Curing process stops under 50% - Is there any science behind this?

[TheFertilizer]

I keep reading this and it seems like it's just some kind of myth. Is this written by someone somewhere that's verified by fact? I mean what is it based off of?

The reason I'm suspicious is because I just dried my crop until the stems were snappy, and then jarred them up. My hygrometer was reading between 35-40% in the jars, all the way down to 25% This is how I always dry it.

So here's my problem, when I wait a month for a cure, my buds definitely end up tasting and smelling better, like I can tell the transition from that kind of hay like smell to smelling like weed over time.

But if my hygrometer says it's way below 50%, then how can the idea that the cure stops be true?

 

[Weaselcracker]

Thanks for asking this. I have my suspicions as well. If my bud comes from the drier at 55 RH or less then I just rehydrate it up to around 60 by spreading it out in a humid environment for a while.
I think most of that burping routine is just a drying process. Some people claim there is some sort of off-gassing taking place - but it's one of those things that just seems to get repeated with no actual info behind it. I'll do a side by side test with this - drying some to a crisp before jarring and some the regular way, and see if there is a difference. It'll have to be done with a post Christmas harvest, if I don't forget.

 

[TheFertilizer]

Sweet Weaselcracker I look forward to the experiment.

I have been looking up information on the Boveda packs and found a thread where they apparently came out with 54% ones instead of the 62% ones claiming that after input from the growing industry and further research that they found that a better level. However that's when someone came in and said "That's too close to 50% when the cure stops" and I'd heard that tale a time or two so got curious.

Anyway it was really the idea that 50% was a hard limit and when talking about humidity that's kind of like a magic number because certain types of transpiration stop or begin at or below 50% RH from what I know, but I'm just not really that knowledgeable about it. I just know my hygrometer is telling me that my preferred dryness level is way below 50%, and that if I wait a month it's going to taste and smell better, so it must be curing. Either the hygrometer is wrong or the idea of the cure stopping is wrong.

I think there might be some underlying misconception, like there is a scientific fact or principle that has just been repeated so many times that it's become mistranslated. I mean decomposition of the plant matter doesn't stop in regard to humidity. I think it must have more to do with how readily volatile gases within the plant cells are able to perspire out.

 

[Weaselcracker]

There are many myths that get repeated. I tested the theory of 'air bubbles' getting into your cutting stems when cloning (if you don't do everything fast and keep the cut ends in water, etc.). Cuttings left laying out in the air rooted as well (actually better in my mini experiment) as the ones that were kept in water.
I think 'water droplets on the leaves lending and causing burns' is another. There are a couple other recurring ideas I think are myths but they slip my mind at the moment.

 

[TheFertilizer]

There are many myths that get repeated. I tested the theory of 'air bubbles' getting into your cutting stems when cloning (if you don't do everything fast and keep the cut ends in water, etc.). Cuttings left laying out in the air rooted as well (actually better in my mini experiment) as the ones that were kept in water.
I think 'water droplets on the leaves lending and causing burns' is another. There are a couple other recurring ideas I think are myths but they slip my mind at the moment.

Heh yeah the water-droplets one always comes up. I always like to ask people why outdoor plants don't have that problem when it rains on them.

I wonder if it has something to do with these charts...

How temperature and humidity relate

Because I notice that at 70 F, which is what people seem to recommend for a curing temp, that at 50% the VPD goes out of the optimal ranges shown on the charts. Interesting to note, that mythical 60-65% range everyone seems to say is the best also seems to be right in the optimal range.

Probably just coincidence but the numbers match up...

Edit: Some more on VPD

The VPD is currently regarded of how plants really 'feel' and react to the humidity in the growing environment. From a plant's perspective the VPD is the difference between the vapor pressure inside the leaf compared to the vapor pressure of the air. If we look at it with an RH hat on; the water in the leaf and the water and air mixture leaving the stomata is (more often than not) completely saturated -100% RH. If the air outside the leaf is less than 100% RH there is potential for water vapor to enter the air because gasses and liquids like to move from areas of high concentration (in this example the leaf) into areas of lower concentration (the air). So, in terms of growing plants, the VPD can be thought of as the shortage of vapor pressure in the air compared to within the leaf itself.

Vapor Pressure Deficit - The Hidden Force on your Plants | Just For Growers

Of course this is talking about plants that are alive and growing, but it seems like this variable could have an effect. If there is moisture and/or gases in the leaves and they're at a certain pressure level, then if the pressure in their surrounding environment ( the jar ) is lower, then those gases will be pulled out from the higher pressure cells of the plant into the low pressure atmosphere of the jar. Of course, that article is talking about presuming a plant to be 100% humidity--because it's a live and full of water. I guess the real question would be what moisture content the buds are when they go into the jar? In the example growing we don't want the moisture to leave the leaves into the atmosphere, but for drying/curing that' exactly what we want.

I think that's where the missing science comes in. Because if we assume the buds are 50% moist when we jar them, then going by this logic it would mean that a jar that's 50% RH would have equal pressure. I guess that COULD be where this idea comes from, but that is relying on a lot of variables...

a. Moisture content of bud
b. Temperature of the air in the jar
c. Humidity of the air in the jar

 

[Papageno]

My understanding is there is a bacteria in there doing the curing. I wont go into that here but when the humidity gets below about 58 I think they start to die off.

You can get Bovida packs in different humidity levels and try different cures but in general people fined the 62 the best.

I think above about 68 things will mold.



Edit:
It is an anaerobic bacteria, meaning every time you open the jar and test it you are killing some of it off and extending the cure time. The whole point of the jarring is to give the bacteria time to breed and get to work. They need the oxygen to be gone. You open the jar and it slows that down. You need to burp to prevent mold but learn to do it as little as possible.

The bacteria will die off eventually and then you have what you have. The longer you can keep them alive the more they can do.

 

[TheFertilizer]

My understanding is there is a bacteria in there doing the curing. I wont go into that here but when the humidity gets below about 58 I think they start to die off.

You can get Bovida packs in different humidity levels and try different cures but in general people fined the 62 the best.

I think above about 68 things will mold.



Edit:
It is an anaerobic bacteria, meaning every time you open the jar and test it you are killing some of it off and extending the cure time. The whole point of the jarring is to give the bacteria time to breed and get to work. They need the oxygen to be gone. You open the jar and it slows that down. You need to burp to prevent mold but learn to do it as little as possible.

The bacteria will die off eventually and then you have what you have. The longer you can keep them alive the more they can do.

Ohhh okay, that makes a lot of sense. I've never heard of that before though, I've always heard of it just explained as the decomposition of the plant matter, but I guess those bacteria are part of the decomposition process?

Well I guess the question I have though is the 50% level really a hard limit? I mean do they all just straight up die at lower levels, or is it something where that's just kind of an estimation and there might still be some life left even though my jars are reading in the 30-40 range.

It's interesting to think of it as a bacterial process but it just makes me wonder what is the natural cause of death for them? I mean I assume they don't reproduce and die off naturally through the process.

 

[Dwight Monk]

Interesting topic, like many things in life seems like there is points of view kind of all over the place. I'm sure there is some "science" to it or that has been done, but not sure how much faith I can put in that all the time as in my mind it is hard to have a "control" standard with something that is living as so many factors could skew your "results". You can have two clones off same plant in same room but are they getting the same exact light/air circulation/soil composition/etc..? Same as buds off the same plant can be different in taste/effect/maturity so how can you take two buds and dry/cure them different and know your results really mean anything? I've read there is some chemical reaction that takes place while curing, I grasp it takes time to get rid of the chlorophyll to get rid of the "hay" taste/smell, but I think the whole Humidipack thing was taken from cigar folks but I don't know if pot really the same thing or if all that is like a "wives tale" kind of thing too and there is very little noticeable difference and just a way for them to sell you more crap you don't need (kind of like all the chemicals out there, some may make a difference and some may not).
It's a complex/complicated thing to say the least and a crapload of variables involved too. Just like as Rec is legal here I have found that THC% appears to not be a constant variable in the "high" you will get from it (Terps and a few other things factor into it it seems), as it is required to be tested and put on the label, as I have had some that tested under 20% THC kick just as hard as the more expensive 30+% THC Flower from the Dispensary. Or is it a plateau of you can only get so high and then your body just tries to get rid of the excess like when you drink too much and it is just a waste of alcohol at that point? But then you have the different flowers on same plant being different variable, so how accurate is a "test" really or a number that is potentially an "average" or only really accurate for what was tested is all.
Then we can throw in the "personal preference" factor, as "ideal" moisture content is going to vary slightly person to person same as a depends on your preferred way of smoking it variable potentially may be different slightly (Jay vs pipe vs water pipe). And a lot of other variables actually as I would think it would depend on RH of wherever you live being different (or times of year even) along with Temps and for all I know Elevation where you are too . I think the Humidipacks might be useful if you storing it long term (but what defines long term I'm not sure), not like I have to worry about that unless I get a higher yield off my plants growing in a box or change up where I"m growing as it won't be still be in a jar 6 months down the road more than likely.
Sorry for the ramble, tend to do that from time to time and especially when I don't sleep well, one of them nights here last night.

 

[Arctic Bowl]

TF, great topic and we would like to also hear more on this 50% limit as well. Had a few friends not care for Buds being at the 62% level saying it's too wet to smoke for them. May just be personal preference on what they are use to smoking. Wouldn't mind seeing some test results of Buds cured at less than 50% and Buds cured at over 50% with the 62% packs.

Blessed Buds our friend and be well

 

[Arctic Bowl]

Did a bit of reading and so far I've seen 40-60% for cure is ok. Like to see some facts with it though pretty much all opinion based as to what is "ideal". Cool to read all the different methods people are using though and the process they are using. Even read where some boil the roots of the plant prior to harvest and some that soak the roots for a few days in water prior to harvest.

Blessed Buds

 

[Arctic Bowl]

A Good Article On Drying And Curing - Harvesting and Processing Mature Marijuana - Michigan Medical Marijuana Association
Good read

 

[Arctic Bowl]

Ah yes. Harvest time has come. The buds are swollen, the trichomes are the exact color you have been waiting for. The smell is rich, and soon becomes almost overpowering as you tear into that first bud with shiny new scissors. Not too many of us really like big trim jobs, but we endure. We endure because we know that in a few short weeks we will be enjoying the fruits of our beloved labor.

Of course, we all know that this is not the finish line. On the contrary, this is only the beginning of the race...



The Cure
Oh yes, the cure. Many times has this been judged the most important part of the growing experience, and with good standing reason. This is the point where all our patience and skill will shine through, or take a dive into the miserable oblivian of smoking mere mediocre herb. Botch things here and it will all be for not. Though a perfect cure can help cover up some small discrepancies during your grow, having the best growing conditions on earth will not earn you a free pass through this hallowed gate my friend.

So, how's your cure? Perfect? Consistantly perfect? Are you a Cure Master? Hmm.. Prove it. What?

Did you know that your cure can be broken down into a mathematical equation? What if I told you that you can attain the perfect cure, the best cure possible, every single harvest? And what if it was as easy as painting by numbers? And what if this could totally affect the way you cure, wether you are a newbie, or an old seasoned head?

The following is not something I discovered myself. I was first introduced to it from a guy named Simon. All though he initially taylored it to cannabis he, of course, didn't really discover it either. We most likey owe that to producers of tobacco. Their techniques are somewhat different but since they are curing a plant intended for smoking..... Well, it's just simply a matter of numbers.. I have, in turn, borrowed this concept and brought it here. I have eliminated what I deemed unneccessary and added some of my own insights/experiences. I have also condensed the original information the best I could (as it was quite haphazardly introduced, and many facts/ideas were addressed in later installments) in my own words (which has, in turn, increased greatly in size), but all credit must be afforded Simon for bringing these techniques, in their raw form, to public scrutiny. This, by no means, suggests that the work (either the original, or here) is complete. There are assuredly many more facts, discoveries and techniques left to be uncovered. That said, let's begin..

Cannabis is an annual weed. It's purpose in life is singular and pure: Continued propagation. The female cannabis plant, through it's propagating qualities is naturally the ultimate focuse of this forum, along with many others just like it. In order for the female cannabis plant to fulfill her destiny, and to fill our jars, like all life on earth she needs water. Her flowering buds are full of it. It is the point of drying them to release this water. The cure, on the other hand, is a bit more complicated. In contrast, the cure is an attempt to delay this release of water over time. It is this juggling act that is in dire need of deciphering and it is this thread that will show exactly how it is done. It is said that the bud of a cannabis plant continues to live for a certain amount of time after it is cut from it's stem ( per Ed Rosenthal), in some cases a couple of days. I personally think this is crazy. This is akin to cutting off a chickens head. A lot of good it did the chicken.. Unless your bud has the ability to sprout instant roots and walk itself to an empty pot it is, for all intensive purposes, d, e, a, d, dead. This, by no means, insinuates that there are not living cells and processes to be found, but without the ability to replenish water, the drying has begun. Even though the bud has begun it's dry cycle, there is still plenty of water in it to allow various cells to continue to function. Since the main stem has been cut they have no choice but to pull water and nutrients (in the form of clorophyl and other complex carbohydrates) from stores in the bud and process them into simple carbohydrates (simple sugars) in order to continue to function normally. The more complex carbohydrates that are broken down and the more simple carbohydrates that are used and the more moisture that is lost, the better your buds will be. Within this process is the secret to the perfect cure..


First we will break it down into phases. This seems easiest as you can refer back to any point of the cure by phase. Try to think of it like landing an airplane...

Phase one: The dry. This is kind of like preparing to land. The first thing you want to do is come to altitude and lower your landing gear. Basically, once you cut your bud, you need to decide what to do with it. Most of us go ahead and trim it now. Once it is trimmed to our liking, the bud is hung to dry.

Phase two: The pre-cure. This is somewhat like landing your airplane. The trick is to set it down on the runway at just the right angle as you begin to reduce your speed. This is where the mathematics come into play. What you are looking for here is the "feel". When your hanging bud begins to "feel" like it is drying out, but the stems are still flexible, it is time to jar. Don't worry, we will revisit this phase in more detail in a bit..

Phase three: The cure. Now your airplane is on the runway. This is where you are focusing on your instruments and applying the brakes. This is the actual part of the cure. It is a benefit to keep your bud in this stage for as long as possible. Actually, this may be a little misleading as some folks may like some cures better than others. In other words, this is the point where smells and flavors can change drastically. Depending on what it is you are after will dictate exactly how long you keep this phase in check. But only you can decide what you like.

Phase four: Storage. Well, the flight is over, time to put the airplane away. We have finally reached a point where the curing process has greatly slowed down and it is safe to store your bud.



Hygrometer is needed.

Phase one. 70% RH: This starts out just like any other time you have done it. Once you have harvested your bud and trimmed it to your liking, hang it in a cool dark place. This is where we will part from tradition. Allow it to hang until the buds begin to feel like they are drying (note the temps and rh as this will rarely be the same during subsequent harvests). They will start to lose their "softness" in favor of a slightly crispy texture. We don't want to allow it to dry until the stems snap. THIS IS WRONG! We want the stems to be flexible. Not totally soft, but not snapping, either. If allowed to dry until the stems snap we risk it drying too much and losing an opportunity to take full advantage of the cure window. You see once the bud reaches the 55% RH range, the cure is dead. No amount of moisture added will revive this. If you are a brown bag dryer you can still use this technique, although I no longer do. I feel it is unneccessary at this point in the drying process. Just make sure you do not over dry. Also, this is a perfect time to calibrate your hygrometers with your new calibrating kit. This phase may take anywhere from 2 to 7 days depending on ambient temp, RH and strain, etc. It is important to be right on top of this phase. Sometimes we will notice thinner stemmed buds getting done quicker. It is ok to take these first and put them in the jar. Just screw the cap on very loosely until the bulk of the bud joins it.



Phase two. 65%+ to 70%RH: This is where the numbers game begins to kick in. Once you have reached the crispy bud/flexible stem stage, it is time to jar it up. Now there are a few options here.. Really you can jar it up just like always. Only, fill your jar 3/4 to 4/5 full so you have room to use your hygrometer. You can leave it on the stem, stem free, whatever. I personally prefer it in it's finished state, no stems. You can leave just a few stems intact for the sake of testing stem flexibility. Also, with more stems comes more moisture. This may fit well with your style, but it also may play havoc if mold is present. Once your bud is in the jar drop in the hygrometer and cap it. Keep an eye on your meter for the next hour or so. What we are shooting for in this phase is 70% RH maximum. If you hit 71% or greater, you will have to take the bud out to dry more. If this seems a little tricky here, it is. The cure, even though we are still in the dry phase, has been happening to a small degree since the moment the bud was cut. Basically now we are juggling time with mold prevention. We want to avoid any instance of mold, but we want to get every second of cure time in that we can. The goal in this phase is to start at a 70% maximum RH and, in a timely and mold free manner, bring the RH down to about 65%. The reason I say "about" is that if there is an issue with mold (i.e. the crop was exposed to heavy mold before and/or during harvest) we may chose to take the RH even lower, like 62%. This won't leave a huge window for curing, but it will keep the bud safe. Ideally, however, 65% will do. Generally you can tell pretty quickly if the bud is still too wet as the hygrometer % will climb pretty quickly (rate: 1% per hour or faster). You will also notice, at this point, that the bud will feel "wetter". That's ok. The reason for this is that while the exposed part of the bud began to dry quicker than the inside during phase one, the inside of the bud and stems retained a good deal of their moisture. Once in the jars (phase two) that moisture can no longer be efficiently evaperated off and moved to a different area, being replaced by dryer air. Once you have determined the RH, which may take up to 24 hours, you can begin burping the jars. This can be done at a rate of one to two hours once or twice a day, depending on initial RH reading. Your room RH, temp, strain, exposure to mold and hygro readings will dictate this for you and wether to go faster or slower. Slower is always better, but precipitating factors, as stated, may trump this.. Also, at the end of this stage is where most commercial bud will hit the open market, if you are lucky. The bud at this stage should have that super sticky icky velvety feel and the 'bag appeal' will be at it's very highest.





Phase three, 60% to 65% RH: Your buds are in the jar and RH is 65% or less. Perfect. The object of the game, as stated before, is to slowly release the moisture from the jar over time. Your buds are now in the cure zone. At this point we are looking for a much slower release than phase two and will shift to a short burp once a week. Your buds will deliver a nice smoke at around 60%, so the speed at which this is done (which translates directly to duration of burpage) is entirely up to you. It is at this stage that small stems should snap in two. It is also in this stage that you will meet true stability, or equalization, in RH. What that means is that the amount of moisture in the stems is no longer disproportionate to the buds, and moisture transfer or persperation (sweat) slows dramatically. This also means it will take much longer to get a true reading from your Hygrometer. A true reading at this point might take up to 36 hours, but that's ok.

So, do you know what your idea of a perfect smoking bud is? If you have followed the phases as you have read them, then this is the stage where you can find out. It may be as specific as a stationary RH value, or even a "window" between different values. Everyone one should know there ideal smoking range. I prefer mine on a slightly dryer cure, say between 55 to 57%.




Phase four - 55%+ to 60%RH: Even though a true cure is far from over, your buds are truly ready to smoke if you wish. They are also ready to face long term storage. As stated before, the cure dies at -55%. It's ok for the cure to be dead if you have reached your desired cure level as later remoisturing can easily bring that bud back into your prefered smoking range. But, you can also continue the cure for long time periods and the trick to this is to stay above the 55% level. Unfortunately even claimed 'air tight' jars will allow bud to continue losing moisture over time. The trick here is to guarantee air tightness. Simon has suggested that he jars in air tight jars and double vacuum bags it as a way to ensure cure integrity. I am less picky. It is a good idea, though not neccessary, to leave a hygro in the jar and check it from time to time. I would start with once a week for the first month then, if everything is stable, once every month after that should suffice.

 

[Papageno]

My understanding is the bacteria are eating up left over sugars and chlorophyll. Those when burnt, especially the sugars, are harsh when smoked. The plant is producing lots of sugars all the way to the end really, if you done a good job. Many people run up the sugars forcibly near the end.

They breed as long as there is no oxygen and there are sugars and the humidity is above again I believe but may be wrong but about 58%. After that they die off and the game is over.

There is a fine window before molding happens so the boveda packs help a lot if you are in a hurry...but I have used Hygrometers and not used boveda and gotten good cures timing it just right... but that is "difficult" for the common man not doing this professionally. You really gotta be there at the right time and be on it.

It takes a good few days before they can breed. After 2 weeks sealed they have made good progress but not done. I like 3-6 months. I grow for personal so I can do that.




This is the hardest part of growing. It is the easiest to fuck up. It is the most important part. Seriously Good Luck!!!!

 

[TheFertilizer]

My understanding is the bacteria are eating up left over sugars and chlorophyll. Those when burnt, especially the sugars, are harsh when smoked. The plant is producing lots of sugars all the way to the end really, if you done a good job. Many people run up the sugars forcibly near the end.

They breed as long as there is no oxygen and there are sugars and the humidity is above again I believe but may be wrong but about 58%. After that they die off and the game is over.

There is a fine window before molding happens so the boveda packs help a lot if you are in a hurry...but I have used Hygrometers and not used boveda and gotten good cures timing it just right... but that is "difficult" for the common man not doing this professionally. You really gotta be there at the right time and be on it.

It takes a good few days before they can breed. After 2 weeks sealed they have made good progress but not done. I like 3-6 months. I grow for personal so I can do that.




This is the hardest part of growing. It is the easiest to fuck up. It is the most important part. Seriously Good Luck!!!!

Yup I am just glad I have more experience drying/curing other people's weed than my own, I have made some awesome stuff into bunk with quick drying. Burn your throat and all that good stuff lol

I have gotten better but there's so many different ideas and ways to do it, I already let mine get stem snappy, plus I had been burping daily. My main goal now is preserving aroma and flavor as I always end up making my stanky buds smell weak.

The problem I have without burning is that the jars I have tried no burping, the bud comes out musty smelling. Not mold, but that smell of old weed the dispensary is trying to sell because they've had it a year and it's turning brown.

However the difference this harvest is for the first time I actually have enough to fill an entire jar. All previous curing has been done on half ounce quantities or less before now.


So going back to these bacteria, it sounds like they naturally expire after they have depleted the sugars and stuff they feed on?

So just using my crop for an example...

I jarred them up on the 7th. They had some snappy stems, but the inner stems were still soft and some of the bigger buds still had flexible small stems.

So every day I burped the jars, probably for way too long... Fifteen minute at least. I did that until alll the stems were snappy, but still not really crunchy they just broke instead of bending.

That was the 10th and I switched to burping every two days. Still probably for way too long.

So yesterday I ordered some Boveda 62% packs. I am HOPING that there's still some life in there that will make a comeback, but I don't know if that is just really hopeful or realistic.

One thing I can't tell... They still have more aroma than my last harvests, but I can't tell if that is just because the jars are fuller.

I would try a side by side but I don't know if I really have enough consistency. I have two jars of Blackberry Kush but one is only 3/4 full and they were all from seed so the smoke might not be very similar in the first place.

Arctic Bowl,

Yep that's the one I first saw it in, mostly just see it repeated. However VillageIdiot says it closer to 58% that it will stop.

I am wondering if the 58% figure comes from tobacco curing science?

 

[Papageno]

There is absolutely a science to this. It aint magic. But the issue is (I am an engineer so I think of the math) for most people they can't control it well enough to do an experiment. In fact at best we are managing chaos through drying until jarring. You need a humidor type room. For most people each time they do it they do not have a nice consistent drying space that has well controlled humidity. You need a space within a space. you need a drying space at a certain barometric pressure and humidity and that exchanging air properly with a room to help this be maintained. This likely would have a non-static setting through the 2 weeks so those humidity and pressure values are adjusting to a point for jarring. That is how Marlboro would do it. And that is just getting it to the stage where you would jar it. Then there is that...

I hang wet towels in my tent and pray I get to them close enough to the right time to start the boxing which I do before Jarring.

Then I use the packs to fix my errors.

I work 11 hour days so I can't be there all the time when I needs ta. But mine is personal so it don't matter.

 

[TheFertilizer]

There is absolutely a science to this. It aint magic. But the issue is (I am an engineer so I think of the math) for most people they can't control it well enough to do an experiment. In fact at best we are managing chaos through drying until jarring. You need a humidor type room. For most people each time they do it they do not have a nice consistent drying space that has well controlled humidity. You need a space within a space. you need a drying space at a certain barometric pressure and humidity and that exchanging air properly with a room to help this be maintained. This likely would have a non-static setting through the 2 weeks so those humidity and pressure values are adjusting to a point for jarring. That is how Marlboro would do it. And that is just getting it to the stage where you would jar it. Then there is that...

I hang wet towels in my tent and pray I get to them close enough to the right time to start the boxing which I do before Jarring.

Then I use the packs to fix my errors.

I work 11 hour days so I can't be there all the time when I needs ta. But mine is personal so it don't matter.

Yeah mine is all my own meds so I am happy either way, but I alway like to improve and thought I would check out the humidpaks this cycle, and down the rabbit hole that led me...

Yeah this stuff got dried way too fast unfortunately. I hung my drying racks up in my tent and, pointed the fan at the tent walls just to promote air movement, then foolishly assumed a 400 cfm air exchange wouldn't be too arrid. I opened the tent (which is exhausted to an adjacent room) and the RH was at 20% and the buds had shrunk up in a day! Whoops. I set the fan on a 30 minute on off interval after that, managed to get it to the 30-40 range when it would kick on, and up to 55 when off. Still ended up just at at stem snap stage in as little as three days. Luckily I managed to do something else right and they don't smell and taste like grass clippings like I feared.

I suppose I am lucky that I have to deal with low humidity instead of high. I got a controller and a humidifier on the way and so my next harvest, I am going to have a 4x4 humidor setup

I did so damn good this time just to botch the cure again, but I guess I just had to see the potential actually become reality before I was convinced doing it "the right way" versus "my way" is worth the investment. I don't wanna grow stuff like this just to have it messed up by the cure.
https://www.420magazine.com/gallery/data/500/PlatinumGirlScoutCookies_Top2_noflash_closeup.jpg

Anyway yeah there are sooo many variables. I reckon that trimming before they dry is the biggest change I have made, and ever since I have decent taste even though I dry way too fast... But the flavor, like the intensity of it and the aroma still seem to suffer. Unless I am growing strains that are supposed to be very smelly (never been able to taste bud much anyway), but that pic is of Platinum Girl Scout Cookies and I know that stuff should be more pungent.

 

[Papageno]

Here is how I duz it...

First a warning...

VI's - Subcool Based - 2 Worm - Multi-Strain - Mother Hunt - 2016

then...

VI's - Subcool Based - 2 Worm - Multi-Strain - Mother Hunt - 2016

Burp a lot in the beginning until you get this. Maybe dry it down to 58 first in the tubs then use the boveda packs to bring it back for beginners. They stop breeding below I think around 58 but that doesn't kill them. I can't remember exactly but you want them happy.

And yes if it goes long enough and eats up the chlorophyll it turns brown but smokes and cooks down just fine. It is funny how you still get green elixir from supper cured brown weed.

 

[Graytail]

I don't feel like I have a lot of experience curing buds, but I do have several strains in canning jars with Bovedas that are as much as three years old now. And I haven't made any effort to get the best possible cure, but here's the few things I've noticed and learned.

I really like the multi-step method on the previous page. That's the natural process I've seen from harvesting over 50 individual plants. First, you have to get the bulk of the moisture out of the buds. Then you try for that balance between moist bud stems and dry sugar leaves. From there, you jar them and give them time to transfer the last of the moisture out of the stems while the sugar leaves and calyxes soften. You either have to bleed off excess RH and/or keep it stable with a Boveda. Then you set them away for long term storage.

But ... what IS curing? Terpenes and sugars. We want to encourage both. As the tissues die, microbes will produce sugars as a byproduct, and terpenes will go through their own breakdowns. We want to boost sugars and retard terpene breakdown. Too hot and too dry is bad for both, so we know that's no good. Low temps? DrZiggy has had some very interesting results curing in his fridge - swears by it - calls it "low and slow". It's fabulous for terpenes and I think the temp is too low for mold - not sure how dry they are when he starts.

I've always wondered how much the chemical composition of the atmosphere has on curing. Years ago I read that a high CO2 concentration in the curing jar would produce a mild chemical reaction in THC as the volatiles shift. And Fert's question about VPD is interesting, too. Dunno. I've tended to just stabilize a jar and then leave it to its own process. I can tell you this: I keep a half dozen jars (with Bovedas) on a table next to my chair, and those get opened daily for use, and they don't particularly deteriorate. The terps fade of course. I have a jar of a very piney Panama that I only open a couple times a month, and that steadily keeps turning more ammonia. So I think the atmosphere has to stay sealed if you want the full effect of a cure.

I also believe that it's probably a good idea to over dry in the first step of the cure. You're far better off with crispy sugar leaves than you are with wet stems. Then those buds should immediately go into a jars with the stable 62%. That works better and more consistently for me than burping. I still open the jar daily for awhile and feel the gelpack. If it gets too puffy or too thin, I swap a it with a new one. (Incidently, they're entirely reusable - just put 'em in water to restore the dry ones. I put the puffy ones back into a sealed baggie with the others to dry/restablilize it.) From there, I've learned to trust the 62%. It always works. But the early cure is the most important - those first several days. The long term cure is much simpler.

One more thing. In the winter, that table with the jars has a space heater under it, and the jars will get into the 90s sometimes -at least, they feel like it - warmer than skin for sure. So ... that can't be good. But it's a bit of a learning experience. The jars will often open with a puff of very warm moist air, and you can feel the moisture - just short of actually sweating on the glass. The Boveda will be especially plump. The terps will be amplified. This is current stash, so I don't worry too much about how long the terps will last, but it gives me an idea about how heat and RH and terps are related. Heat may actually be a tool, if used wisely. Dunno.

 

[bliz]

There are many myths that get repeated. I tested the theory of 'air bubbles' getting into your cutting stems when cloning (if you don't do everything fast and keep the cut ends in water, etc.). Cuttings left laying out in the air rooted as well (actually better in my mini experiment) as the ones that were kept in water.
I think 'water droplets on the leaves lending and causing burns' is another. There are a couple other recurring ideas I think are myths but they slip my mind at the moment.

I've done that too. Some cuts I was going to throw away I kept, and they rooted faster than the ones that I was being careful with.

 

[JimmyJames905]

Curing process stops under 50%: Is there any science behind this?

Curing is essentially a slow form of decarboxylation. But there are other aerobic functions happening as well. As weed ages, it's carboxyl group changes. Dropping one carbon atom from the chain and releasing it as CO2. The burping is to off-gas the co2 from the jar.
Decarboxylation in cannabis result in the conversion of THC-A to Delta 9 THC.
This can be done slowly over time (your method) or by applying thermal energy (heat). Here in Canada, medical cannabis must be dried to a moisture content weight of 20%. This is to avoid growth of moulds and bacterial pathogens like staphylococcus aureus (MSRA).
So getting your moisture content down to this level will prevent moulds and bacteria. The down side is it makes it very difficult to decarboxylate the THC-A to Delta-9 as aerobic conditions seem to aid in slow (1-3 month) decarboxylation.

My method is to wash freshly picked at trimmed cannabis thoroughly, dry to 20% and store in a cedar humidor for around 3 months. This results in a 70% conversion rate (on average) of THC-A to D9 THC.
For 100% conversion you can try the sous vide method but the excessive heat does cause the chlorophyll to degrade and turn yellowish.

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