DrZiggy's Low And Slow Drying: Maximizing Your Harvest

[Trala]

The brown paper bag is part of the way we can control how fast the moisture leaves the buds. At least that is how I figure it.

The only fan I have is the one that is already built into the fridge that comes on every now and again to blow cold air from the freezer side.


And it becomes part of the process to let nature take its course and use the moisture coming from the larger or thicker buds to help replace the loss of moisture from the smaller buds. Eventually it balances out and everything that went into the bag is pretty much at the same level.


Then eventually you can take the bag out of the fridge and tell how far along without having to open it or handle the buds. Just the feel of the loss of weight is enough to give the feeling of how close or how much more time before jarring.

For me it’s a much better way to dry. My temps and humidity can literally dry bud in a day.

I’ve just finished drying one strain, and almost finished drying another.

My Blue Cheese Special went from the fridge to the jar two days ago, and has hovered under 64%. If the humidity is in the zone today I will start the cure.

 

[Trala]

Done

 

[GratefulBud]

My last harvest I placed about 60grams into a plastic jar and left it on its side - no lid- in the mini fridge next to the grocery bags of drying buds. After 10 days it dried down to about 16 grams and was placed in a jar. After curing this weed tastes as good as the weed dried in paper bags.

 

[weenmeoff]

Trust the process

I like it. Funny how difficult it is to convince people this is the way to go. Just like smoking fresh buds, leaving sugar leaves on buds when trimming or just smoking the sugar leaves.

My buddy said he thought the low and slow buds were "Acrid" but he stores his bud in Tupperware containers so......ha!

 

[SmokingWings]

My buddy said he thought the low and slow buds were "Acrid" but he stores his bud in Tupperware containers so......ha!

Sometimes people want to save several dollars so they skip one of the basic steps in the process which is to use an air-tight container like the typical standard run of the mill canning jar with a proper fitting ring and lid.

Plus plastic Tupperware does give off the gases from the plastic itself and the solvents in the plastic.

 

[weenmeoff]

Wait what!? I am using canning jars, is that bad and if so, why? Thanks!

Edit to add, I see now you are saying jars are correct, sorry, and go on about how bad plastic is. Funny thing is he does MAJOR canning so has jars up the wazoo!

I use Hylids hygro meters which are great but they are not air tight. I love them though, no more reptile ones in the jars!

 

[Trala]

I like it. Funny how difficult it is to convince people this is the way to go. Just like smoking fresh buds, leaving sugar leaves on buds when trimming or just smoking the sugar leaves.

My buddy said he thought the low and slow buds were "Acrid" but he stores his bud in Tupperware containers so......ha!

I think this is where trouble starts. When you start to believe your way is the only way, and you have to convince others to your way of thinking.

For me the fridge dry works. But there are a 100 ways to skin a cat, not that we should be skinning cats lol. I think the secret to drying and curing as a team of growers is to respect the differences and diversity of dry methods shared and find one that works for you.

 

[weenmeoff]

Sorry, I did not mean to come off that way, we are 100 on the same page, As a matter of fact, I always use the cat skinning analogy with growing!

I often dry the old fashioned way too! Usually 1/2&1/2. The people I’m talking about only know 1 way or limited ways and don’t seem opened to it.

All that said, if it ain’t broke! If I could dry all my buds low and slow, I would, but I would be opened to other methods. Gets me thinking about cobs and that I never had interest in trying it but maybe…….?

Cheers Trala!

 

[Trala]

Sorry, I did not mean to come off that way, we are 100 on the same page, As a matter of fact, I always use the cat skinning analogy with growing!

I often dry the old fashioned way too! Usually 1/2&1/2. The people I’m talking about only know 1 way or limited ways and don’t seem opened to it.

All that said, if it ain’t broke! If I could dry all my buds low and slow, I would, but I would be opened to other methods. Gets me thinking about cobs and that I never had interest in trying it but maybe…….?

Cheers Trala!

I get ya

You do see it in here tho. Peeps thinking their way is the only way. It’s quite simply not the case. Well I don’t think it is. It should be about sharing grow styles, not dictating.

I only fridge dry now. Like I said, works for me.

Cheers right back at ya!

 

[BuzzzD]

thinking about cobs and that I never had interest in trying it but maybe

I have dipped my toe into the cob system...very early and very limited experience....with many questions.
You can read about it here....when I get some fresh stuff grown I want to try a few methods....

Unsealed my cob today, after over 3.5 months

According to my journal, I started this project on 1/6/22. I had just chopped the rest of my grow of land-race Colombian Gold and hung it up. Later that A few days earlier, I ran across a "cobbing" thread on another weed forum. It sounded crazy, but I'm always down for crazy, so I read the...

www.420magazine.com

 

[weenmeoff]

Thanks Buzz! Appreciate the link!

 

[Tejasdirt]

I have dipped my toe into the cob system...very early and very limited experience....with many questions.
You can read about it here....when I get some fresh stuff grown I want to try a few methods....

Unsealed my cob today, after over 3.5 months

According to my journal, I started this project on 1/6/22. I had just chopped the rest of my grow of land-race Colombian Gold and hung it up. Later that A few days earlier, I ran across a "cobbing" thread on another weed forum. It sounded crazy, but I'm always down for crazy, so I read the...

www.420magazine.com

No to derail thread but

How TO COB

And this tread are my two favorites…..

 

[420giirl]

Why don’t I do this proper?

Low and Slo: In The Bag

Basic points:
* Paper bags will help speed the process by about a week.
* You’ll get better than 25% back, so loading the bags at 28 grams wet means every four bags’ll bring you very close to an ounce dry.
* 28 grams to a lunch bag is a good volume for smooth drying.
* Save most trimming for later to retain even more terpenes. I only take off fans.
* Laying the bags on their side increases surface area facilitating the drying process.

I wash the buds and hang dry for 4 hours and then trim the buds into the bags.

After three days open the bags, reach in and gently bounce the buds apart. Close up and put them back in place.

Do this again at least one more time, about 3 days later. After that you can forget about them.

In two weeks I pull them and finish drying with rice balls to 62-65%. Then into a jar with a Boveda.

Hope that helps.

Hi sweetsue, I am currently right in the middle of this process @ one week (7days) in fff. Everything looks good the temps seem to be right where they need to be when jarring, coming in above 70%, so back in fff for hopefully another 7 days, but we’ll keep a close eye from here. Temps in fff are 40%f and 50%RH. I’ve tried this process several times with no success, probably bc I’m just a very slow learner lol fingers crossed this is the one. I believe I’ve been jarring way too soon, then way too late, too wet or too dry. I haven’t found that sweet spot just yet but I’m starting to get the feel of the buds down.
I didn’t see anything about curing, is this bc of the level of humidity is exactly where it needs to be to not have to burp and the curing process has already begun? I feel like this is also where I have a disconnect but I’m definitely starting to feel the concept and process. I’m Just practicing and practicing until I get it. I don’t know why it’s taking me so long. Sorry I don’t mean to ramble. Thanks in advance

Ps. I’m still in the middle of reading this entire thread bc I don’t want to miss a thing lol but if there is a page I should bookmark please let me know.

 

[weenmeoff]

Hi Girl! Sadly, I don’t think sweet sue comes around here anymore but you have lots of great support!

You will find the sweet spot but consider the size of the buds and how you pack them, how are you?

This is just drying, you burp and cure as per usual after this process.

Cheers!

 

[SmokingWings]

This is just drying, you burp and cure as per usual after this process.

Pretty much the way I understand it to be.

It is a low temperature and slow dry method but I have noticed that it might be slow enough that some of the initial curing is taking place toward the end of the drying process. There seems to be less need for the once or twice a day 'burping' during the first week now.

I still like to keep a 4 week cure time frame but seem to be able to avoid the frequent burping chore.

 

[Trala]

Hi Girl! Sadly, I don’t think sweet sue comes around here anymore but you have lots of great support!

You will find the sweet spot but consider the size of the buds and how you pack them, how are you?

I agree

Took me a couple of dried to find my feel.

This is just drying, you burp and cure as per usual after this process.

I tend to go from fridge to jar and straight into cure. No burping.

 

[weenmeoff]

I agree

Took me a couple of dried to find my feel.

I tend to go from fridge to jar and straight into cure. No burping.

Ditto!


BUT I still need to open them jars just to get a whiff!

 

[Trala]

Ditto!


BUT I still need to open them jars just to get a whiff!

Me too tbh lolling!

 

[420giirl]

Hi Girl! Sadly, I don’t think sweet sue comes around here anymore but you have lots of great support!

You will find the sweet spot but consider the size of the buds and how you pack them, how are you?

This is just drying, you burp and cure as per usual after this process.

Cheers!

Hey there weenmeoff, oh darn I was afraid of that, but that’s ok, I’m here for all the support I can get!
I follow the process almost to a T, well as much as possible anyway. I do 28g a bag, I like to keep all the same sizes together when drying. I anticipate the “tops” to take maybe a week longer to dry than the others. Idk I’ll be keeping a close eye from here. I’ve been jarring too soon or over drying, I haven’t been able to find the sweet spot just yet.

This is at 7 days drying in the fff. I took them out to get a reading on the humidity, which is still in the 70%’s. It climbed up in less than an hour, so I put them right back in the fridge. The smaller ones were dryer, I’ll more than likely pull them before the full 14 days.

Fingers crossed, this is the one for me!

 

[weenmeoff]

Looking amazing! Try mixing bud size in bags. 10-14 days. You can almost just set it and forget it BUT it’s good to check fridge for condensation and rotate bags. Plus the bonus of smelling the fruits of our labor!