't you just build a cupboard dessicator using colour activated silica gel in the bottom with gauze over the top, with a small fan and the buds hanging. Just a plan in my mind couldn't be that expensive and doesn't use heat which damages the THC quality. you would need to seal the cupboard probably.

[Nitramkram]

Too big to use as a 'hair dryer' - which gives me an idea why not use a hairdryer set upon a holding rack

What Ya think !