DrZiggy's Low And Slow Drying: Maximizing Your Harvest

[Ghostwriter31]

What do y’all do when your humidity is at 90% in the bags ? 48 hours later or 36. Do I need to leave out in air ? Or put rice in the bags ? This doesn’t seem right

 

[Derbybud]

If it's cool enough it isn't a problem. Just let the frig cycle to bring it down slowly. I'd be more concerned if it had already dropped down in the 50's. Keep temps in the 40's and you're golden.

 

[Ghostwriter31]

If it's cool enough it isn't a problem. Just let the frig cycle to bring it down slowly. I'd be more concerned if it had already dropped down in the 50's. Keep temps in the 40's and you're golden.

Ok that’s sorta how I felt . Every time I check or do something different like change to larger bags it’s smells like a dispensary. I’m keeping the Terp profiles around for now . My tent smells like hay already but it’s definitely drying much faster .
I’m about to pull them from bags and put on these white wire shelves I found at Wally World . I believe they will slide in slots perfectly. Any thoughts on drying faster in open on racks ? Or leave in bags ?

 

[Ghostwriter31]

Racks or no racks ?

 

[Derbybud]

Bags on racks will make for the best product. Keep it slow.

 

[Ghostwriter31]

Bags on racks will make for the best product. Keep it slow.

Ok I can do that

 

[Ghostwriter31]

Ok I think I’m finally set, I checked 4 bags and the average temperature was 45 degrees and RH was average of 65. Huge difference from yesterday. I am at 48 hours or close so from here I just need a lot of patience . Everything is sitting on metal racks . Lots of movement

 

[Ghostwriter31]

Just don't freak when they get mushy the first few days. Just make sure you tumble them a couple times a day. If paper bags seem wet replace with dryer ones. This is only the first few days then things start to dry some on the outside.

I’m glad I found this comment lol , some of mine are mushy , not a lot but a few . I believe I’ve tumbled around enough and changed out bags enough times that I’m finally set . Gonna let shit ride from here on out

 

[Ghostwriter31]

I have 10 grocery bags all are pretty much full. I’d say each bag has 4 oz each wet. I’d be happy with 2 ounce dry frok each bag

 

[Derbybud]

You should yield 20-25% of wet trimmed product

 

[Ghostwriter31]

You should yield 20-25% of wet trimmed product

Oh wow, that’s a huge decrease in overall weight .
What ever you put in yields about a 25% return ?
I have a constant temp of 42-46 degrees and RH averages 65% so I’m gonna let it go as long as it needs it.

My two hangers in the tent are gonna be ready Friday for jars . I just checked on them and like what I see . Average temp of 65 with RH of 47

 

[Ghostwriter31]

Ok guys so maybe y’all can help me . The buds are now to a point where larger buds that had real green leaves wrapped around the buds , when you peel them back they are velvet texture and dry until you get deep into crevices between buds . Smells dank as shit . RH inside bags are anywhere from 70-85 RH . Temps have been 39 on top row and 46 on bottom row and in between in the middle . Friday will make 7 days . I’m not sure what to do next ? I can jar them. I can leave in bags .

I need to pull samples and jar them after reaching room temperature and check RH and if not 68% back into refrigerator?

 

[InTheShed]

I thought low and slow was a 2-3 week process, but if you think they're drying too quickly you can pull a few out and jar them for 12 hours and see where they settle. They shouldn't be done in 7 days.

 

[Ghostwriter31]

I thought low and slow was a 2-3 week process, but if you think they're drying too quickly you can pull a few out and jar them for 12 hours and see where they settle. They shouldn't be done in 7 days.

I didn’t think it was possible, I’ll check Friday and end up going at least another week . They have shrunk to less than half size so far

 

[InTheShed]

Dry weight is traditionally around 20% of wet weight.

 

[Justin Goody]

I thought low and slow was a 2-3 week process, but if you think they're drying too quickly you can pull a few out and jar them for 12 hours and see where they settle. They shouldn't be done in 7 days.

Depends on the humidity in that fridge. My current fridge stays at 30-31% and can overdry them in 7 days, but the former fridge stayed closer to 50 and took around 10 days. Now I do a combo thing that takes about 7-8 and they are right around 63 % when I'm done. Any higher than that and I feel like I'm burping and babysitting them in jars way too much for the first week.
Unfortunately it sometimes takes some trial and error since it's impossible to explain to someone what the perfect feel/smell/weight/humidity is to go into jars.

But yes, try as I may....20-22% is generally all that's left after a proper dry/cure.

 

[Gasman50]

I recently went ALL in with my entire whole grow using low and slow method. I wet trimmed it and ended up 2690g total so with my available space I couldn’t possibly paper bagged it all so I used 4x8x10 cardboard boxes and around put 400/450g per box which is a totally full box and with such full boxes I was opening each box and gently dump half into an empty box and kinda rotate in a fashion that tumbled the buds around then all back into the box and back in the fridge once daily, now after over a week the buds have dried some and there is enough room so that I can leave the box closed slow and gently rotate and it tumbles the buds nicely and effective.
I harvested one girl a week earlier and paper bagged it all with 100- grams per bag... I just vaped some of that first low n slow paper bagged Girl Scout cookie and I’m very pleased with smoothness and taste....
I’m looking forwards too tasting the low n slow buds after a nice cure.

 

[Tommboy1973]

I just tried some of my first harvest with this method. Small quantity in a dorm fridge. It’s been 2 weeks and 3 days and when I pulled it out last night, temped to room temp, and capped overnight it was at 72% this morning. So almost there. So far I’m liking the method. It’s allowed me a slow controlled dry in the high heat and low humidity where I am.

 

[BigD13]

I couldn’t possibly paper bagged it all so I used 4x8x10 cardboard boxes

Man, that’s a great idea. You improvised the process to suit your needs.

kinda rotate in a fashion that tumbled the buds around then all back into the box and back in the fridge once daily,

Do you have a dedicated 420 fridge? With all those boxes it looks like you would need one.

Your buds/colas look nice and plump.

 

[kelticBlue]

I thought low and slow was a 2-3 week process, but if you think they're drying too quickly you can pull a few out and jar them for 12 hours and see where they settle. They shouldn't be done in 7 days.

This^
A constant low-ish temperature and Slow the drying process to retain as much terps as possible.
I want the dry to take 14 days. But i obsess and start checkin 10 days in for RH.

cardboard boxes

I have used these and they dry quicker than the paper bags. The cardboard seems to absorb moisture. But if you check on it every day it should be nice. Nice looking harvest.