First time grower - Outdoor - Harvest status opinions please

[Zafu]

They look like they could go longer to me but I like about 50% amber. I have never gone with the stem snapping baloney. As the other poster said it's way to dry by then. I jar after a few days of hanging from the clothes line and if the hydrometer goes over 65% I open the jar for 24 hours and seal it again and repeat. Once it is stable between 60-65% I throw in a boveda 62% humidity pack and burp daily for a couple weeks and I never have any mold issues.

HemiSync - I really like this approach a lot. Sounds like the key to it is the hydrometer. Can you recommend one? I'm assuming I'd need a mini one to fit in the jars and guess I'd need a lot which could be expensive. I"ll be using 67 quart jars. Any suggestions?

 

[HemiSync]

HemiSync - I really like this approach a lot. Sounds like the key to it is the hydrometer. Can you recommend one? I'm assuming I'd need a mini one to fit in the jars and guess I'd need a lot which could be expensive. I"ll be using 67 quart jars. Any suggestions?

Wow that's a lot of jars and a lot of burping. I don't have those kinds harvests so had not considered that problem. First I would move up to gallon mason jars.

As for which hydrometer I use it's just one made for cigar humidors. HygroSet II Round Digital Hygrometer for Humidors is what I use. I only have two but rotate them through the jars as I am curing.

 

[Conradino23]

Look into this method, you could probably skip the last step, but using turkey bags is an interesting variation.

11 Steps to Perfect the Humboldt Hang Dry | The Ganjier

 

[Zafu]

Wow that's a lot of jars and a lot of burping. I don't have those kinds harvests so had not considered that problem. First I would move up to gallon mason jars.

As for which hydrometer I use it's just one made for cigar humidors. HygroSet II Round Digital Hygrometer for Humidors is what I use. I only have two but rotate them through the jars as I am curing.

hehe.. My bad. I meant that I'm using the size jar that equals 67 quarts. I have 12 of them but no idea how many these eleven plants will actually require. Just from looks, I'd think each jar could hole a 1/2 pound, but not sure until I start using them. Oh, that HygroSet is one I found and added to my wishlist on Amazon. I'd love to get away with rotating a few of them but thought they needed up to 24 hours for a reliable read. Maybe I'm wrong about that which would be great.

Thank you!

@conradino23 - Thanks for the link. That's an interesting blog. I'm so glad my idea that I needed to wait until the stem broke before jarring was corrected in this thread. I've tried to focus on what I needed to know at each step of this grow and now as I approach harvest and curing, I'm getting very nervous. You guys are very generous with your knowledge and I'm extremely grateful.

 

[Zafu]

I'm concerned that the only viable place to have the plants initially dry prior to jarring, is inside my home and that room is not humid. I've read that it's best to hang plants in a room with about 60% humidity and assume that's to ensure it doesn't dry too fast. While I can close the door they will be in to increase the humidity from moisture that will evaporate from plants, I'll also need to open windows to allow for ventilation and thereby reducing whatever humidity I create.

I think I understand that the best cures are those that can be slow, so I'm wondering if after just a day or two, depending on the rate they dry initially, I can just jar them, throw the Hyrometer in and go from there. While I understand the jar can potentially help create mold if too wet, at the same time it seems to me the jar is a more controlled space to control humidity and hence, speed of cure.

HemiSync indicates he sort of does his this way with good success, watching until the humidity falls to 65% or below at which point he keeps the jar closed most of the time with occasional burping.

Thoughts?

Thank you. -Zafu

 

[Conradino23]

Hang few wet drapes or linens around, and you'll raise the RH that way. Ideal should be around 50-55%.

 

[Zafu]

Great idea! But you now have me thinking about getting a humidifier. No idea why I didn't think of this in the first place. Wonder if there's some that have a sensor and allows one to set the humidity desired. /checking

EDIT: Ordered one

List is $200, on sale for $110. This is adding up but would be nuts to skimp at this point for one of the most critical steps.

Thoughts?

Namaste,

Zafu

 

[brightlight]

Maybe 60% rH is best but unless it's raining really hard NorCal doesn't have that kind of humidity & most of the best weed in the US is NorCal weed often dried in a garage/barn/shed. Dark, cool, w/ light air flow will do it for you in our locale even though humidity is more like 30's at this time of yr. My 2ndary dry in boxes does amazing things...slow dry, early curing, preserves max. fragrance. Be careful on early jarring....too much moisture can be a problem in a very short time. If it ends up a bit dry at trim before jarred, the Bovedas will easily restore to proper level.

 

[HemiSync]

@Zafu I actually leave them on my drying racks and when I feel it is close do I start jarring them to check the moisture level. The hygrometer I use takes an hour or two to stabilize in the jar. If it is too high back on the rack it goes. I only do this with one jar until it is ready and then I jar it all. Moving the hygrometer from jar to jar until I am sure it's holding around 62%. Then I burp twice a day for two weeks. Then the Boveda 62% packs get put in and I only burp once week for a month or so.

Probably not the best method but it works for me.

 

[Zafu]

Maybe 60% rH is best but unless it's raining really hard NorCal doesn't have that kind of humidity & most of the best weed in the US is NorCal weed often dried in a garage/barn/shed. Dark, cool, w/ light air flow will do it for you in our locale even though humidity is more like 30's at this time of yr. My 2ndary dry in boxes does amazing things...slow dry, early curing, preserves max. fragrance. Be careful on early jarring....too much moisture can be a problem in a very short time. If it ends up a bit dry at trim before jarred, the Bovedas will easily restore to proper level.

I'd love to use my garage but concerned there's no window and certainly don't want to leave the garage door open. Hummm... Since the garage is pretty large, wonder if just opening it a few times a day to exchange air would suffice ???

Thought I'd have more control in an extra bedroom I have in the house with cracked windows and closed shades. ?

 

[Conradino23]

It's gonna be ok, the worst though is leaving it open in the night, thus provoking sudden temperature drops, which can bring mold.

 

[Zafu]

It's gonna be ok, the worst though is leaving it open in the night, thus provoking sudden temperature drops, which can bring mold.

I'm not exactly sure what you're saying. Do you mean using the extra bedroom and leaving the windows cracked at night can be an issue? The pro's I see with the bedroom is that it's clean and I can control the environment; although it may not be as cool in there as I'd like unless I crack the window and close the door. The con is that I turn a nice bedroom in to a drying room which my gf isn't overly happy with, or am I totally, but the finished product is certainly our biggest concern.

The pro's of the garage "I think" is that it's a large garage where I can hang the entire plant if I want to; that will naturally stay cool since it's not heated although the new humidifier I ordered will help with controlling humidity and it's separate from the living part of the home. the main con's are that while it's not a dirty garage it's certainly not as clean as the bedroom and there's zero ventilation unless opening the garage door a few times a day seems satisfactory to you guys.

I don't mean to get too anal but I'm taking this entire harvesting, drying, curing part of the process extremely seriously as I believe it will make all the difference in obtaining the final product I've so wanted and was the reason to embark on this in the first place.

Thank you. Namaste.

Zafu

 

[Halibut]

Hey zaf, I think he's saying the night temp drop could encourage mold. I think if it's in your house with just a window cracked the environment won't change a ton and you could always close the window or make the opening smaller at night... since your humidity is so low, I bet you could get away with hanging with the window closed most of the time, opening occasionally to exchange the air. Just need some light air movement within the room.

I'm certainly not an expert but I think the garage idea would also work fine if you ran the humidifier and just exchanged the air once or twice a day. I totally get being anal about this part; it's where all the hard work either comes together or goes down the drain.

Hope you figure out something that works, I'll be watching and learning. I'm harvesting one plant in the next 10 days and then another 6 in stages so we will probably be drying some at the same time.

I've got stupid high humidity here though, %70-90, 45-65f outside so we have different battles going on

 

[brightlight]

If you dry inside your house, the smell will be strong as hell & go throughout the entire house. Is that ok w/ the Mrs. & if you have visitors? We all love that smell but it will be seriously potent. Garage works well for me for years....crack it open in evening & in early morning will help keep temps down & air it out a bit. I insulated my garage door w/ foam/foil type insulation that really helped w/ keeping temps. down. You know the small vents low on garage doors? I had to cover mine because outside of vent on side of garage smelled like I kept pet skunks caged up out there.

 

[4Dutchess]

Except for large fans I no longer trim any leaves until final trim. Based on Carestaker's input wet trim gives greater likelihood of hay smell. He researches all this stuff so good enough for me. Plus he's right based on my experience. I use DJ Short "double dry" method...hang then colas into paper bags/cardboard boxes for 2nd level dry. Then trim to jars. Whole plant or branches ok too. About 5 days ea. average but depends on temps. Washing is very big on this forum but not so much elsewhere. I don't do it since I don't foliar. But outdoors if no rain around harvest I will hose them off. Indoors nothing. No experienced growers I know outside of forum do it either except for hosing off outdoor plants at harvest. Again just another viewpoint.

Nice!!!! I cure exactly the same way. I did it by theory and good to know Im correct!!!!! Ive had people say its cured perfect!!
I plan on bud washing for the first time soon. The people Ive talked to outside this form say..."What?" to bud washing.
Great post Brightlight!

 

[4Dutchess]

Zafu, Im a green pea but its not that complicated to cure. Hang for 7 days, bag for 7 days then jar. Preferably a ventilated, 70 deg, dark place. I trim before the jar. Simple Simon. No need burp jar, just check on them every few weeks by opening.
F**k, I got to find a new room to cure because of the tent. Some here, some there. When I start to pick I usually do 7 day intervals and keep track of the date. I mark the bag by strain/plant and try to keep it together for storage. I have low humidity and i think it makes curing easier. Namaste! Great thread!

 

[Zafu]

If you dry inside your house, the smell will be strong as hell & go throughout the entire house. Is that ok w/ the Mrs. & if you have visitors? We all love that smell but it will be seriously potent. Garage works well for me for years....crack it open in evening & in early morning will help keep temps down & air it out a bit. I insulated my garage door w/ foam/foil type insulation that really helped w/ keeping temps. down. You know the small vents low on garage doors? I had to cover mine because outside of vent on side of garage smelled like I kept pet skunks caged up out there.

Discussed with my lady and yea, garage seems like the way to go. Thank you!

Can you link me to DJ Short's bag dry method? I tried finding it and can't seem to locate it. I've always thought going straight from hanging, to trim, to jar was best but a number of you use the bag and seem to really like it so very curious. By the way, why do you feel it's necessary? I mean, if you feel it needs more time before drying, why not just hang it longer?

Thanks -Zafu

 

[Conradino23]

I found putting it in the carton box in between helps to loosen up on RH. In the past I was jarring it too early sometimes just to wake up to mold, and I can't control temps and RH very well in my drying room. Paper bags do the same thing basically. This year I'm going to use turkey bags too before jarring, so that's adding another step.

 

[brightlight]

Discussed with my lady and yea, garage seems like the way to go. Thank you!

Can you link me to DJ Short's bag dry method? I tried finding it and can't seem to locate it. I've always thought going straight from hanging, to trim, to jar was best but a number of you use the bag and seem to really like it so very curious. By the way, why do you feel it's necessary? I mean, if you feel it needs more time before drying, why not just hang it longer?

Thanks -Zafu

Zafu....have only seen it in his book. After hanging whole plant cut off spears/buds that will fit into bag. I switched to cardboard boxes for outdoor plants & shoe/boot boxes for indoor. Same idea as paper bag but will ventilate better even w/o opening. Don't want it airtight, so cut some holes in it & open daily for a bit depending on temps & how dry/not the herb is getting. The bag/box step will slow down drying so not to over dry while hanging & allows buds to begin its cure. If it's real hot & dry or specific plant is drying too fast, through in a couple of Bovedas in bag/box. Aver. 5 days for dry NorCal weather in outdoor season, sometimes longer then ready to trim.

 

[Zafu]

So I went another step and just ordered a large air purifier. A big concern about the garage was dust, etc. I figure this machine should significantly help with that, even removing mold spores (should that even be a thing) and add a bit of air circulation. Would be silly to be so concerned over how clean my ganja is and after all this work, hang it in a space that's dusty, etc.

Amazon: Honeywell True HEPA Allergen Remover, 465 Sq Ft, HPA300

Thank you for info. on bag/box drying. I trust this works really well or folks wouldn't use it, but I really don't like the idea of having part of the cure in a bag or box. Seems to me the entire point of these methods is to achieve one goal and that-is, a slow mold-free cure. I'm hoping with my humidifier I can accomplish that with just hang drying and then trim then in to the glass jars. Using the hydrometer to gauge the relative humidity, with careful attention, I should be able to succeed in this goal with just hang dry to glass. I'll see how the first plant goes.

Happy Sunday. -Zafu