How do I cure my harvest with glass canning jars?
- Thread starter Smokin Moose
- Start date
SeriousSmoker
New Member
Yes i 100% agree. Fresh frozen is stritcly for hash of the sift or water variety. Never freeze flowers unless youre planning a nice nug run of some headies
Bapple
New Member
As I have many limitations when it comes to drying space because of the smell, My drying and curing system is geared towards stealth.
I trim the harvested bud, then cut the buds into golf ball sized pieces. I loosely line the bottom of an unbleached brown paper bag with the bud pieces I fold the bag over twice and staple the bag shut. I put the bag or bags in a shoe box or untreated cardboard box. I close the box and leave it in a room with good airflow and use a hygrometer to track the relative humidity during drying.
I start checking the state of the buds from day 3 or 4 depending on the relative humidity in the drying room. When the buds feel dry to the touch on the outside but slightly springy/squishy inside, I transfer the buds to a canning jar to which I have added a Boveda 62%. I also pop a hygrometer inside the jar.
Over the next week to 14 days, I burp the jars once a day for about an hour. When the hygrometer shows 62% humidity in the jar, I stop burping daily and will then only air the buds whenever I remember or when I take out bud for smoking.
Over time the smoke becomes better and the smell of the strain comes through. I am smoking some bud harvested last September and the smell and high have improved as the bud has cured to its full potential.
I trim the harvested bud, then cut the buds into golf ball sized pieces. I loosely line the bottom of an unbleached brown paper bag with the bud pieces I fold the bag over twice and staple the bag shut. I put the bag or bags in a shoe box or untreated cardboard box. I close the box and leave it in a room with good airflow and use a hygrometer to track the relative humidity during drying.
I start checking the state of the buds from day 3 or 4 depending on the relative humidity in the drying room. When the buds feel dry to the touch on the outside but slightly springy/squishy inside, I transfer the buds to a canning jar to which I have added a Boveda 62%. I also pop a hygrometer inside the jar.
Over the next week to 14 days, I burp the jars once a day for about an hour. When the hygrometer shows 62% humidity in the jar, I stop burping daily and will then only air the buds whenever I remember or when I take out bud for smoking.
Over time the smoke becomes better and the smell of the strain comes through. I am smoking some bud harvested last September and the smell and high have improved as the bud has cured to its full potential.
chrliebrown
New Member
Got my first grow in jars now cant wait
SilentMurder
New Member
Hmmm, well this is the guide i have been following:
Curing your post harvest blues..
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.
The problem i have though, is some of the buds stems are snapping and yet according to the previous guide, i should still be burping the jars and getting it down to 65% then 60%, however i know when stems start snapping curing stops.
Curing your post harvest blues..
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.
The problem i have though, is some of the buds stems are snapping and yet according to the previous guide, i should still be burping the jars and getting it down to 65% then 60%, however i know when stems start snapping curing stops.
marksurfs
New Member
Drying buds depends on where your located and what is available to you to use for drying . I take a line - rope of any sort - line , run it across my room attached at both ends tightly so the line can hold the weight you are about to put on it from the branches . The room needs around 50% humidity to be ideal .To dry and the buds will turn to dust so humidity helps as long as it isn't to high , then you have problems with mold . Air circulation - fans are important as not to allow mold to set in or on your buds as they dry . Plants harvested : Take off your fan leaves before you harvest , if the grow is small enough to do so , larger grows , remove them as you harvest them if they have no valuable THC left on them . For outdoor smaller grows , after taking off your fan leaves , leave the plants so they can use the energy without fan leaves for a few days so all the growth goes towards yeild , not leaf , or not . I like to do that since I grow with sun and use lights - MH and HPS , at the same time . Days the plants get the sun, nights they get the lights so they don't flower on me until I want them to . If I left the plants outside at night they'd flower on me . I take off the fan leaves outdoors , my plants in buckets , a few days before I harvest . It gets rid of alot of chlorophyll uptake possability and makes harvesting easier . I don't want the green taste - hay taste - chlorophyll , in my end cured buds . Plus it makes it easer to deal with when hanging and when trimming the buds with them already out of the way . This is based on the size of your harvest , braches could be larger when hung . My plants go from 3 to 6 feet wide depending on if I'm growing in the ground or using buckets to grow in. The plants in the ground are much larger , so are the size colas I hang . They are over 12 inches. This is for a indoor grower bud drying but will work just as well for outdoor grow drying only the branches are larger I deal with due to way more yeild and larger branches . Smaller grows : Cut off budsicles - braches , 12 inches long or so off your plants and have a plastic bucket to put nice sized colas - buds into and keep your fingers off the bud . As you harvest them , tie or put one of the branchs over the line of the colas you just cut , make sure they won't fall off from air flow and you moving around them . See that the branches are spaced so air can flow freely throughout the hanging branches . Keep air flowing in the room so the buds can't rot or mold and helps with the drying process . I have a hepa filter air purifier in my drying room to make sure the air is pure , no mold . Not everone can do this and isn't needed . I do it just to be safe , no mistakes as they can be costly bud wise . It takes a long time to grow nice buds and I want to get the chance to try them out and have them be tasty . When the bud's braches are dry enough , they snap . My drying room is dark , though I've dryed buds with my lights on no problem , hanging in my bedroom with a fan overhead .
Once the buds branches start to snap , take the trim off the buds , save for bubble hash or oil . As you trim the buds , put them into Mason jars for cure . Make sure to leave a little area at the top of the Mason jar for air so you don't rot your buds because you jamed them into the jar so that the buds couldn't breath to cure . Jamed together is not the way to go . As was posted by the wine maker , if cured right , your buds actually smells like fine wine . I have buds in gallon Mason jars full of buds that smell like wine . The buds were a fruity smell at first but over the years have really truned out nice. The buds THC levels did not go up from a cure . It did give it a smooth taste and smoke that will last for years and years if kept in a cool place, NOT frozen . You freeze your buds and the THC will fall off , I freeze my bubble hash to draw out the moisutre from it , so freezing bud isn't a good idea unless you like freezed dried bud . If you freeze green undried buds or trim , you'll have mush when unfrozen . Once the buds are trimmed and in Mason jars - Mason jars have a great rubber seal to keep your buds curing and safe from mold and you can get them in all kinds of different sizes as needed . Open the jars each day at least once , twice is good . I open mine once or twice a day to burp them, let out the gases . In doing so you'll get rid of the green taste and smell and have great tasting buds rather than green tasting hay . The Gallon jars that are years old I open once and a while and burp them as well and also to check to see how far the cure has come . I keep all my bud so I have to work with it or lose all my work . Dry and crue your buds right and theyll keep you smiling and high for years to come . My buds have about a 10% moisture rate when they are jared up for curing . They are NOT as dry as a rock . If I didn't have air tight containers my buds would rot . That's why Mason Jars if possible or like the guy said who created this post , use jars with a rubber snap lid if you can get it . Anything glass and air tight would be prefered by me . You can use the netted hangers as well , put your cut branches in each level with plenty of air , dry the branches to the points the branches snap , jar the buds after trimmed off the branches and into Mason jars to cure. Not everyone has room to run ropes or lines so netting hangers can take their place. Hope that helps , Marksurfs way to dry buds Take care ! Marksurfs from OverGrowAmerica.com .............. Hey UncleBen , where are ya ?
Once the buds branches start to snap , take the trim off the buds , save for bubble hash or oil . As you trim the buds , put them into Mason jars for cure . Make sure to leave a little area at the top of the Mason jar for air so you don't rot your buds because you jamed them into the jar so that the buds couldn't breath to cure . Jamed together is not the way to go . As was posted by the wine maker , if cured right , your buds actually smells like fine wine . I have buds in gallon Mason jars full of buds that smell like wine . The buds were a fruity smell at first but over the years have really truned out nice. The buds THC levels did not go up from a cure . It did give it a smooth taste and smoke that will last for years and years if kept in a cool place, NOT frozen . You freeze your buds and the THC will fall off , I freeze my bubble hash to draw out the moisutre from it , so freezing bud isn't a good idea unless you like freezed dried bud . If you freeze green undried buds or trim , you'll have mush when unfrozen . Once the buds are trimmed and in Mason jars - Mason jars have a great rubber seal to keep your buds curing and safe from mold and you can get them in all kinds of different sizes as needed . Open the jars each day at least once , twice is good . I open mine once or twice a day to burp them, let out the gases . In doing so you'll get rid of the green taste and smell and have great tasting buds rather than green tasting hay . The Gallon jars that are years old I open once and a while and burp them as well and also to check to see how far the cure has come . I keep all my bud so I have to work with it or lose all my work . Dry and crue your buds right and theyll keep you smiling and high for years to come . My buds have about a 10% moisture rate when they are jared up for curing . They are NOT as dry as a rock . If I didn't have air tight containers my buds would rot . That's why Mason Jars if possible or like the guy said who created this post , use jars with a rubber snap lid if you can get it . Anything glass and air tight would be prefered by me . You can use the netted hangers as well , put your cut branches in each level with plenty of air , dry the branches to the points the branches snap , jar the buds after trimmed off the branches and into Mason jars to cure. Not everyone has room to run ropes or lines so netting hangers can take their place. Hope that helps , Marksurfs way to dry buds Take care ! Marksurfs from OverGrowAmerica.com .............. Hey UncleBen , where are ya ?
rastamamma
New Member
That mental picture...
Stoned Redneck
Well-Known Member
Soooo ,No matter where you live or the humidity ect.The dampness in the jar test should be the same ,right?.I live up here in the Great Northwest and this year almost all the qts I have canned showed no sign of dampness.I studied the curve of the wide mouth and nothing.Last year I over dried so this year I did things different. I string hang till branch snaps.well most snap.I have had some from the same cut that were like rubber as far as being bendable and the other branch snaps like a ..dry twig haha anyway I figured they would balance each other out... So my question is...Is the dampness in the jar the definitive test for time to seal ? I have burped them and watched them and no sign of dampness.So I should be ok,Right? Thanks,Red Happy Hemping
Yes. But it can be a little difficult, at least for me, figuring out exactly how dry the buds are. It's usually pretty obvious when they're way too wet or way too dry, but there's a pretty big range in between that I find tricky to determine exactly. I bought a bunch of little hygrometer/thermometers to put in my jars. Got stoned and ended up ordering about a dozen 
. Have a few different kinds but they were all pretty cheap and work fine. Really takes the guesswork out. I dry to around 60 RH. Under 70 RH should be free of mold, and under 55 RH is getting a little too dry.
Often when I put the buds in the jar I'm in the mid to high 60s. I open them up periodically to dry a bit, until I get down to 60ish.
Edit - read back a few posts and see that this has all been covered- not surprisingly.
. Have a few different kinds but they were all pretty cheap and work fine. Really takes the guesswork out. I dry to around 60 RH. Under 70 RH should be free of mold, and under 55 RH is getting a little too dry.Often when I put the buds in the jar I'm in the mid to high 60s. I open them up periodically to dry a bit, until I get down to 60ish.
Edit - read back a few posts and see that this has all been covered- not surprisingly.
Stoned Redneck
Well-Known Member
Hey WC, Thank you, What does RH stand for...relative humidity ? Right ? Duh ,I'll wake up yet haha.....well ,I'm going with the "no dampness.No worry's "theory.Once I'm satisfied they are dry enough I vacuum seal them.Then I'm done for the season....Lots of work harvesting.I always thought growing weed would be easy,well growing is easy compared to trimming,drying ect..I think.... Can you buy those thermometers in stores or mail order somewhere... Thanks again and Happy Hemping ,Red
JimmyJames905
New Member
" curing" is essentially the non scientific term for "slow decarboxylation". Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction that removes a carboxyl group and releases carbon dioxide (CO2). Usually, decarboxylation refers to a reaction of carboxylic acids, removing a carbon atom from a carbon chain. in cannabis this results in conversion of THC-A into Delta 9 THC (the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis).
The method I use is....
Dry plant upside down in the dark, trim all leaves leaving only buds. 2 weeks.
Pick buds and place in a 5 gallon bucket with a few holes in the lid. Remove lid for a few hours each day. Keep in darkness. 2 weeks.
Place Buds in a vacuum sealed "boil bag" and follow this video. YOU DO NOT NEED TO GRIND THE CANNABIS TO DECARBOXYLATE.
End result is a 100% THC-A -> THC D9 conversion.
Decarboxylation: Marijuana Alchemy - YouTube
The method I use is....
Dry plant upside down in the dark, trim all leaves leaving only buds. 2 weeks.
Pick buds and place in a 5 gallon bucket with a few holes in the lid. Remove lid for a few hours each day. Keep in darkness. 2 weeks.
Place Buds in a vacuum sealed "boil bag" and follow this video. YOU DO NOT NEED TO GRIND THE CANNABIS TO DECARBOXYLATE.
End result is a 100% THC-A -> THC D9 conversion.
Decarboxylation: Marijuana Alchemy - YouTube
Yeah SR seems like you've got it all figured out. RH- relative humidity. Those little meters are commonly available, at least online. When I went internet hunting, up that mighty South American river of commercial products, I found so many different inexpensive digital hygrometer/thermometers that I ordered three each of the most promising looking ones. They kept arriving in my mail box for weeks. Like- 'Wtf, another box of hygrometers..???'
I did that after I had a jarred batch go moldy. I was in a big hurry, didn't check it properly, and fooled myself into thinking it was dry enough to leave a while, when it wasn't. And as one of your noble and wise American presidents once said "I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee that says, 'Fool me once, shame on ... shame on you. Fool me... You can't get fooled again!'" Or something.
If you're smoking the bud, I'd think that the heat of that process would take care of the above for you (although it probably does occur during the curing process, too). To me, the purpose of curing is to allow the chlorophyll - or at least a portion of it - present in the plant matter to be converted into sugars. This is why bud that has been allowed to have a good cure may still have some green in it but it does not have the GREEN that fresh bud or even bud that has simply been dried has. There is far less chlorophyll present in well-cured bud.
I couldn't swear to it, but this seems like a biological process to me... I always assumed that to be the reason that curing only takes place in a (relatively) narrow temperature and humidity/moisture range. Too hot or cold and it won't happen; too moist or dry and it won't happen. There is science in everything - even in nature
.
Best thing for cure is hang upside down with dehumidifier and a oscillating fan in dark cool room. Let dry upside down two days then trim. Then lay buds on a dryer with fan until desired dryness. Few days anyways then I highly recommend boveda packs two way humity pack. I suggest 62% 8 g per ounce. A pack. Google it. Garanteed to keep buds perfect t moisture range. Hope that helps.
How to grow in Coco - Feed schedule
How to grow in Coco - Feed schedule
Also with Glass jars make sure your opening twice a day to air out buds if not using boveda.
How to grow in Coco - Feed schedule
How to grow in Coco - Feed schedule
growguro420
New Member
Curing with glass jars is easy make sure they are air tight and open the jars for 10-15 minutes everyday to let old air evacuate the jar do this for 2-8 weeks.
Another method is to open the jars for 6 hours everyday for again 2-8 weeks 8 weeks being the pinnacle of the smoke.
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Another method is to open the jars for 6 hours everyday for again 2-8 weeks 8 weeks being the pinnacle of the smoke.
Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App
I dry my bud for a week or so then toss it in the jars with a hygrometer in each one. Then I open them to check now and then when I have time. It's not important to open every day on a schedule as long as you're in the decent RH range - 55-70. Aim to settle around 60 RH give or take a little. As long as you're under 70/high 60s you should be safe against mold.
6 weeks is kind of minimum cure before I'd pass it on to friends without apologizing first. From then on it keeps improving. 9 months can be a big improvement over 6 months. I'll find smells and flavours that weren't coming out at 6 months. Over a year it keeps getting smoother, but slowly.
6 weeks is kind of minimum cure before I'd pass it on to friends without apologizing first. From then on it keeps improving. 9 months can be a big improvement over 6 months. I'll find smells and flavours that weren't coming out at 6 months. Over a year it keeps getting smoother, but slowly.
Blue281
New Member
Just buy some 62% humidipaks. Put them in the jar with the weed and leave a few weeks
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Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App
