DrZiggy's Low And Slow Drying: Maximizing Your Harvest

I use super market size brown bags, I ask for them each-time I food shop. I always ask the cashier for more. The way food disappears around here. Getting bags,That’s not much of concern for me.
I read that a member would rather freeze that fridge to remove humidity. I guess everyone has a opinion.
I have always been under the belief that if buds are frozen it help the try’s ether fall off, not a good thing ( dry ice hash ) but not as strong and really a waist of weed.
Even defrosting to fast can cause sum damage.
Or tries Burst, any mishandling of frozen weed will just weaken the weed imo growers luv
 
Hey y'all
Just finished up
And got the minifridge set up and ink bird going.
This plant gave a lot more than I expected
( first auto grow lots of mistakes)
Alright you then
I chopped the plant
I cut 80% of the buds off the stems into smaller pieces.
I just couldn't make myself cut down the tops so have some larger tops.
I did a peroxide ( first time using it) bud wash, usually do the lemon juice baking soda one but somehow ran out of juice and didn't feel like going to the HeB to get more.
Then into the salad spinner
Yep. I use a salad spinner.
They work great for smaller grows like mine.
If one decides to use a spinner DO NOT get the ones with a pull rope or handle to turn
Get a OxO salad spinner they work great!!! I get mine from good will.
Using the spinner means I don't have to hang for 4 hours as they come out dry.
I then layer them on the racks, no bags no jars , just rack.
I have the ink bird at 38 degrees, I am getting a 5 degree drift up to 43 degrees f.
I have no water bottle ballast in there.
My humidity goes from 62-81%.....
I'm using a Govee wifi temp/ humidity sensor to track what's going on without opening the door
Opinions....
If the 5 degree temp swing a thing to worry about???
Should I use water bottles as a ballast???
Granted it's only been loaded and running for a hour....
Will know more in the morning.

And so
The wait begins......
Peace



First thing I noticed is I need to install the other shelf in there.......
 
The govee app runs a chart with temp and humidity.
drying temps are 37.2-42.1f ( I have it set like this so the average temp comes out to 40f)
Humidity @ 53-85%
The thing I knnoticed was when the drying pod is at its highest temp (42.2f) the humidity is at its highest.
When the cooling cycle starts the humidity drops with the temps.
kinda struck me that there is such a big change in the humidity within only 5 degrees.
Every cooling cycle humidity drops like a rock until the compressor kicks off then slowly creeps up with the temp.
Last night the high humidity was topping out at 85%
Today it's topping out at 82%
The low humidity is always 53%
 
I made some tincture with the Extractohol. They recommend freezing the bud and Extractohol for 24 hours prior to make the trichomes brittle so the come off easy. Otherwise freezing is not an option for drying. It takes only a couple of minutes for the moisture from the defrost to set in once it's out of the freezer.
The fluctuation in the fridge is what helps the bud pull the inner moisture to the surface of the bud slowly. Kind of like breathing.
 
I made some tincture with the Extractohol. They recommend freezing the bud and Extractohol for 24 hours prior to make the trichomes brittle so the come off easy. Otherwise freezing is not an option for drying. It takes only a couple of minutes for the moisture from the defrost to set in once it's out of the freezer.
The fluctuation in the fridge is what helps the bud pull the inner moisture to the surface of the bud slowly. Kind of like breathing.

Hiho.
I used the freezer to dry as a experiment a few years ago.
Place buds in small cardboard box and into freezer
Left in long enough the buds would dry perfectly with no moisture upon removal and warming up to room temp
The main reason
I didn't pursure was it took too long ( one month) and needed the freezer space for kids popcycles!

Low n slow is the way to go .
I too looked at the humidity and thought it was breathing also
The charts ( temp and humidity) were looking like shark teeth.
Now the humidity chart peaks looks more like a molar,
Flat on top.
The humidity has Plato ed out. At 78% and the peaks will probly stay flat till the end
We will see.....
Pretty interesting stuff!!!l
I have another plant getting harvested today
Should I add these buds to the drying pod ?
I'm thinking the addition will spike the humidity again.
Maybe just do a paper bag dry with these.
 
Opened the pod to add 3 paper bags ( test) full of a 24 hour cut plant.
Nice, not overpowering aromas.
Upon closingthe door, went for a walk. Came back and checked the temp/ humidity chart.
( having this realtime graph really gives a grower....eeeerrrrrr smoker something to watch...)
Saw that at the time the door was opened the temps spiked (75f) and the humidity spiked (100%)
So in a smoke filled moment of clarity,
warm temps And and high humidity are conducive for mold,
Every time the refridge is opened its making it more supceptable to mold.
Keep the door closed!!! Dude!!! ( me thinking to me)
So not going to open the drying pod up again for 2 weeks
No peeking
No moving the buds
Just closed for the duration
With the stable temps and lowering humidity shouldn't be a problem.
It's kinda like The exact opposite of cureing and burping in a mason jar.!,!!!
Temps can be manipulated with the ink bird to keep them in the sweet spot ( for me it's 40f)
Making it as K.I.S.S. As possible
Will update in 2 weeks
Now the wait begins.......
 
Opened the pod to add 3 paper bags ( test) full of a 24 hour cut plant.
Nice, not overpowering aromas.
Upon closingthe door, went for a walk. Came back and checked the temp/ humidity chart.
( having this realtime graph really gives a grower....eeeerrrrrr smoker something to watch...)
Saw that at the time the door was opened the temps spiked (75f) and the humidity spiked (100%)
So in a smoke filled moment of clarity,
warm temps And and high humidity are conducive for mold,
Every time the refridge is opened its making it more supceptable to mold.
Keep the door closed!!! Dude!!! ( me thinking to me)
So not going to open the drying pod up again for 2 weeks
No peeking
No moving the buds
Just closed for the duration
With the stable temps and lowering humidity shouldn't be a problem.
It's kinda like The exact opposite of cureing and burping in a mason jar.!,!!!
Temps can be manipulated with the ink bird to keep them in the sweet spot ( for me it's 40f)
Making it as K.I.S.S. As possible
Will update in 2 weeks
Now the wait begins.......

I’m proud of you. :hug:
 
I use super market size brown bags, I ask for them each-time I food shop. I always ask the cashier for more. The way food disappears around here. Getting bags,That’s not much of concern for me.
I read that a member would rather freeze that fridge to remove humidity. I guess everyone has a opinion.
I have always been under the belief that if buds are frozen it help the try’s ether fall off, not a good thing ( dry ice hash ) but not as strong and really a waist of weed.
Even defrosting to fast can cause sum damage.
Or tries Burst, any mishandling of frozen weed will just weaken the weed imo growers luv

Freezing fresh flowers will cause the cell walls to rupture when they defrost. Freezing dry flowers is completely acceptable, providing they’re really dry.

Frozen fresh flowers limit your production options. Not a good way to remove humidity, IMO.
 
Gentlemen, I’m in awe.... :adore:
 
90 plants chopped today.

Put them on racks in the fridge.

I’ve put a small tube heater at the bottom with an ink bird humidity controller.

I’ve set it to turn the heater on low when humidity hits 50%. Fridge automatically cycles on and cools back down and removes humidity.

The heat also rises so I guess gives some nice air circulation
 
After 4 hours I’ve got 57.9 % humidity and 10.8C. The heater is permanently on. I’m hoping the fridge can push the humidity and temp lower over night

Hi
@Steve9814
Could you explain your thinking in putting a heater in the fridge???
They both are on 24/7 so would they not be cancelling each other out????

*****update********
Was at work and my Govee app was blowing up my phone with alerts that the pod jumped up to 97% humidity and 77 f.
After I got back 5 hours later I HAD to open the pod up to investigate what the hecks going on
Hmmmm
Everything is still set up and runing
Then noticed the room was warm
Doooo!,,
Somehow the ac got turned off.
The dry pod is on the grow cab
The grow cabs exhaust blows across the pods coils
No ac means warmer temps blown across coils making a warmer fridge
Taped the ac on switch to stay on
No more problems
Temps average 40f
Humidity is at 70.1% and dropping daily
So in the fairness I have to update and say I won't be opening the pod for 2 weeks starting today
Pax
 
Hi
@Steve9814
Could you explain your thinking in putting a heater in the fridge???
They both are on 24/7 so would they not be cancelling each other out????

Need to think more in depth not just about temperature and how a fridge works.

A fridge isn’t on 24/7 the fridge is insulated and turns on when temperature gets above a set temp. During the cooling process the fridge extracts water vapour.

If you puts lots of wet buds in the fridge the fridge will get to say 7c and the humidity will continue to climb.

But if you put a very small heater in the fridge that makes the fridge heat up to 8c and turn the fridge back on it will remove more humidity from the air.

Obviously if you put a 1000w oil filled rad in the fridge the fridge wouldn’t be able to do shit and the heat will go up and up.

It’s only a 20w 1ft tube heater turned to min.

The temp and humidity have evened out at 55% humidity 8c for me after 24 hours using the fridge this way


*****update********
Was at work and my Govee app was blowing up my phone with alerts that the pod jumped up to 97% humidity and 77 f.
After I got back 5 hours later I HAD to open the pod up to investigate what the hecks going on
Hmmmm
Everything is still set up and runing
Then noticed the room was warm
Doooo!,,
Somehow the ac got turned off.
The dry pod is on the grow cab
The grow cabs exhaust blows across the pods coils
No ac means warmer temps blown across coils making a warmer fridge
Taped the ac on switch to stay on
No more problems
Temps average 40f
Humidity is at 70.1% and dropping daily
So in the fairness I have to update and say I won't be opening the pod for 2 weeks starting today
Pax
 
Need to think more in depth not just about temperature and how a fridge works.

A fridge isn’t on 24/7 the fridge is insulated and turns on when temperature gets above a set temp. During the cooling process the fridge extracts water vapour.

If you puts lots of wet buds in the fridge the fridge will get to say 7c and the humidity will continue to climb.

But if you put a very small heater in the fridge that makes the fridge heat up to 8c and turn the fridge back on it will remove more humidity from the air.

Obviously if you put a 1000w oil filled rad in the fridge the fridge wouldn’t be able to do shit and the heat will go up and up.

It’s only a 20w 1ft tube heater turned to min.

The temp and humidity have evened out at 55% humidity 8c for me after 24 hours using the fridge this way
 
Need to think more in depth not just about temperature and how a fridge works.

A fridge isn’t on 24/7 the fridge is insulated and turns on when temperature gets above a set temp. During the cooling process the fridge extracts water vapour.

If you puts lots of wet buds in the fridge the fridge will get to say 7c and the humidity will continue to climb.

But if you put a very small heater in the fridge that makes the fridge heat up to 8c and turn the fridge back on it will remove more humidity from the air.

Obviously if you put a 1000w oil filled rad in the fridge the fridge wouldn’t be able to do shit and the heat will go up and up.

It’s only a 20w 1ft tube heater turned to min.

The temp and humidity have evened out at 55% humidity 8c for me after 24 hours using the fridge this way

Ok
Then the heater is too speed up your drying process???
And the refer is running 24/7 even though they are designed to cycle on and off so the compressor won't freeze up or over heat.......
I've had buds in a packed fridge with no heater
It cycles on and off
After 4 days the humidity has dropped from 95% to now at 69% and still dropping
One could always just set the ink bird to a higher temp instead of having a heater
Hmmmmmmmm
I guess your logic escapes me
Almost forgot
If anyone is using just a ink bird and using its temp display make sure you calibrate it. ( cal is easy Peasy)
Mine was 9 degrees off before I calibrated it.
Hope it works for ya!!!
 
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