How do you know when it's dry enough to start curing?

[ATrueBlackThu]

I cut the plant down 9 days ago and 4 or 5 days ago I cut them into each individual branch and cut the rest of the fan leaves off and trimmed some of the sugar leaves off (and placed in freezer for later use in making hash). The branches still bend instead of breaking off so should I keep drying or should I go ahead and trim them the rest of the way and throw them in the jars? I really don't want to mess it up this close to finish

 

[Dwight Monk]

The bigger branches just firm up, some go by when the smaller ones will break without leaving a string, as if the bigger ones snap off then it is too dry and doesn't cure as well I think. I went by when they didn't feel wet and then cut them up and put into jars to cure, but I left the sugar leaves on and I could also go by fact that those were pretty dry. But I have a small humidity gauge, and one I put into jars too soon so had to leave out for a few hours on a plate to get it below 70% humidity in jar, as I think 60-65% is target for curing from what I have read and many folks like to have it under 60% after curing far as long term storage goes. As mold not a good thing and best to be avoided, but I think you can dry them too long and can be "too dry" too. But I"m still learning so keeping an eye on this in case I'm way off or something I can pick up on too.

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

You could place them in and enclosed container with a hygro inside. It may take a while, 6hours or more to get an accurate reading. When I hang mine, I try to place them in a room or even in my tent and keep the room RH to somewhere close to 60%. This way I can't overdry, even if I tried. I hang for 1 week then cut into individual buds and jar them up. Each container gets a monitor from an Oregon Scientific (brand) weather station. This way I can monitor them from a distance. I "fine tune" the humidity from there. Once they are at about 62% I leave the lid on for about a week, which is when I pull a little tester and check the cure. I do the same after one more week. At this point, I pour it all out and make sure it is not stuck together, then quickly back in the jar and into long term storage. Right now, long term storage amounts to about 2 months. That's only because that's how long it will take me to smoke what's left of the last harvest.