This is my first grow and I have 3 important questions for all you experienced guys before I chop down my 2 girls. For a little background I'm growing 2 white widows in a dwc system and they are in their 8th week of flowering. So far I have not had any real problems along the way and have learned quite a bit as far as the next grow and ways to improve my results, but here are my 3 questions. 1. I understand that the best time to harvest is when the white hairs turn over 50 per cent amber and the resin takes on a milky look. Are you all in agreement with that? 2. As far as drying goes I am under the opinion that they should be dried by hanging and letting a fan blow indirectly on the plants in a dark area until the stems will crack when bent. I'm not sure about the light they should get when drying and would appreciate some of your advice so I don't blow this after all the work has gone into this for the past 4 months. 3. Last but not least what do you guys think about drying on a screen vs hanging from the stems and what would the average drying time be. Thanks for any info you all can share with me. Been smokin for many years but not growin so wish me luck
Final week before harvest
- Thread starter TennRiver
- Start date
1. Trichomes turn cloudy/amber...not pistils.
2. Hanging is fine...fans are bad...they dry too quickly. If you can keep them in a cool place with 60-75% RH they can safely hang dry for a week or more before jarring and curing.
3. I use a hanging mesh dryer with 4 levels...works great. Many methods work fine....just need to allow air to get to maximum surface area of buds.
Can't really judge by the hairs. I've had plants with 100% red hairs n all the trichomes ate still clear. Also had plants with majority white hairs n the trichomes are all cloudy with some amber. You have to look at the trichomes on the bud.
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks much, sounds like great info, should I keep it in the dark?1. Trichomes turn cloudy/amber...not pistils.
2. Hanging is fine...fans are bad...they dry too quickly. If you can keep them in a cool place with 60-75% RH they can safely hang dry for a week or more before jarring and curing.
3. I use a hanging mesh dryer with 4 levels...works great. Many methods work fine....just need to allow air to get to maximum surface area of buds.
- Thread starter
- #5
and by the way what is a mesh dryer1. Trichomes turn cloudy/amber...not pistils.
2. Hanging is fine...fans are bad...they dry too quickly. If you can keep them in a cool place with 60-75% RH they can safely hang dry for a week or more before jarring and curing.
3. I use a hanging mesh dryer with 4 levels...works great. Many methods work fine....just need to allow air to get to maximum surface area of buds.
Nightmask2
Well-Known Member
1. Trichomes turn cloudy/amber...not pistils.
2. Hanging is fine...fans are bad...they dry too quickly. If you can keep them in a cool place with 60-75% RH they can safely hang dry for a week or more before jarring and curing.
3. I use a hanging mesh dryer with 4 levels...works great. Many methods work fine....just need to allow air to get to maximum surface area of buds.
1. Yep, go by trichomes. But the hairs can turn amber/orange, just saying. But the colour of the hairs doesn't really indicate when they're ready.
2. Personally I'd use a fan or some sort of air circulation, but not blowing directly on the drying buds. If you can dry in decent humidity you might be fine but if it's at all humid you run the risk of mold growing on your buds if you don't have air circulation, and nothing worse than getting all the way through from seed to harvest then having to throw out some/all of it because of mold.
3. I originally used a cardboard beer box with some string and hung up my bud to dry in that but there wasn't any air circulation and yeah, I got mold on several different plants. Now I've just been hanging them up in the veg tent (that has a fan) above the veg light. They do get some indirect light when drying and aren't in complete darkness but hey, I'd rather get some properly dried bud that doesn't get any mold than dark drying moldy bud.
Bigjake8
Well-Known Member
I hang mine and it takes anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks depends if you cut each branch or hang the whole plant my last round I triedhanging the whole plant my advise remove the fan leaves it's a nite mare to cut up with all the fans rule of thumb is dry enuff to smoke in a joint then jar that's what I'd do never had a problem
Light degrades all organic material (after harvest ) so if you can dry, cure, and store in the dark it is better. Most people use mason jars and those, while great, let in light. That's why you see Canna Vaults being popular...they are stainless and keep out the light. A mesh dryer is a hanging herb tray (amazon it)...many options. They fold up into a small package when you aren't using them. As long as the space you are drying has natural movement of air, they will dry nice and slow. This is last thing you want to rush...you just invested months in growing it...finish it properly. Also buy a cheap humidity/therm gauge ($10) for the area you are drying...you can use the same gauge in your jars to keep them in a good zone. Lastly, I use Boveda 62% humidity packs which control humidity.
