2 week dry and cure?

[acrobat]

So.. I've been giving alot of attention to the amazing threads here especially the lo and slo method (thank you EVERYONE who contributed to that thread!!)

My challenge is, I need to get my harvest (tomorrow) in jars and preferably not in need of daily burping, by November 1.

I have been going around my house and trying to see what might be the best space to do this in.

I had thought to wash first, and I can hang to dry with a fan in almost all of the spaces I choose, but I don't want to run the fan forever (its a box fan and seems to be running my electricity high$$)

So my hope is to only use the fan for a bit after washing while Im hanging it in the dark to dry (4-8 hrs? Some other time period?)

So post-washing, here are my options for spaces to dry/cure in, in order of what (I think) I've learned will work best for a faster dry/cure:

1. Basement cold storage room
Humidity: 58% Temperature: 20C / 68F
pros: Noone will disturb this space, has a lock. Smell can be mitigated with a towel across the bottom of the door.No windows, completely dark
cons: No ventilation, and would rather not leave a fan plugged in

2. Basement other room
Humidity: 55-56% Temperature: 22C / 71.6F
pros: dryer less humid air, bigger space for air circulation, no window, can remain dark
cons: seems a bit too warm maybe, not sure. Could have brief light exposure or air disturbance if someone opens the door

3. Garage
Humidity: 57-67% Temperature: 12-16C / 53-60.8F
pros: maybe a bit more "set it and leave it"? and more private. Also, if it gets colder outside, I'll get cooler temps. Could run the fan if I had to
cons: inconsistent humidity. On a rainy day it will spike for sure. And, the garage is where the early PM signs have occurred (because I've been bringing them into this space at night for a couple weeks now that the temperatures have dropped)

4. Upstairs bedroom
Humidity: 55% Temperature: 23C / 73 F
pros: large room, good air circulation, could open a window if I had to, ceiling fan. Room is private and not in use
cons: will definitely stink up the house, could be too hot and dry? Someone might conceivably get curious

5. Wine Fridge (currently has 2 bottles of wine, one in a cardboard box)
Humidity: 45% (does that even sound right??) Temperature: currently 45F one level, 55F the other
pros: I'll get to try out the fridge method. Could move to my locked bedroom for safety. Dual temp zones so could experiment with 2 temp zones
cons: Seems like super low humidity. Will take too long? And it will cost more since I actually don't keep this fridge running (bought during kitchen reno and seemed like a must have at the time lol)

6. Old Bar Fridge in the garage, closed, not turned on
Have not taken readings yet...Just putting this out there as an idea because it seems like it would be cool, because its cold outside, but it might not be as susceptible to wild fluctuations in humidity due to rainy weather, because its an enclosed fridge. But logic tells me that zero air circulation = mould ...

Remember: I need to get this cured, or at least to the point where I dont need to burp every day, by November 1st if at all possible. If its doable, I'd then move the jars to the basement cold storage, since I can lock it and its dark, and just forget about it till Im able/ready to smoke in December.

Having said that...what would happen in (5) Wine Fridge method..if I left the buds in there past Nov 1, no burping or maintenance, for a month or more? Would them being in jars help? Paper bags? Or...Would I just ruin everything?

I'll gladly scrap or modify any/all these ideas for some common sense being pounded into me haha

 

[Newbill10]

Wine Fridge for Low and Slow Method. Buds must be very loosely packed in white or Kraft paper The garage is fine also, plenty of air space, hang on lines.

 

[SmokingWings]

One thing I notice you mention is washing the buds right after you cut them and hang with a fan. The fan does not have to be blowing on the drying buds. The reason for the fan is to create air circulation to provide a fast and even drying of the water after washing. The fan is not to dry out the moisture inside the buds.

That dying has to be slow and steady.

It might help others come up with a few more suggestions if you mention how soon after Nov 1 you can access the jars.

 

[acrobat]

One thing I notice you mention is washing the buds right after you cut them and hang with a fan. The fan does not have to be blowing on the drying buds. The reason for the fan is to create air circulation to provide a fast and even drying of the water after washing. The fan is not to dry out the moisture inside the buds.

That dying has to be slow and steady.

It might help others come up with a few more suggestions if you mention how soon after Nov 1 you can access the jars.

Good points. Tbh..I mentioned this in my buds pic thread - I might just forgo washing. These are super lean buds and I didn't do alot of nutrients..past 2 weeks has been straight water, did a rinse Tuesday morning and I've already done a H2o2 treatment last week and then Tuesday morning a baking soda treatment (both of course followed by a thorough hose down with the mist-er)....so Im not sure what real benefit washing will bring now, if anything it likely just prolongs my drying to curing cycle..

I should add 2 other details, which probably change the game either entirely (and render my long curing worries moot):

- Nov 1 now looks like it might turn into mid/third week of November..which means I'd have more time to get buds in jars and burp for at least two weeks. But then after that I would not be able to access or monitor the jars for possibly up to 2 months (but, see next point lol)

- I'm not intending to smoke most of my yield. I intend to smoke maybe 1 or 2 joints from each plant, to see the outcome of course, maybe give a bit to someone, and the rest I intend to make coconut oil or canna butter edibles with. Therefore, with the edibles, I doubt I even need to cure for any real length, correct? So theoretically I could dry and short-cure everything, give a jar to said someone and let them cure, and the rest make into oil or butter that I can put away and not worry about while Im away...

Man..sometimes just typing this stuff out shows one the path LOL

 

[acrobat]

Wine Fridge for Low and Slow Method. Buds must be very loosely packed in white or Kraft paper The garage is fine also, plenty of air space, hang on lines.

Im worried about the garage. Its cooler and the humidity can spike above 65%. I can't control it as well, seems a recipe for mould...altho I suppose I could fire up the baseboard heaters I found along one side, and low and behold they work. But thats more $$$, heating a garage lol.

The more and more I look at it, the basement room at 55% and 71F seems a pretty darn good option for drying at least..

The cold storage room looks decent if I want sub-70F temperature..but the humidity is 58% there.

Oh what to do lol

 

[SmokingWings]

Im worried about the garage. Its cooler and the humidity can spike above 65%. I can't control it as well, seems a recipe for mould...altho I suppose I could fire up the baseboard heaters I found along one side, and low and behold they work. But thats more $$$, heating a garage lol.

The more and more I look at it, the basement room at 55% and 71F seems a pretty darn good option for drying at least..

The cold storage room looks decent if I want sub-70F temperature..but the humidity is 58% there.

Oh what to do lol

I noticed the same thing about the root cellar. My wife calls it the cold storage room. Anyway, the temp is good in the room but the humidity climbs up more than I figure is best. I am slowly moving all the jars of cured buds out of the cellar and putting them away upstairs where temps and humidity are better controlled.

 

[acrobat]

I noticed the same thing about the root cellar. My wife calls it the cold storage room. Anyway, the temp is good in the room but the humidity climbs up more than I figure is best. I am slowly moving all the jars of cured buds out of the cellar and putting them away upstairs where temps and humidity are better controlled.

Just had a brainstorm...the upstairs unused bedroom has now moved to the top of my list.

Humidity is currently 56% and the temperature is 22 C / 71 F

BUT

I can close the vent in the room, bringing the room temperature down.

Next I can dial back the humidifier on the house furnace ever so slightly and this will lower overall house humidity. I don't need it high in the fall, it needs to be more high in the winter when the cold dry air is being conditioned by, well, hot dry air. Hopefully a week or so at this level won't start people's noses bleeding LOL

Next..the ceiling fan in that room is reversible (ie I can switch it to suck moist air up, not push it down) and it has 3 speeds so I can achieve different levels if I need to.

Finally...it has a window so I can air out the room well afterwards.

I think I've found a sweet spot. Have closed the vent and dialled back the humidity a bit and will take another reading in a few hours..

 

[JC Grow]

option 1 or 2 look ok
I use just a six inch fan blowing at low speed 58-62 rh 65-70 temp. .Wet trim .7 days then jar.Burb for sure at least next 14 days.

Always get a strong hay smell days 2-6.

 

[SmokingWings]

I get the feeling that acrobat is going to be away around the 1st of Nov. If the harvested buds spend 5-7 days drying then it cuts into the 14 days of burping.

Back to the drawing board on this one.

Maybe hold off on the harvest for a week or more and then use something like a slow dry & cure in a fridge. But, if most of it is going to be turned into butter does it really need a cure?

 

[acrobat]

I had to do a sanity check here. You know, that thing you should do when the KISS rule has long been forgotten and you've gone down the rabbit hole of convoluted options lol.

Some facts that brought everything back down to earth for me:

I started late on this project, I made a few blunders and if I'm lucky I have 7 small plants of mediocre weed (2 of which I'm not even sure what they are lol) and 1 plant of maybe somewhat decent bud.

Most of it I'm cooking and making either cookies or gummies outta.

I have super low tolerance, I don't smoke regularly, and probably mediocre weed will be amazing to me as a first time grower who expended next to no real $ on this. I wanted to grow with sun soil and tap water, and I did.

I learned alot. I made mistakes and thats ok, I know better for next year.

Someone who I respect who could have been brutal said "look - you grew something from seed to completion, optimal or sub par you still did that" - and they are right.

I harvested, I've got everything hanging down under a nice light ceiling fan with 59% humidity and 70F in a 10x13 room with darkness. Once dry, I'll save a bit to cure and the rest just make some nice oil with that I can say I accomplished something.

Feel a bit defeated but on the upside all I want is to see what comes out of my little humble experiment.

 

[Newbill10]

I get the feeling that acrobat is going to be away around the 1st of Nov. If the harvested buds spend 5-7 days drying then it cuts into the 14 days of burping.

Back to the drawing board on this one.

Maybe hold off on the harvest for a week or more and then use something like a slow dry & cure in a fridge. But, if most of it is going to be turned into butter does it really need a cure?

I add some water

 

[Newbill10]

I add some water to my cannabis butter recipe, the water washes away to green chlorophyll and is removed when the butter cools. For my wife's medicine, I used a dehydrator for the first 16 hours after the buds were washed. The final cookie dough tasted great, vanilla and lemon juice hid most "weed" taste. 1/2 oz hand cut herb to 1b cup water makes 32 doses.

 

[Cornercat]

my vote is #4 if you can pull it off. There's a huge shortage on fridges and freezers because of pandemic preppers, you could probably sell those for a decent price on craigslist

 

[acrobat]

my vote is #4 if you can pull it off. There's a huge shortage on fridges and freezers because of pandemic preppers, you could probably sell those for a decent price on craigslist

#4 is exactly what I've done. 6 days hanging is completed, last night I jarred them (12 jars total)

about half the jars are plugging along fine without needing to be opened, the other half were hovering around 71-73% humidity so I just left them open for now till they dry a bit more

I'm going to cook the majority of this stuff soon so I won't need to long-term cure. I'll save a gram or so of each plant to smoke so I can figure out what plant was what lol

 

[Konks Dirt Empire]

I had to do a sanity check here. You know, that thing you should do when the KISS rule has long been forgotten and you've gone down the rabbit hole of convoluted options lol.

Some facts that brought everything back down to earth for me:

I started late on this project, I made a few blunders and if I'm lucky I have 7 small plants of mediocre weed (2 of which I'm not even sure what they are lol) and 1 plant of maybe somewhat decent bud.

Most of it I'm cooking and making either cookies or gummies outta.

I have super low tolerance, I don't smoke regularly, and probably mediocre weed will be amazing to me as a first time grower who expended next to no real $ on this. I wanted to grow with sun soil and tap water, and I did.

I learned alot. I made mistakes and thats ok, I know better for next year.

Someone who I respect who could have been brutal said "look - you grew something from seed to completion, optimal or sub par you still did that" - and they are right.

I harvested, I've got everything hanging down under a nice light ceiling fan with 59% humidity and 70F in a 10x13 room with darkness. Once dry, I'll save a bit to cure and the rest just make some nice oil with that I can say I accomplished something.

Feel a bit defeated but on the upside all I want is to see what comes out of my little humble experiment.

Chin up! You have created a playbook for your next grow. Cast that effing defeat aside and take a bow. Some of the most experienced growers can miss something and lose a plant... You have a stash you grew, kudos!

 

[acrobat]

Chin up! You have created a playbook for your next grow. Cast that effing defeat aside and take a bow. Some of the most experienced growers can miss something and lose a plant...

Thank you!!! It was and still is such a fun little project. I've learned so much. And this sentence right here

You have a stash you grew, kudos!

Is just the best thing I've read..I love the sound of it! My stash that I grew...whaaaaat!!!!