Confusion over drying and curing and plant readyness to harvest

[stephenc]

I have a few Afghan Pearl growing for the last few months and am ready to harvest them.

I think they're ready to harvest, but am wondering if I should leave them a little longer. If I do, can they go past their best?

Would it be better to dry them for a long period, perhaps months? How would that affect them?

I've read the The Rough Guide To Harvesting And Curing at http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?/topic/38959-the-rough-guide-to-harvesting-and-curing/ but still don't really understand the benefits or reason for curing as opposed to simply drying them and then decarbing them in the oven.

My other confusion is wondering if curing means leaving them for months in the acid form in the hope they will decarb themselves?

Thanks in advance for all advice.

 

[MindSoup]

I can't see from those photos to make a call on ripeness, you need to check the trichomes on the buds (not sugar leaves) to make an accurate assessment.

 

If your going to be extracting/cooking it into edibles then you don't need to cure them yiu can as you suggested just dey and decarb ir even use it fresh.

 

If you're smoking/vaping the buds they will become stronger, smellier/tastier and smoother if you give them a few months in the jars (cure them). Just to be clear, you don't need to decarb before you smoke/vape. 

 

The slower you dry them the more of the chlorophyll and other water soluble compounds will be able to escape, you want to get rid of as much of them as possible as they're not psychoactive and they make the smoke harsh, 21 days is a good number to aim for. Again if its for edibles/extraction then it won't really matter as much. 

 

 

 

[Guest]

They should be done within 4 weeks max .

Looks like week 5 or 6 flower probz 2 weeks tbf but its a pic and im no expert.

 

Dry is till its 55 to 62 rh no less thsn 55rh

 

Cure happens when the stems crack and snap without bending as the moistures left.

 

And curing hsppens in glass jars burping stsle air out which take a month or 2

[stephenc]

Thanks MindSoup and B-real, so just to be clear, I was hoping to BOTH eat them in their raw acid form over a few weeks AND also decarb them to eat between a biscuit with butter as I don't like to smoke them.

I'm worried that if I dry or over dry them that I'll lose the valuable terpenes.

[Degsy]

Have you ever considered vaping ? Otherwise making cannabutter might be good for your purposes.

You do need to decarb though if you are eating it.

 

[Guest]

U need to dry if ur not using a method that preseves it without drying.

 

It will go mouldy if u dnt dry it so earing it wet wont last without rotting and it wont work anyway without decarb.

 

U can make bubble hash then use the hash to eat .

 

Hash tastes quite nice bit like rocket peppery lol.

 

I dunno ul figure something out .

 

Good luck.

 

B.