Right after harvest, vacation! What to do?

[Ferboldt]

Hi everyone!!!

I'm 5 weeks close to my harvest and 4 weeks for my summer vacation, where I will be out of the country for 3 weeks!!!

I'm going to harvest my lovely girl 1 week earlier than I planned.

How can I manage my drying and curing stage? Any ideas?

Option 1 = Don't harvest wait till you come back
Option 2 = Harvest even earlier so you can dry... Put it in the jar and leave for 3 weeks.
Option 3 = Harvest... Hang to dry... Leave for 3 weeks.... Come back and put in the jar for curing.

I need some opinion here.

 

[Bapple]

I would harvest 8 days before vacation and dry using the brown paper bag method, and then jar with Boveda 62 sachets and go off on your vacation. Let your pots dry out well before harvest to minimise drying time.....

 

[Ferboldt]

Wow thanks for your advice. I've never heard before Boveda 62. They look amazing. I will def. get some of those. Thx again!

 

[Ferboldt]

So guys here a quick update.

Strain: Lemon OG Haze Auto. from Nirvana
She is in total 67 days old from seed.
She started with her pre-flowers on day 26 and entered flowering stage on day 37
So she is flowering since 30 days!
LED Mars Reflector 48
PH is around 6.00
PPM is 1200
No nutrients burn and I feed her with GH Flora series + Cal/Mag
I use filtered water.
This is my 3rd grow.

My issue is that I'm leaving for vacation in 17 days. If I want to harvest her before my trip I need to chop her in 14 days so I can dry her in put in jars with some Boveda 62.

What do you guys think? Any suggestions? This is so far my best plant and she is very important to me. By the way some pistils are turning orange/amber and I started seeing trichomes.

Here some pics.

 

[Ferboldt]

Nothing guys?

At least something about my princess?

 

[Bapple]

It's a pretty looking girl, but I am not sure she'll be ready in 14 days time.....didn't want to depress you.

 

[Ferboldt]

It's a pretty looking girl, but I am not sure she'll be ready in 14 days time.....didn't want to depress you.

Yes I thought so too. She is in an AeroGarden which is only 1 gallon. I also have a 5gl bucket. What about if I put her in the 5 gallon bucket and leave for 3 weeks? Right now she drinks like 1 gallon of water in 2 days.

Eventually I will put her in the 5gl bucket with fresh water, no lights and leave. She will probably finish the water in 2 weeks. So she will be 1 weeks without water like drying and when I'm back I can put her in the jar. Is this a crazy though?

 

[Bapple]

Yes I thought so too. She is in an AeroGarden which is only 1 gallon. I also have a 5gl bucket. What about if I put her in the 5 gallon bucket and leave for 3 weeks? Right now she drinks like 1 gallon of water in 2 days.

Eventually I will put her in the 5gl bucket with fresh water, no lights and leave. She will probably finish the water in 2 weeks. So she will be 1 weeks without water like drying and when I'm back I can put her in the jar. Is this a crazy though?

Sadly Ferdbolt, I am totally clueless when it comes to DWC and indeed indoor growing. Why don't you look for DWC journals of experienced growers and ask for some help. I'll keep an eye out; but I pay very little attention to Indoor grows it's not something that interests me.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

 

[Ferboldt]

Yes I posted a link to this thread to the DWC forums. Let's see what experienced DWC growers will tell. I've got 11 days left before harvesting. Here a small update with pictures from a main bud and trichomes. Looks like 60% clear and 40% milky/cloudy. I'm not aiming for amber trichomes for couch lock. So I hope it will look better within the 11 days.

 

[Bapple]

If it looks good for the trichomes then great stuff, don't like a couch lock smoke either. Good luck man.

 

[OldMedUser]

Not sure if you've done anything about this yet but putting it green in jars with those packs if you have them likely won't work. They are to keep a nice balance of moisture with pot that is already dried I'm pretty sure so you'll likely come back to jars of mold.

I think in your situation I'd drain your nutes and refill with RO water. Cut the lights to 1/2 or less to reduce the plant's use and pray you come back to nicely flushed buds ready for a proper harvest. Or crop it all and freeze it until you get back. Either way it's not going to be as good as it would be if you were there to deal with it.

Times like this a trusted friend or spousal unit would sure be handy, Or a float valve in the rez to keep the water levels up.

Good luck!

 

[Spitz]

Your time window doesn't really leave many good options. I like OMUs idea of taking her at the last minute and freezing. Wonder if cutting her at the stem, putting the stalk in a 5G pail with only water and air stone would work (sort of like keeping roses around). plant is gorgeous.. Still, you had my mouth drop at "3 week vacation"! Enjoy it!

 

[LEDBud]

Cut the plants the day before you leave remove the branches hang them with a fan on low circulating the air ( not directly on the plants ) the buds will dry / cure on the vine. Most leave them hanging for 2 weeks or longer before removing buds

This is how many do it when their at home but it works equally well when your not home

could also ask a friend to check on them or if you wanted to keep them growing automate it as suggested.

I like the sounds of a auto feed / top up system as once its built its with you forever , if you do be sure to raise the lights plenty high enough