I LOVE this plant, but I do enjoy a little time away from the toils of caring for her.
I like to take breaks as I find them
and come back whenever they call.
I like to take breaks as I find them
and come back whenever they call.
UncleCannabis' Indoor Ganja Grove - Organic Soil - Sea of Green
- Thread starter UncleCannabis
- Start date
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- #242
UncleCannabis
New Member
Congrats on grow & harvest Unc! Ability to grow & have 22 strains is a far cry from old days where having 1 or 2 strains at hand was the norm. Plus mostly not even known what origin was let alone strain. A growing breather sounds good to me too. Did you like the Cherry OG?
Thanks BL!
You're right about the old days, except that often times, at least where I'm from, instead of having access to only one or two mystery strains - one of which was always mid or low grade brown brick weed - often times especially around the mid to late 80's / early 90's there were "dry" times when there was none to be found. I'm not ashamed to say that I've smoked more than my share of flag leaves back in the day - out of necessity of course.
I've been away for work for the past several days so I haven't delved into the recent harvest just yet. I have a couple of glass pipes that are soaking in an alcohol/salt solution for cleaning right now so I'll sampling with clean glass soon.
I've been looking forward to this day for the past few months.
- Thread starter
- #243
UncleCannabis
New Member
Hey Mate
As for taking a break, you know as well as the rest of us, the only thing addictive about cannabis is the growing of it
RC
Hey there Celt.
Good of you to drop by buddy. I know you've been busy with the new news moderator role, and I must say that you're doing a damn fine job.
You're right about growing being addictive. Any breaks that I might take from growing will probably not last very long now that I've caught the fever all over again. LOL!!
- Thread starter
- #244
UncleCannabis
New Member
I LOVE this plant, but I do enjoy a little time away from the toils of caring for her.
I like to take breaks as I find them
I think I'll bloom out a few girls that have been sitting in my veg tent but since I already have an ample supply of stash available I won't feel the need to stay home and babysit so much. I'll be able to travel and do away from home type activities that I enjoy without worrying so much about the girls while I'm away.
It's not a big deal if they die of thirst - this has happened before - or whatever else could lead to an early demise while I'm away as long as I have an ample amount of stash already jarred up - whispering so that they don't hear me talking this way......
That being said, I've somehow allowed myself to become afflicted with Seed Hoarders Syndrome so my seed inventory has become quite extensive with lots of strains that I'd love to try. Breaks or at least extended breaks from growing will be difficult if not impossible. LOL!!
Yeah, I can testify, two months was a month and a half too long. 
I hear you on the seeds. I have a multitude, and then I changed the game by being drawn to oil production for health and that changed the strains I needed to grow. I have enough seeds hoarded that I'll have to think about new homes for them. Or move to a bigger house. Maybe I'll hit a jackpot in Vegas this weekend and do just that. LOL!
I missed your smiling demeanor so I was compelled to seek you out before I fell asleep. I'm bleery-eyed now and can't see well enough to look any deeper into pages I missed, but it felt good to stand so close to you again. I think I'll stop back tomorrow and catch up.
I hear you on the seeds. I have a multitude, and then I changed the game by being drawn to oil production for health and that changed the strains I needed to grow. I have enough seeds hoarded that I'll have to think about new homes for them. Or move to a bigger house. Maybe I'll hit a jackpot in Vegas this weekend and do just that. LOL! I missed your smiling demeanor so I was compelled to seek you out before I fell asleep. I'm bleery-eyed now and can't see well enough to look any deeper into pages I missed, but it felt good to stand so close to you again. I think I'll stop back tomorrow and catch up.
- Thread starter
- #246
UncleCannabis
New Member
Hey there SuzyQ. Miss you too my friend.
I'm no expert on BHO's and waxes and whatnot, in fact I know very little about this stuff so pardon my ignorance, but I don't understand why some or most of your existing genetics couldn't be used for making cannabis oils even for medicinal purposes.
When it comes to the potential healing powers of cannabis I feel that there's likely much more going on than CBD being the sole active ingredient that is responsible for it's healing powers. Although I understand the benefits of high CBD low THC strains I feel that focusing solely on CBD, which if I'm not mistaken is a recessive trait in cannabis, without regard to the potential healing benefits of other cannabinoids may not necessarily be a good thing. But like I said, I'm somewhat ignorant about this stuff.
I'm sure I'll be in for a free education about oils and the in's and out's of the healing powers of our beloved plant next time I stop by your new journal.
If you hit the jackpot you may be able to upgrade to a bigger home complete with a greenhouse - a BIG greenhouse - and maybe even a pool. If you're gonna dream, dream big.
I'm no expert on BHO's and waxes and whatnot, in fact I know very little about this stuff so pardon my ignorance, but I don't understand why some or most of your existing genetics couldn't be used for making cannabis oils even for medicinal purposes.
When it comes to the potential healing powers of cannabis I feel that there's likely much more going on than CBD being the sole active ingredient that is responsible for it's healing powers. Although I understand the benefits of high CBD low THC strains I feel that focusing solely on CBD, which if I'm not mistaken is a recessive trait in cannabis, without regard to the potential healing benefits of other cannabinoids may not necessarily be a good thing. But like I said, I'm somewhat ignorant about this stuff.
I'm sure I'll be in for a free education about oils and the in's and out's of the healing powers of our beloved plant next time I stop by your new journal.
If you hit the jackpot you may be able to upgrade to a bigger home complete with a greenhouse - a BIG greenhouse - and maybe even a pool. If you're gonna dream, dream big.
- Thread starter
- #247
UncleCannabis
New Member
Harvest, Drying, & Curing
Before moving along with grow look backs, smoke reports, next round grows, pointless rants, and whatever else may follow, I’d like to take a couple of steps backward and share the methods that I use for harvesting, drying, and curing.
The tips that I’m about to share may not be the “best way” or the “right way” and certainly not the “only way” but rather the way that I was taught along with a few tweaks that I’ve picked up from others and worked out for my particular situation over time.
The Importance of a Good Dry and Cure –
Back when I first tried my hand at growing I was lucky to be blessed with some really nice grows. Sure I lost some plants due to the usual culprits – pest, animals, severe storms, late bloom bud rot, etc but probably due more to luck than skill more of them lived than died and most of the ones that did make it to harvest were some real beauties.
Once everything was harvested and dried I ended up with some really killer smoke but there was that all too familiar grassy / fresh hay “homegrown” taste that overpowered the lovely sativa sweetness that lingered in the background.
After two years of growing the killer hay that would send you to the moon and back but tasted like barnyard grass I came to the conclusion that either I was doing something wrong such as incorrect harvest timing or maybe all homegrown pot tasted like homegrown pot (most “homegrown” available back then tasted like hay) and that all of the really nice tasting herb had to be grown elsewhere and imported.
Just as I’d begun to accept as a given that all locally grown herb would have a hay like taste I was lucky enough to have someone explain to me the in’s and out’s of harvesting, drying, and curing. This was groundbreaking information that really turned things around.
Moral of the story is – Harvest, drying, and curing are SUPER IMPORTANT. No matter how good your grow turns out, if the harvest, dry, and cure process is not done correctly you’ll end up with an end product that is less than it could have been. If you end up with mold during the dry or cure process then you may end up with zero end product. Not something any of us want right?
Before moving along with grow look backs, smoke reports, next round grows, pointless rants, and whatever else may follow, I’d like to take a couple of steps backward and share the methods that I use for harvesting, drying, and curing.
The tips that I’m about to share may not be the “best way” or the “right way” and certainly not the “only way” but rather the way that I was taught along with a few tweaks that I’ve picked up from others and worked out for my particular situation over time.
The Importance of a Good Dry and Cure –
Back when I first tried my hand at growing I was lucky to be blessed with some really nice grows. Sure I lost some plants due to the usual culprits – pest, animals, severe storms, late bloom bud rot, etc but probably due more to luck than skill more of them lived than died and most of the ones that did make it to harvest were some real beauties.
Once everything was harvested and dried I ended up with some really killer smoke but there was that all too familiar grassy / fresh hay “homegrown” taste that overpowered the lovely sativa sweetness that lingered in the background.
After two years of growing the killer hay that would send you to the moon and back but tasted like barnyard grass I came to the conclusion that either I was doing something wrong such as incorrect harvest timing or maybe all homegrown pot tasted like homegrown pot (most “homegrown” available back then tasted like hay) and that all of the really nice tasting herb had to be grown elsewhere and imported.
Just as I’d begun to accept as a given that all locally grown herb would have a hay like taste I was lucky enough to have someone explain to me the in’s and out’s of harvesting, drying, and curing. This was groundbreaking information that really turned things around.
Moral of the story is – Harvest, drying, and curing are SUPER IMPORTANT. No matter how good your grow turns out, if the harvest, dry, and cure process is not done correctly you’ll end up with an end product that is less than it could have been. If you end up with mold during the dry or cure process then you may end up with zero end product. Not something any of us want right?
- Thread starter
- #248
UncleCannabis
New Member
Harvest Timing –
Although harvest timing, meaning when a cannabis plant is ready to be harvested, is very important, there are many different methods for determining when a cannabis plant should be harvested and this is often times based on personal preference, desired effect, and can also be heavily influenced by the specific strain that is being grown.
As a general rule I like to allow landrace sativa’s to completely “finish” if possible before harvest if conditions allow in order to minimize the potential for extreme racy effects as I’ve found that some sativas that are chopped too early can cause extreme anxiety and even vomiting with some users. It may sound funny to some but if you’ve ever seen anyone suffer from this it’s not a laughing matter.
For most hybrids as well as indica strains I prefer to harvest based on pistil condition and overall look of the plant with the goal of not harvesting too early or too late. What I mean by this is harvesting while the scent profile is still quite strong but allowing most if not all pistils to go through their typical end of bloom color change and mostly recede.
After purchasing and playing around with my new handheld microscope for a couple of indoor cycles I’m finding that the visual clues that I would normally be looking for seem to coincide with trichome conditions that are typically mostly cloudy with about 5-10% clear and 5-10% amber trichomes. This seems to be the sweet spot for me but may differ from what others prefer.
This is really a personal preference kind of thing. If you prefer a more uppity or functional non-couch lock effect an earlier harvest is better. If you’ll be using the meds as a sleep aid or prefer the couch lock type effect a later harvest with a higher percentage of amber trichomes would be best.
Although harvest timing, meaning when a cannabis plant is ready to be harvested, is very important, there are many different methods for determining when a cannabis plant should be harvested and this is often times based on personal preference, desired effect, and can also be heavily influenced by the specific strain that is being grown.
As a general rule I like to allow landrace sativa’s to completely “finish” if possible before harvest if conditions allow in order to minimize the potential for extreme racy effects as I’ve found that some sativas that are chopped too early can cause extreme anxiety and even vomiting with some users. It may sound funny to some but if you’ve ever seen anyone suffer from this it’s not a laughing matter.
For most hybrids as well as indica strains I prefer to harvest based on pistil condition and overall look of the plant with the goal of not harvesting too early or too late. What I mean by this is harvesting while the scent profile is still quite strong but allowing most if not all pistils to go through their typical end of bloom color change and mostly recede.
After purchasing and playing around with my new handheld microscope for a couple of indoor cycles I’m finding that the visual clues that I would normally be looking for seem to coincide with trichome conditions that are typically mostly cloudy with about 5-10% clear and 5-10% amber trichomes. This seems to be the sweet spot for me but may differ from what others prefer.
This is really a personal preference kind of thing. If you prefer a more uppity or functional non-couch lock effect an earlier harvest is better. If you’ll be using the meds as a sleep aid or prefer the couch lock type effect a later harvest with a higher percentage of amber trichomes would be best.
- Thread starter
- #249
UncleCannabis
New Member
Harvest –
When possible I prefer to chop during the dark period or lights off period.
During the daily dark cycle, sugars, starches, and amino acids that can negatively affect flavor move from the upper foliar and stem parts of the plant down into the root zone areas of the plant. When the sun begins to rise, or when lights come on if growing indoors, these sugars, starches, and amino’s begin their daily journey back upward from the root zone to the above ground stem and foliar growth and will saturate the foliar growth until the dark cycle begins again and the whole process repeats itself.
Chopping toward the latter part of the dark cycle but before the first hint of sunrise will minimize the concentration of sugars, starches, and amino’s that are contained in the buds and leaf matter of the plant at the time of harvest resulting in a smoother smoke.
For smaller plants I prefer to chop right at the trunk with one cut then trim off individual branches afterward if preferred. For larger plants it’s usually best to chop them in ways that allow for ease of handling which typically involves individual removal of the larger branches.
It is very important that your plants never touch the dirt during harvest since anything that comes in contact with the sticky resinous buds will be very difficult to remove later.
Maybe the new bud washing methods that some are using could take care of any accidental drops but it’s still a good idea to keep things as clean and sterile as possible during the course of chopping and transporting the harvested crop to the area where it is to be manicured and dried.
When possible I prefer to chop during the dark period or lights off period.
During the daily dark cycle, sugars, starches, and amino acids that can negatively affect flavor move from the upper foliar and stem parts of the plant down into the root zone areas of the plant. When the sun begins to rise, or when lights come on if growing indoors, these sugars, starches, and amino’s begin their daily journey back upward from the root zone to the above ground stem and foliar growth and will saturate the foliar growth until the dark cycle begins again and the whole process repeats itself.
Chopping toward the latter part of the dark cycle but before the first hint of sunrise will minimize the concentration of sugars, starches, and amino’s that are contained in the buds and leaf matter of the plant at the time of harvest resulting in a smoother smoke.
For smaller plants I prefer to chop right at the trunk with one cut then trim off individual branches afterward if preferred. For larger plants it’s usually best to chop them in ways that allow for ease of handling which typically involves individual removal of the larger branches.
It is very important that your plants never touch the dirt during harvest since anything that comes in contact with the sticky resinous buds will be very difficult to remove later.
Maybe the new bud washing methods that some are using could take care of any accidental drops but it’s still a good idea to keep things as clean and sterile as possible during the course of chopping and transporting the harvested crop to the area where it is to be manicured and dried.
- Thread starter
- #250
UncleCannabis
New Member
Drying –
IMHO the most important part of the drying process is environmental control. Without good environmental control it is extremely difficult to dry cannabis properly and get consistently good results.
Ideal environmental conditions would be:
About 72 to 50 degrees F with RH maintained around the 55 to 45 percent range.
Limit any exposure to high light levels.
Darkness or very low (no UV) light conditions are preferred.
Maintain light air circulation in the drying area to minimize stagnant air. Wind like conditions are not good and will cause accelerated drying. Very light air movement only!
*You should always have your drying area prepared and planned out long before harvest. If it’s your first time drying or first dry cycle in a new location it would be a good idea to monitor temps and humidity beforehand to ensure that temps and humidity can be consistently maintained. This is very important.
I prefer to remove all flag leaves before drying but some others may prefer to leave the flag leaves on. There is no right way or wrong way really but rather a personal choice.
I’ve done it both ways and have found that leaving the flag leaves on extends the dry time by approximately one day. This is good since a slower dry should contribute to a smoother tasting smoke.
The negative aspect of drying with the fan leaves attached would be increased susceptibility to mold due to the limiting of air movement around the calyx areas and they are a real pain in the butt to remove if not removed immediately after harvest.
I have not been able to detect any noticeable difference in smoothness or flavor so I now always remove flag leaves before drying – and I try to remove them as soon as possible after chopping before they become rubbery and difficult to remove.
After flag leaves are removed I sometimes like to wet trim and get it out of the way as I find that wet trimming is easier. Other times I'll do the trimming chores after drying. There are pluses and minuses with each method but the difference in the end product is not noticeable - at least not by me anyways.
Regardless of whether I wet trim or dry trim, before drying I cut the stems up into manageable sizes for ease of handling then either hang the branches or set them into a drying rack to dry then just keep a close eye on environmental conditions while the magic happens.
Although not backed by science or anything I think that it’s probably best to leave the buds attached to the stems and branches during drying as this allows moisture levels to equalize between the buds and stems resulting in a slower dry and a more equal dry with the smaller buds drying at similar rates as the larger buds.
In most cases, after 3 to 5 days of drying in a 68 to 70 degree F temp / 50% RH environment the dry cycle should be complete or nearing completion. The signs to look out for are a very light snapping of the internal cell tissues in the medium sized stems when bending (not a rubbery bending feel and not a snapping twig feel – the sweet spot is right in between the two) along with a slightly dry feel when giving the larger buds a light squeeze.
If the larger buds still have a wet and very spongy feel to them it’s best to allow them to continue to dry a bit more as excess residual moisture is a recipe for mold to set in during the cure.
Enough for now - smoke break time....I’ll be back a bit later with a few trimming and curing tips and suggestions but in the meantime, if anyone would like to share their tips and experiences or spill some closely held secrets please feel free to jump right on in and do so.
Peace, Love, & BBQ
IMHO the most important part of the drying process is environmental control. Without good environmental control it is extremely difficult to dry cannabis properly and get consistently good results.
Ideal environmental conditions would be:
About 72 to 50 degrees F with RH maintained around the 55 to 45 percent range.
Limit any exposure to high light levels.
Darkness or very low (no UV) light conditions are preferred.
Maintain light air circulation in the drying area to minimize stagnant air. Wind like conditions are not good and will cause accelerated drying. Very light air movement only!
*You should always have your drying area prepared and planned out long before harvest. If it’s your first time drying or first dry cycle in a new location it would be a good idea to monitor temps and humidity beforehand to ensure that temps and humidity can be consistently maintained. This is very important.
I prefer to remove all flag leaves before drying but some others may prefer to leave the flag leaves on. There is no right way or wrong way really but rather a personal choice.
I’ve done it both ways and have found that leaving the flag leaves on extends the dry time by approximately one day. This is good since a slower dry should contribute to a smoother tasting smoke.
The negative aspect of drying with the fan leaves attached would be increased susceptibility to mold due to the limiting of air movement around the calyx areas and they are a real pain in the butt to remove if not removed immediately after harvest.
I have not been able to detect any noticeable difference in smoothness or flavor so I now always remove flag leaves before drying – and I try to remove them as soon as possible after chopping before they become rubbery and difficult to remove.
After flag leaves are removed I sometimes like to wet trim and get it out of the way as I find that wet trimming is easier. Other times I'll do the trimming chores after drying. There are pluses and minuses with each method but the difference in the end product is not noticeable - at least not by me anyways.
Regardless of whether I wet trim or dry trim, before drying I cut the stems up into manageable sizes for ease of handling then either hang the branches or set them into a drying rack to dry then just keep a close eye on environmental conditions while the magic happens.
Although not backed by science or anything I think that it’s probably best to leave the buds attached to the stems and branches during drying as this allows moisture levels to equalize between the buds and stems resulting in a slower dry and a more equal dry with the smaller buds drying at similar rates as the larger buds.
In most cases, after 3 to 5 days of drying in a 68 to 70 degree F temp / 50% RH environment the dry cycle should be complete or nearing completion. The signs to look out for are a very light snapping of the internal cell tissues in the medium sized stems when bending (not a rubbery bending feel and not a snapping twig feel – the sweet spot is right in between the two) along with a slightly dry feel when giving the larger buds a light squeeze.
If the larger buds still have a wet and very spongy feel to them it’s best to allow them to continue to dry a bit more as excess residual moisture is a recipe for mold to set in during the cure.
Enough for now - smoke break time....I’ll be back a bit later with a few trimming and curing tips and suggestions but in the meantime, if anyone would like to share their tips and experiences or spill some closely held secrets please feel free to jump right on in and do so.
Peace, Love, & BBQ
- Thread starter
- #251
UncleCannabis
New Member
Drying (continued) -
Before moving on I'd like to mention a few things that I forgot to bring up earlier.
1. Try to keep the branches and buds from touching or resting against other branches and buds while drying. Anywhere that buds are allowed to rest against a wall or solid object or be in direct contact with other buds will limit fresh air access to the contact area and create conditions that promote mold growth.
2. When selecting a drying location make sure to select an area where any dust or airborne contaminants can be minimized. Sticky resin is like a magnet for dust particles so anything that can be done to minimize airborne contaminants is a big plus.
For small scale home grows I've found that a clean grow tent equipped with with an extraction fan and carbon filter along with filter media placed on the inlet duct works like a champ.
3. Odor control during drying and trimming activities should be a major consideration for anyone that lives in non MJ friendly locations so it pays to be prepared in advance and have a plan for this.
Before moving on I'd like to mention a few things that I forgot to bring up earlier.
1. Try to keep the branches and buds from touching or resting against other branches and buds while drying. Anywhere that buds are allowed to rest against a wall or solid object or be in direct contact with other buds will limit fresh air access to the contact area and create conditions that promote mold growth.
2. When selecting a drying location make sure to select an area where any dust or airborne contaminants can be minimized. Sticky resin is like a magnet for dust particles so anything that can be done to minimize airborne contaminants is a big plus.
For small scale home grows I've found that a clean grow tent equipped with with an extraction fan and carbon filter along with filter media placed on the inlet duct works like a champ.
3. Odor control during drying and trimming activities should be a major consideration for anyone that lives in non MJ friendly locations so it pays to be prepared in advance and have a plan for this.
Hey Uncle C. It's been a while. Longer than I realized, when I saw how much catching up I had to do, geez. But very pleasant catching up it was, and why sleep... Interesting to read re accidentally unsubscribing. I do it all the time- look up in time to see the message 'your subscription to this thread has been removed as requested, o master' and I'm like 'Wtf? which thread??' It's impossible to figure out which one on the list went poof, except to wait and see. It takes me weeks to find out sometimes.
I didn't accidentally unsubscribe from this one though - just have been spread so thin lately.
I'm sorry to hear hints of shutting down the Grove. Please keep in touch though, if this is so, and don't stray too far now. I think it's safe for me to to say, on behalf of all of us, your doting illegitimate nieces and nephews, that, ummmm....we love you Uncle C. Thanks for the great harvest info too btw.
I didn't accidentally unsubscribe from this one though - just have been spread so thin lately.
I'm sorry to hear hints of shutting down the Grove. Please keep in touch though, if this is so, and don't stray too far now. I think it's safe for me to to say, on behalf of all of us, your doting illegitimate nieces and nephews, that, ummmm....we love you Uncle C. Thanks for the great harvest info too btw.
- Thread starter
- #253
UncleCannabis
New Member
Curing -
Once the bending of the mid sized stems doesn't feel like bending a piece of rubber but instead you feel a very slight cell breakage it's probably time to begin the curing process. To make sure, give the larger buds and colas a very slight squeeze in an effort to gauge residual moisture. If the sugar leaves feel dry to the touch with an ever so slight cracking when lightly squeezed and the buds don't feel wet and overly spongy then this should confirm that the dry is complete and it's all good to move on the the curing stage....or trim if trimming wasn't done prior to drying, then move to curing containers.
I should mention that if you're not able to be available to monitor and burp often during the early curing stage it's better to allow a bit more time during drying before beginning the cure phase rather than risk mold issues due to trapped moisture in your jars or containers. Confucius say - It's better to have overly dried buds than moldy buds. Nah...Confucius didn't really say this but you get the point right?
Unlike many others, I use mostly BPA free plastic containers to cure and store my stash. The reason for this is mainly because I've had stash jars full of stash fall from shelves or get dropped onto hard flooring in the past and picking buds out of broken glass is not something that I enjoy doing.
If you do use plastic instead of glass you should ensure that the containers are made with BPA free plastics and are labeled as food grade otherwise you may end up with harmful chemicals being released into your precious herbs. In addition to the health concerns with using non food grade / non BPA free plastics these lower grades of plastic can also make your herbs taste bad. So spend the extra couple of bucks....your health is at stake here so this is not the place to skimp and try to save a couple of coins.
Once the buds are moved to the curing containers you need to ensure that the buds are not packed in tightly and at least 1/3 of the space should be left as air space. Packing in too much bud and not leaving adequate air space is a recipe for mold to set in.
After placing the buds into containers I'll usually leave the tops off for a few hours so that the buds can dry a bit more but at a slower drying rate than when allowed to dry in open air. Every couple of hours I move the buds around a bit or "fluff" the containers by rolling them around to ensure that buds are not sticking to each other and allow for even continued drying.
You'll probably find that a few hours after placing the buds into the containers they may feel more wet than they were before moving them to the containers, even with the tops of the containers left off. This is normal due to the reduced air circulation as the buds are continuing to dry and release residual moisture. This is also the most likely time that mold will begin to set in - if it happens - so you really need to be on the lookout for mold that may be forming at this point. Also, I can't emphasize enough the importance of continuing to keep temps and humidity under control with light air movement in order to prevent mold from setting in.
Once the larger buds begin to feel dry to the touch and begin to harden up and are not so spongy anymore - no pun intended there.... - the lids can then be placed onto the containers but not fully closed or sealed up just yet. I like to leave a crack or gap in the lids for about the first 6 to 12 hours or so after placing the tops onto the containers to allow for continued but slow moisture release while also continuing to lightly fluff the buds every so often. After about 6 to 12 hours of lid cracked open container drying I then secure the lids and burp as frequently as possible (minimum 3 times per day) during the first week of curing.
After the first week you can then burp less often maybe once or twice per day during week 2 and tapering off to once or twice per week or so by week 3 and beyond without having to worry so much about mold setting in - assuming that you are able to maintain good temps and RH levels.
That's about the gist of it - and it's about time for another smoke break.
I hope that this information proves to be useful for some of you that may just be getting started.
Peace, Love, & BBQ
Once the bending of the mid sized stems doesn't feel like bending a piece of rubber but instead you feel a very slight cell breakage it's probably time to begin the curing process. To make sure, give the larger buds and colas a very slight squeeze in an effort to gauge residual moisture. If the sugar leaves feel dry to the touch with an ever so slight cracking when lightly squeezed and the buds don't feel wet and overly spongy then this should confirm that the dry is complete and it's all good to move on the the curing stage....or trim if trimming wasn't done prior to drying, then move to curing containers.
I should mention that if you're not able to be available to monitor and burp often during the early curing stage it's better to allow a bit more time during drying before beginning the cure phase rather than risk mold issues due to trapped moisture in your jars or containers. Confucius say - It's better to have overly dried buds than moldy buds. Nah...Confucius didn't really say this but you get the point right?
Unlike many others, I use mostly BPA free plastic containers to cure and store my stash. The reason for this is mainly because I've had stash jars full of stash fall from shelves or get dropped onto hard flooring in the past and picking buds out of broken glass is not something that I enjoy doing.
If you do use plastic instead of glass you should ensure that the containers are made with BPA free plastics and are labeled as food grade otherwise you may end up with harmful chemicals being released into your precious herbs. In addition to the health concerns with using non food grade / non BPA free plastics these lower grades of plastic can also make your herbs taste bad. So spend the extra couple of bucks....your health is at stake here so this is not the place to skimp and try to save a couple of coins.
Once the buds are moved to the curing containers you need to ensure that the buds are not packed in tightly and at least 1/3 of the space should be left as air space. Packing in too much bud and not leaving adequate air space is a recipe for mold to set in.
After placing the buds into containers I'll usually leave the tops off for a few hours so that the buds can dry a bit more but at a slower drying rate than when allowed to dry in open air. Every couple of hours I move the buds around a bit or "fluff" the containers by rolling them around to ensure that buds are not sticking to each other and allow for even continued drying.
You'll probably find that a few hours after placing the buds into the containers they may feel more wet than they were before moving them to the containers, even with the tops of the containers left off. This is normal due to the reduced air circulation as the buds are continuing to dry and release residual moisture. This is also the most likely time that mold will begin to set in - if it happens - so you really need to be on the lookout for mold that may be forming at this point. Also, I can't emphasize enough the importance of continuing to keep temps and humidity under control with light air movement in order to prevent mold from setting in.
Once the larger buds begin to feel dry to the touch and begin to harden up and are not so spongy anymore - no pun intended there.... - the lids can then be placed onto the containers but not fully closed or sealed up just yet. I like to leave a crack or gap in the lids for about the first 6 to 12 hours or so after placing the tops onto the containers to allow for continued but slow moisture release while also continuing to lightly fluff the buds every so often. After about 6 to 12 hours of lid cracked open container drying I then secure the lids and burp as frequently as possible (minimum 3 times per day) during the first week of curing.
After the first week you can then burp less often maybe once or twice per day during week 2 and tapering off to once or twice per week or so by week 3 and beyond without having to worry so much about mold setting in - assuming that you are able to maintain good temps and RH levels.
That's about the gist of it - and it's about time for another smoke break.
I hope that this information proves to be useful for some of you that may just be getting started.
Peace, Love, & BBQ
- Thread starter
- #254
UncleCannabis
New Member
Hey there WC.
Good of you to stop by. I assume that the smell of freshly cured buds has drawn you out of the Green Hole?? LOL!!
I know what you mean about being spread too thin. When work is not so busy I really enjoy visiting and keeping up with grow journals and just bouncing around the site checking out strain reviews, cannabis news articles, etc. Unfortunately I don't always have the free time available to keep up with the journals that I'm subscribed to - not even my own - so I understand and will excuse your absence....this time.....just don't let this become a habit and it's all good.
Puff, puff, pass brother.
Wreckedsummer
Well-Known Member
Sticky????
- Thread starter
- #256
UncleCannabis
New Member
Wondering if you can answer this one... I'm away a lot as you know. I 'burp' the jars now and then but certainly not every day. 'Burping' kinda implies that there's some sort of off-gassing process happening. (?) if a jar is filled with dried bud and it's in the safe zone- I wonder whether or not the burping makes much difference? I always drop it down to under 60 RH over time, but certainly don't do it very methodically.
- Thread starter
- #258
UncleCannabis
New Member
Hey there friends. I'd like your opinions on something if you don't mind.
There seems to be lots of mystery surrounding the history of Thai stick, what it actually was, and why it seemed to have suddenly disappeared around the mid to late 80's. I've read a couple of threads about Thai stick and there seems to be lots of interest in the subject but not much information available about it.
I don't claim to know all of the facts and details about the legendary Thai sticks but I was lucky enough - and unfortunately old enough - to have been able to purchase and enjoy some on a couple of occasions before it seemed to have disappeared but I also know someone that was not only living in Bangkok during the early 70's but also has intimate knowledge about much of the smuggling activities that went on during this time.
I'm fortunate enough to be very good friends with this gentleman and over the years he's told me first hand accounts of some of the stories and history surround the legendary Thai stick as well as stories about some of the key players that were involved in getting it from Thailand to the US.
Ok so where was I - sorry folks, the Cherry OG is hitting me in the forehead like a baseball right now causing me to loose my train of thought - oh yeah...your opinions.
Where on this site should I post a write up about Thai Stick? Should I post the write up in the strain reviews section or would there be a more suitable place to post this type of thread?
I'll be looking forward to suggestions from some of you who are more familiar with all of the nooks and crannies of 420mag.
There seems to be lots of mystery surrounding the history of Thai stick, what it actually was, and why it seemed to have suddenly disappeared around the mid to late 80's. I've read a couple of threads about Thai stick and there seems to be lots of interest in the subject but not much information available about it.
I don't claim to know all of the facts and details about the legendary Thai sticks but I was lucky enough - and unfortunately old enough - to have been able to purchase and enjoy some on a couple of occasions before it seemed to have disappeared but I also know someone that was not only living in Bangkok during the early 70's but also has intimate knowledge about much of the smuggling activities that went on during this time.
I'm fortunate enough to be very good friends with this gentleman and over the years he's told me first hand accounts of some of the stories and history surround the legendary Thai stick as well as stories about some of the key players that were involved in getting it from Thailand to the US.
Ok so where was I - sorry folks, the Cherry OG is hitting me in the forehead like a baseball right now causing me to loose my train of thought - oh yeah...your opinions.
Where on this site should I post a write up about Thai Stick? Should I post the write up in the strain reviews section or would there be a more suitable place to post this type of thread?
I'll be looking forward to suggestions from some of you who are more familiar with all of the nooks and crannies of 420mag.
- Thread starter
- #259
UncleCannabis
New Member
I've never checked RH but if you allow your herbs to dry out enough before jarring and sealing the danger of mold setting in more or less goes away as mold needs moisture to form. The curing process is essentially the off-gassing of moisture along with nasty tasting stuff like chlorophyll vapors as well as the maturation of the cannabanoids and flavanoids and all of the other noids and whatnot.
During the cure it's good to replace the stale and off-gas contaminated air with fresh air periodically with more frequent air replacement or burping done during the early stages of the curing. After the first week or two you can gradually taper off the frequency - ie 4 weeks after jarring burp once per month or every 6 to 8 weeks.
Awesome. There's one perfect place for it, which is right here. Landrace Genetics 101
I was around and smoking when the Thai sticks were, but kept missing out and then it disappeared. Not too long after, all the imported sativas in my area seemed to vanish in favour of indica stuff grown closer to home. Or so it seemed to me anyway.
As you probably know, Ace Seeds made efforts to locate the strains historically used to make Thai sticks. They have discontinued the seeds but on my email request found some in a freezer so PotChimp and I bought some. PC has a Thai Stick journal going. His is harvested and we are awaiting the smoke report. My second run (first was male) should sex any day now.
Thanks
I was around and smoking when the Thai sticks were, but kept missing out and then it disappeared. Not too long after, all the imported sativas in my area seemed to vanish in favour of indica stuff grown closer to home. Or so it seemed to me anyway.
As you probably know, Ace Seeds made efforts to locate the strains historically used to make Thai sticks. They have discontinued the seeds but on my email request found some in a freezer so PotChimp and I bought some. PC has a Thai Stick journal going. His is harvested and we are awaiting the smoke report. My second run (first was male) should sex any day now.
Thanks
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