Drying and curing first time

[Dabs]

Hello there I’ve had my super lemon haze drying now for 4 weeks - I think I’m ready to start curing, as the plant is not so damp.  So dose the pots I put the green into to cure have to be completely air tight? I have coffee containers that seal pretty decent but not 100% air tight.  

Thank you in advance.  
 

 

[MidgeSmith]

Presuming the plant material is in the sweetspot 58% - 65% somewhere, the ideal container for curing is a mason jar as they seal well. A good seal is wise as it allows you to keep the buds at the right level of humidity inside the jars while they cure. It also stops the smell of the ever improving buds from filling the building that they are in.

An alternative is Grove Bags which are plastic bags with a semi permeable membrane that allows the buds inside to remain in the humidity sweetspot and cure over time without letting the smell out the bag.

 

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As you burp the containers over time - letting out stale gases and humidity for a few minutes each day for a couple of weeks or so, presuming the right moisture level going in, the buds will have a chance to cure. I put a hygrometer in each jar and do 2 weeks with 5 minutes burping or so each day.  If the relative humidity inside is over 65%, I leave the jar open longer in a room with lower RH to help the buds dry out a bit.  If the RH is over 70%, I get the buds out and lay them on paper for 10 minutes to half an hour to allow some of that moisture to move on.  After the first 2 weeks, I start to taper off the frequency of burping until the buds are stabilised at 60%-62% and I consider them done.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by MidgeSmith

[Dabs]

Just now, MidgeSmith said:

Presuming the plant material is in the sweetspot 58% - 65% somewhere, the ideal container for curing is a mason jar as they seal well. A good seal is wise as it allows you to keep the buds at the right level of humidity inside the jars while they cures. An alternative is Grove Bags which are plastic bags with a semi permeable membrane that allows the buds inside to remain in the humidity sweetspot and cure over time without letting the smell out the bag.

 

---

As you burp the containers over time - letting out stale gases and humidity for a few minutes each day for a couple of weeks or so, presuming the right moisture level going in, the buds will have a chance to cure. I put a hygrometer in each jar and do 2 weeks with 5 minutes burping or so each day.  If the relative humidity inside is over 65%, I leave the jar open longer in a room with lower RH to help the buds dry out a bit.  If the RH is over 70%, I get the buds out and lay them on paper for 10 minutes to half an hour to allow some of that moisture to move on.  After the first 2 weeks, I start to taper off the frequency of burping until the buds are stabilised at 60%-62% and I consider them done.

 

Hi there, 

 

Thank you for your info on my situation - yes the sweet spot is just about there I think.  I’ve ordered some mason jars on your advice buddy.   So my plants can dry a little longer until Sunday.  
 

Thank you so much for your help.  

Just now, MidgeSmith said:

 

 

 

[MidgeSmith]

You're very welcome.  Just try not to let the buds get drier than 58% or so as they will stop curing and then nothing can restart it.  Unfortunately, I know all too well as that hapenned to some of my plants by accident on the previous grow.

Not everyone likes them, but I think Boveda 62% sachets are great for raising humidity a bit if it starts to fall. Some have concerns that they leech away terpenes, but I have to say if your buds do get too dry, it is a risk that is worth taking. Alternatively, if you have frozen any leaves from harvest, you can use those to raise the moisture in the jar.  That is risk free as long as there were no mould spores knocking about at harvest.

Hopefully you won't need those, but I did and I always think it is a good idea to have some knocking about in case

Best of luck with your cure!

[Slippy One]

Hang 'em whole 2 weeks. First 2 days humidity at 50%, then back to 60% is fine as long as temps are low,. between 18-21max, lower is better mine was 19-20C this year. Then dry trim, Trimbag/TrimBin etc, then make the decision on is it dry enough for airtight? If not, it's a good idea to put the trimmed buds into brown paper bags a few days to crisp up the outside before going into airtight cure. I recommend GroveBags they don't need burping, airtight & smell proof, plus they can be reused for cheaper than mason or le parfait jars. 4 weeks is long but you should be good as long as your drying humidity didn't do below 40%. Over dry and no amount of Bovedas or fresh frozen leaf will fix it. I always thought the growing part was hard, it's easy compared to a well cured end product! 

 

The process of curing is a redistribution of the inner moisture, which is wicked out buy the crispier outer layer. This can only happen in an airtight (jar - GroveBag etc), so don't bother unless it's a proper seal (fresh rubber seals every year) - if using jars. 

 

Heat and light are now the enemies of the jarred buds. The coolest spot in my house is the cupboard under the stairs. 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Slippy One

[Guest anarchycamp]

Plants having dampness of any kind after 4 weeks drying, that's a new one to me. Any pictures you can upload?

[MidgeSmith]

11 minutes ago, Slippy One said:

If not, it's a good idea to put the trimmed buds into brown paper bags a few days to crisp up the outside before going into airtight cure.

Have you a local source for brown paper bags @Slippy One?  I ordered brown paper sandwich bags off Ebay last time I needed some, but I'm sure there's cheaper for the same thing.

 

[Slippy One]

4 minutes ago, anarchycamp said:

Plants having dampness of any kind after 4 weeks drying, that's a new one to me. Any pictures you can upload?

Room humidity above 60 and they’ll be perfect, 2-4 weeks is fine unless rh drops below 40%. Then you’re wrecked 

[Slippy One]

3 minutes ago, MidgeSmith said:

Have you a local source for brown paper bags @Slippy One?  I ordered brown paper sandwich bags off Ebay last time I needed some, but I'm sure there's cheaper for the same thing.

 

It takes me so long to discretely trim my buds I don’t need paper bags anymore but have reused the big Amazon Fresh bags. Another crude method is scattering them on a tray overnight but that might be too quick, maybe check them every 6hrs. 
 

I do this overnight when doing a big dry sift run, as moist buds are rubbish on hash screens. Overnight is enough for even the dampest buds to crumble.  

[MidgeSmith]

Yeah, I like the sandwich bag size for quick tests and in case I needed a quick wicking away of moisture.  I have more problem drying slow enough than needing to speed it up, but 'be prepared' isn't a bad motto.  Like the Boveda, I like having them there, but I like it most when I don't use them. Even though I haven't had negative experiences with them and terpene loss, I don't want to experience it if it happens sometimes.  Have a good one.

[Dabs]

Hello everyone, 

 

I thought I’d update this post as to help with first time growers like myself.  I’ve now been curing for coming upto the second week and my buds are slowly starting to move along nicely.  
 

One question I’d like to ask is - when I burp my glasses I’m smelling a cut grass kind of smell?  Is this normal and how long until it goes away ?  
 

Also anyone new to growing I highly recommend gloves of some type when you’re trimming your buds down to get ready for curing - as you get covered in stickiness    

[Darknight420710]

3 hours ago, Dabs said:

 

Also anyone new to growing I highly recommend gloves of some type when you’re trimming your buds down to get ready for curing - as you get covered in stickiness    

I dont. 

 

That stickiness when fingers rubbed together gets you lovely black hash. I got nearly a 1.5g of nice soft squidgy, 

 

Would definitely recommend a trim bin as I got whats in my profile pic from loose lower buds that weren't smokable.. I froze it all and I'm still knocking stuff off 

[Dreamer420]

49 minutes ago, Darknight420710 said:

I dont. 

 

That stickiness when fingers rubbed together gets you lovely black hash. I got nearly a 1.5g of nice soft squidgy, 

 

I saw some else suggest powder free gloves, and then when you’re done, freeze the gloves and then it all peels off easy

[MidgeSmith]

Yeah, I use powder free nitrile gloves and then pull off the hash from the plastic once it is frozen.

[MidgeSmith]

5 hours ago, Dabs said:

Hello everyone, 

 

I thought I’d update this post as to help with first time growers like myself.  I’ve now been curing for coming upto the second week and my buds are slowly starting to move along nicely.  
 

One question I’d like to ask is - when I burp my glasses I’m smelling a cut grass kind of smell?  Is this normal and how long until it goes away ?  
 

Also anyone new to growing I highly recommend gloves of some type when you’re trimming your buds down to get ready for curing - as you get covered in stickiness    

@Dabs it isn't abnormal.  I've found most of my crops have been grassy for a while and then become aromatic.  I have had a couple of grows that didn't really ever smell grassy, but the smell of the plants dipped during drying while moisture was leaving the plants and came back afterwards.