Hang dry or Bag dry?

[Gummy Bear]

Which method do you uses and why?

What are the pros and cons?

I have only used the hang dry method. I have always been afraid of mold to try the bag method, but some swear by it. I know there will be no mold if it's truned and opened daily, but why have to depend on the extra steps when it can just hang and be done?

 

[RooRman]

No one, that I know of, cuts the plants and paper bags them right away. There is always usually some time spent hang drying before they are moved to paper bags.

Personally, I don't bother with paper bags. I hang dry until the stems almost snap (some of the smaller ones do snap) and then begin curing. If you do use the paper bag method PLEASE remember to "fluff" the buds every once and a while. This will move the bottom buds to the top for a more even dry. It also will prevent a moist spot from forming in the midst of the buds which will not only ruin your drying but encourage the dreaded "M" word....mold, every growers worst nightmare.

 

[Gummy Bear]

Actually RooRman,

Many growers bag directly. Some of the more respected growers on this site have used this method of drying including but not limited to Urdedpal and Bagzgroove.

Not to sound ungrateful, because I really am. Especially since you too are a very respected grower on this site and you have shared your insight and knowledge with me in other threads as well. A very big THANK YOU!!!

I am just curious as to the benefits of bagging directly as opposed to the hang dry method.

 

[RooRman]

I can't remember if those guys bag directly, I don't think so, but I could be wrong. The buds have alot of moisture in them when they come off the plant and I always veiwed bag drying as a secondary step after hang drying for a some amount of time because of this. It wouldn't be hard to believe that the bag may become over-laden with moisture and useless with freshly cut buds in it, a wet bag is going to lose all it's properties of "breathability" that make this method what it is. What would scare me most about bag drying directly after harvest is you are putting the wet buds in a somewhat sealed container (if you close the bag) and that is an invitation for mold if you aren't watching very carefully.

I have also seen people who dry using cardboard boxes. Usually they suspend a string in a large computer box and hang the buds to dry on this. Seems like the best of both world, but then again, I have never tried it.

 

[NorCalGrower]

Hang it until "almost" crispy with vry little moisture left in them. at that point bag them and cover the bag with a second bag now let them sit for a few days to weeks to months just keep turning the bag upside every day or two. thats why i cap the paper bag with one. now the buds on top are on the bottom and bottom buds are now on the top of the bag with very little disturbance to loose crystals! they rippen perfect everytime with NO MOLD as they went into the bags DRy! when ready to trim place a few pieces of bread in the bag the night befor. your buds will be ready to trim the next day with just the right amount of moisture! WORKS EVERYTIME!

 

[dEEsh]

im using the bagdry right now. What I do is after the fist night of drying fresh bud, I change the bag and shuffle the weed around. First time drying, made sense to me when I felt how damp it was.

 

[NorCalGrower]

Never Bag Dry Your Weed! All That Time And Energy To Go To Waist For A Moldy Method To Dry! Hang It Or Screen Dry It But Do Not Bag It Until Ready To Cure Your Dry Buds Then Bag Them When Fully Dry! Not Befor They Are Dry But After!

 

[Urdedpal]

You have oviously never tried drying buds in paperbags (prefer brown grocery paper bags). The method is actually quite effective. Its also a great space saver when larger amounts need to be dried plus it causes a precure. I have dried with screens, paper bags, and hang dry and to be honest I prefer hangdry but I am not going to knock the other methods when I have tried them myself and know they work. Stop being so close minded and turn the caps off.

 

[boatnutjim]

So what about curing??

 

[NorCalGrower]

LOl yes I have tried the brown paper bag back in the day when i didn't know about my buds getting moldy or smashed on top of eahcother. When hanging our screening amost never causes mold for a method that does cause mold! If you want to chance 5 months of work for a chance of molding out your buds then stick them in a paper bag when wet pray the mold dont set in and when the mold sets in u will learn why so many befor you have giving up on putting wet weed in paper bags! The weight of all the wet weed on top of eachother also smashes your buds flat ? Why take the chance ~

 

[moslow]

Been bag cureing for 4 yrs now, Never had any mold. I take a 6 pack bag and cut 8 1/2 inch holes 4 a couple inchs from bottom 4 about 3 inchs from top. I take 6 to 8 buds 10 to 12 inch long with stems up and about even and close the bag tight around the stems and tie with bread bag ties. This kind of hangs the buds inside of bag. If you have long ties leave 1 side longer and hang with excess. I just stand them or hang them in a cool dark place. Buds determine what size bag to use and how long to cure. Don't over fill bags. Works great for me...Smokeon........:cool027:

 

[Gummy Bear]

So, its pretty much a matter of personal preference, eh?

I can see how the bag method would be a great space saver, and descreet too.

 

[OG Kushsta]

After 4 sucessful runs drying indoors on clotheslines, My Roomate(fucking Jerk) talked me into Brown Bag and in 1 day we lost 2 pounds or more(estimated dry weight) of Pure Kush to Gray Hairy aggressive Mold!!
I will never , ever do that again.

 

[RooRman]

You can kill mold by spraying it with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol..But your Bud's will never be the same and the Med clubs sure as fuck wouldnt dare touch it.

Not really bro. You may kill the mold visably but it is still there. The hyphae, or roots of the mold, extend into the center mass of the buds and it is immpossible to kill it once you have it. Also, spraying it with rubbing alcohol just means you are then smoking that as well which can't be any better for you than smoking mold.

 

[moslow]

For your meds to mold that quick it almost had to already started or you had no vents cut in bags and in a warm place. So sorry to hear you lost all that herb. But like i said i've never had any mold problem and I trim and hang buds inside of bag immediatly after cutting. Did you trim or leave the leaves cause that would also help mold get goin. Its true what ever works for you is the best. Not worth losin your meds.

 

[Urdedpal]

You guys can do what you want with your buds, to be honest I really only care about my own. I can only tell you by experience that both methods work. If your growing so much bud that its being smashed by the weight, try using more than one bag. Each method has its pros and cons and there's a reason why there are more than one way to dry buds.
Screen drying is practice more for comercial growing because you can dry buds quick but is damaging to the buds exterier and its vary easy to over dry them. Screen drying is also preferred when humdity levels are high and can't be controlled.
Bag drying is more for the times you have too dry of a area or you don't have a dark place to dry buds. This is practice mostly by homegrowers with small crops and if humidity is a issue, just put the bag in your oven (as long as it is a gas oven). The pilot light makes sure that outside of the bag is very dry. But (there's always a but lol) bag drying is not for areas when the humidity is over 50%.
Hang drying. Its about the easiest of all methods, no rocket science in this but you need a area thats dark and large enough. Pot snobs also prefer it cuse its the least damaging to the buds. Hang drying is best done when humidity levels are between 45 to 60%.
There are many more pros and cons to each method but I just don't see why I should put the effort to list them all. After all, if you can grow a plant to produce the fruits of your labor, you can figure out how to dry some buds.

 

[Frog]

Ya' gota' Have air flow for drying
and tighter it is
compressed/packed together/fans covering buds
the Less you have on the total area.

No matter the process tools/methods you use.

Didn't vote, no option for Both

BL:

the longer the drying process the better..(I know waiting sux!)

 

[kickstart]

I hang t until stems are just getting cracky, but not so dry they snap in half. Then I put it in paper bags and then plastic and back a few times until it's where I want it.

 

[moslow]

Same here kickstart, Works great this way for me toooo.

 

[kickstart]

I also thought I would mention that in the winter it rains a lot here. If it is raining and very humid I run a dehumidifier in the hanging room. I set it at 50 or 55% and let it run for a few days then switch to a 2 hr. on and 2 hr. off cycle for the rest of the dry out.