Bud Washing

[AfricanGrower]

>>> If it were me I would separate them allowing better air flow in between your buds. Anything to stop mold!

I thought the same thing until my first large harvest. Having good airflow is key, but IMO, too much airflow with the combo of RH less than 40% will dry out colas far more quicker, in days even, and we as growers who want to achieve the best textures and quality possible need to prolong the drying ad long as we can. I know there is the initial risk of fungi on your mind, but if you can lock in environment stats those threats still be at bay.

I think keeping them close like that on the drying rack has a potential to go wrong, but if humidity is kept in check, and good circulation in the general area is steady, then the proximity just kicks starts the fermentation of buds.

Think about people who harvest straight into paper bags and only open then up a couple times a day to stay fresh, that dry fit up to 2 weeks...just my 2¢

 

[SweetLeef]

hey SweetLeef, I have never washed my buds although I may give it a whirl this grow. In your picture your buds are kind of stacked on top of each other. If it were me I would separate them allowing better air flow in between your buds. Anything to stop mold!

Yeah, I wasn't concerned with how close together they are only because they were only hung like that over night. Most to get the drips out. They are now on a mesh drying rack in a closet that ranges from 40-50% humidity, which combined with the quick drying rack should, hopefully, not dry them too fast.

 

[AfricanGrower]

Yeah, I wasn't concerned with how close together they are only because they were only hung like that over night. Most to get the drips out. They are now on a mesh drying rack in a closet that ranges from 40-50% humidity, which combined with the quick drying rack should, hopefully, not dry them too fast.

I put mine in paper bags after the 2 days of hang drying. You should consider this if you think your buds are drying out too fast on the rack.

 

[GeorgeFoster]

Thanks skybound of the key assist

Just checking the washed buds this morning and the results already look excellent by feel, appearance, and smell.

And these two with flash..

Update:
2 days in my flower environment and pulled a bud for a taste test....still slightly moist to the touch.

Buds do seem lighter/airy then ever before but that could be from my multiple stressing of this grow and improper environment overall.


Taste/smoke test

Smooth is an understatement....never had such smooth smoke ever.
So smooth that before you realize you have taken a mega hit the expansion in the lungs is massive, yet no foul taste, or the snot blowing couch associated with over toking.

So far I am very impressed

 

[Skybound]

I washed all of my harvest save for a tiny little branch that I can use to compare washed v. unwashed. I plucked all the fans off the buds then processed each through the 4 buckets I used for the wash.

Bucket #1 - 5 Gallons RO water (roughly 4.5 gal) and 400ml of 29% H2O2 added (room temp about 65º F)
Bucket #2 - 5 Gallons RO water with 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup lemon juice (concentrate) (room temp)
Bucket #3 - 5 Gallons RO water with fish tank heater to get water to 78º F (warm water rinse)
Bucket #4 - 5 Gallons RO water room temp rinse

I then allowed them to hang for at least 12-24 hours to drip dry and have began to trim the bud leaves. Being that there's so much, I was only able to get the 2 largest cols done and will have to sub the rest of the work out to a room mate that has the time to spare. I plan to room dry for a couple days then cycle them through the only paper bag I have, or possibly a larger box to slow down the drying. I'm very new at this so if anyone has a good slow dry method, please share and I will try to graft that in with current materials or I'll get whatever is needed to get it done right.

 

[Icemud]

Ogiesel washed in a 1 part was of R/O D/I 0ppm water...cured for 1 month

Cherry Pie washed in

a 1 part was of R/O D/I 0ppm water...cured for 1 month


Don't think I lost any trichomes in the wash

 

[Doc Bud]

That's some properly arranged nuggetry. I also noticed trichomes on that washed bud. We bud washers might look like crazy idiots, but at least we've got one thing right: Wash the damn buds!

 

[Icemud]

That's some properly arranged nuggetry. I also noticed trichomes on that washed bud. We bud washers might look like crazy idiots, but at least we've got one thing right: Wash the damn buds!

I've definitely got the "are you crazy look" quite a few times from other growers, smokers and such... followed by, thats nuts, I've never heard of anyone doing that...your going to ruin your buds...

At that time I pack up a bowl hand it to them, they inhale and smile and say...Wow, you were right... I love my washed buds!

 

[JJ Bones]

Has anyone trimmed, and then washed? This is an interesting technique.

Reminds me of Jorge Cervantes recommending to soak in H2O2+water to remove PM.

 

[Skybound]

Has anyone trimmed, and then washed? This is an interesting technique.

Reminds me of Jorge Cervantes recommending to soak in H2O2+water to remove PM.

I kind of wished I would've trimmed before the wash as waiting till they drip dried caused the sugar leaves to wilt to the colas making them more difficult to identify. Needless to say I will have a butter concoction with a lot of pistils in the trim to be used.

 

[CareStaker]

Has anyone trimmed, and then washed? This is an interesting technique.

Reminds me of Jorge Cervantes recommending to soak in H2O2+water to remove PM.

I have tried both ways, and trim first as standard procedure. I took some pics (page 9), and many others have posted as well.
Like H2O2, the sulfites in the 'Real Lemon' brand of lemon juice, help with fungals.

I was also reading a few pages back about THC solubility in water. I see that it is low, but that some people are concerned about it. I suppose that would be prudent - if there was evidence to support that water could first permeate the cell wall of the trichome containing the THC, and then work it's way out again with the solution. I am not remotely in the know about the interactions at this level -- but it seems akin to saying : your blood is water soluble, therefore you shouldn't go swimming. Anyone comfortable enough with the science on this, to have a fact based opinion?

 

[JJ Bones]

Do you mean 'sulfates' in the lemon? I've be interested to find out which are present, I'll have to google it.

People are just freaked out about putting their buds in water but it won't take the trichomes. People do bubble hash with cold water which helps to remove the trichomes then when we filter it we catch them which proves its not soluble in the water. If it was soluble it would make it through.

When people do BHO though it's a different reaction. Different polarities.

 

[CareStaker]

Do you mean 'sulfates' in the lemon? I've be interested to find out which are present, I'll have to google it.

People are just freaked out about putting their buds in water but it won't take the trichomes. People do bubble hash with cold water which helps to remove the trichomes then when we filter it we catch them which proves its not soluble in the water. If it was soluble it would make it through.

When people do BHO though it's a different reaction. Different polarities.

Should be Sulfites.

CopyPasta:

Real Lemon® Ingredients

#1 Lemon juice from concentrate

(made from water & concentrated lemon juice) – So the first ingredient in this “Real” lemon juice is not even real lemons.

#2 Sodium Benzoate (preservative)

Commercial source: mineral-synthetic.
Used in: margarine, bottled soft drinks, maraschino cherries, mincemeat, fruit juices, pickles, confections, fruit jelly preserves, jams. Also used in the ice for cooling fish.
Definition: A very common preservative used mostly in acidic foods.
Vegan

#3 Sodium Metabisulfite (preservative)

Not much is written about this preservative as far as health implications but here is a list of what it is typically used for:

Bleaching Agent in foods
Antiseptic and germicide
Inhibitor and freshening agent

#4 Sodium Sulfite (preservative)

It is a soluble sodium salt of sulfurous acid. Used routinely in the paper and pulp industry as well as a common additive to reduce the chlorine in swimming pools. It is also use to purify TNT for the military.

 

[JJ Bones]

Interesting, never heard of sulfurous acid. Looks like it's basically H2SO3 vs H2SO4 (sulfuric acid).

Never heard of sulfite either, thanks for expanding my knowledge.

Sulfite vs Sulfate for anything interested: Sulphates and Sulphites – the Good, the Moderately Bad and the Ugly

 

[CareStaker]

Interesting, never heard of sulfurous acid. Looks like it's basically H2SO3 vs H2SO4 (sulfuric acid).

Never heard of sulfite either, thanks for expanding my knowledge.

Sulfite vs Sulfate for anything interested: Sulphates and Sulphites – the Good, the Moderately Bad and the Ugly

Ha! I think I read that exact same thread not that long ago - while reading (googling) up on it. I had read a thread where Doc Bud was detailing his use of it (k-meta), and the anti-fungal properties of sulfites. I read about it, as a result of my search, as to how to increase my protection, against fungal growth. I'm near the ocean. I feel like I have cleaner flowers using it. Think we both learned something, thank you!

 

[JJ Bones]

Yeah sulfur works very good for fungus.

 

[Icemud]

Has anyone trimmed, and then washed? This is an interesting technique.

Reminds me of Jorge Cervantes recommending to soak in H2O2+water to remove PM.

I always wet trim mine, right off the plant, then wash then hang to dry. I like how it washes all the trim that sticks to the buds off. So far they dry very evenly and rock hard! I've just been doing a 1 part wash though, no additives, just 0ppm r/o, d/i water. Definitely going to be included into every harvest.

BTW..I tried that H2O2 PM wash like Jorge Cervantes showed in his video when I had PM a few grows ago, It didn't really work as far as removing the PM... a little came off, but when I looked at the undersides of the buds, and leaves, the PM was still there. (I used pretty much a whole large bottle of H2O2 but was only the 3% so that might be why)...

 

[ProperGreen]

Interesting! Thanks To PeeJay For Pointing Me In This Direction!



Subscribed to come back to this when the time comes!
Thanks to the OP for starting this thread, to the "inventor" of this idea, and to everyone else for adding to it and sharing their results!

Anyone else have results to share?!
Would be really great to see some more macro shots(not that it matters apparently)!

& Blessings

 

[Skybound]

I used that 29% H2O2 and went online to find conversion ratios which lead me to believe that roughly 400ml of the 29% per about 4.5 gallons of RO water would land me at or near Doc Bud's recipe. Granted I washed my first and only harvest to date so I have no other experience to base my facts from, I did find that all of my buds dried out way past the ideal 62% RH range despite being stored in air tight containers with little room for still air. So I have air lock containers filled to about 80% capacity or better with bud, yet opening each maybe once a week was enough to really dry out my stock down into the 30% range.

Further tests need to be done on my part with future harvests, but I'm inclined to believe that I will be erring on the side of caution when adding in H2O2 and will be aiming to "do it", or "under do it".

 

[Curso]

Here's how I do mine. There is 5gl of cold water in the tub with the baking soda and lemon juice followed by a hot 1st rinse followed by a cold 2nd rinse then hung to drip dry. I spread them out and all that jazz after they drip for a couple hours.