Should I dry my buds in my van or outside?

[Phillybonker]

Agreed. Cars and vans aren't airtight. I don't think there's any way you could park the van in a public area without someone smelling what's inside, possibly someone who'll take an "official" interest.

That's a good point, now you got me thinking. My van will be parked on company property and I'd lose my job of 17 years if anyone smells cannabis coming from my van, I work for a large company and they'll probably ring the police, they don't mess around.

Maybe you could make a version of the cardboard box drying space @InTheShed uses, and put that/those under a tarp and/or tree?
You could put window screen over the ventilation holes, and tape up any seams to try to prevent insects from getting in.
Not much you can do to prevent rodents from gnawing their way in though.

I'm gravitating towards this idea now, especially after you pointed out that vans aren't airtight. In fact this is most likely what I'm going to do. Cardboard boxes under a tarp with some camo material over the top for a bit of stealth. Thanks mate

 

[Phillybonker]

If you can find a large polystyrene box with a lid, that will help keep the temp more constant
My local grocer has veg delivered in such boxes packed with ice
Suppose you could burp it on the drive into work and on the way home but leave it sealed up while the van is parked?
Just a thought

Another good idea!! large polystyrene boxes will also contain the smell. Do you think that will dry the buds though? just a couple of burps a day and sealed up during the day?

 

[Phillybonker]

You can get a small dorm fridge for $100 or so. Put it in a corner, drape some fabric over it and top it with a houseplant. No one will ever know.

Unfortunately my girlfriend will know when she goes to open it, and she is the reason I can't dry in the house or on our property.

 

[Phillybonker]

What if the Po-Po pulled you over while you were driving with a bunch of weed?

If I do dry in the van I'll use @Roy Growin's idea drying the buds in sealed up large polystyrene boxes, that should contain the smell.

 

[Roy Growin]

Another good idea!! large polystyrene boxes will also contain the smell. Do you think that will dry the buds though? just a couple of burps a day and sealed up during the day?

I'm sure they'll dry, it's just a matter of how quickly you want them to dry

 

[SmokingWings]

large polystyrene boxes will also contain the smell. Do you think that will dry the buds though? just a couple of burps a day and sealed up during the day?

I would be thinking that the moisture would be trapped in the Polystyrene box for hours before it is opened. Without a way for the moisture to leave the box it can easily be what a mold needs to start growing before the buds are completely dried.

Working up some way to use cardboard boxes sounds better. The cardboard paper will slowly wick the moisture into the air even without vent holes and it is reducing possibility of a buildup.

 

[Phytoplankton]

I'de be looking for a new place to live, where I can dry in my house.

 

[Porky82]

If I do dry in the van I'll use @Roy Growin's idea drying the buds in sealed up large polystyrene boxes, that should contain the smell.

Do you actually have buds that you have grown waiting to dry now?
Or is this just a thread asking questions?

 

[bluter]

could you maybe put up a tent somewhere and dry in that ? if the rh is low enough a short hang would suffice. i've hung as short as three days and finished the cure in jars before.

I'd be looking for a new place to live, where I can dry in my house.

the issue isn't the house. it's a non friendly third party threatening the children of his partner if they can prove the op is growing.

the problem will follow him no matter where they go in the country they live in.

 

[Dr Butane]

I've got a bit of a dilemma which luckily I won't have to deal with until about February next year when my autos should be ready for harvest. My dilemma is due to personal circumstances I can't dry my buds in my house or on my property. I also have no alternative houses to dry at.

My first option is to dry the buds in my van which can get up to 30°C (86°F). During the day there will be no ventillation or airflow because I'll have to keep my van closed up because it will be parked outside my work. Now I assume the humidity in the van will get up really high as the buds dry.

My second option is to dry my buds in a rack hanging from a tree, rain shouldn't be a problem as it doesn't rain often during February, daytime temperature will be around 23-25 °C on average, humidity around 60%-70%, I should be able to keep the buds shaded from the sun but I obviously won't be able to keep the buds in complete darkness to preserve the quality. It also usually rains one day of the week so for that one day I'll have to keep the buds covered with a tarp or something.

As you can see neither of my options are ideal but that's all I have to work with unfortunately. So which option do you think I should choose?

The aroma emanating from the van could be problematic. Maybe a solar powered extraction fan and carbon filter would help?
You could always rig up something to hang the plants higher up in the trees. It’s probably the safest option.

 

[Phillybonker]

The cardboard paper will slowly wick the moisture into the air even without vent holes and it is reducing possibility of a buildup.

I didn't know the cardboard would wick the moisture into the air, I was wondering how that drying process worked.

 

[Phillybonker]

Do you actually have buds that you have grown waiting to dry now?
Or is this just a thread asking questions?

I don't have any buds waiting to dry, I'm just asking questions for when it does come to that time.

 

[Phillybonker]

could you maybe put up a tent somewhere and dry in that ? if the rh is low enough a short hang would suffice. i've hung as short as three days and finished the cure in jars before.

Too many plants for hanging, I plan to remove the buds from the plants and machine trim the buds before drying, partly to minimize the amount of plant material I have to deal with when it comes to drying.

 

[bluter]

I don't have any buds waiting to dry, I'm just asking questions for when it does come to that time.

if it's a total guerilla grow you could just let it stand.

we used to harvest a few days to one wk past the first killing frost. everything on the outside got browned, but we pulled it all, trimmed the dead stuff, including anything on the outside of the bud, then compacted it, short cure, and market.

there was no harvest then hang. like a 70s outdoor. probably more common in the north.
it had to frost dry though. if you got rain or a wet freeze you were screwed and it went into extract.

even now when my indoor plants are done i do something similar. i feed to the end and go to single water at chop. i strip the plants down but leave them stand until i do a final cut from the pot, and then hang.

the buds start the dry / cure process even while standing. i've left them that way for a wk or more while getting the rest ready. makes for a more relaxed harvest.

 

[Phillybonker]

Maybe a solar powered extraction fan and carbon filter would help?

I'm most likely not going to go with drying in the van, I'm too worried about the smell now that it was pointed out to me.

 

[bluter]

I'm most likely not going to go with drying in the van, I'm too worried about the smell now that it was pointed out to me.

maybe throw a dead skunk or cat under the van, or better yet, the neighbour's car ..

 

[Phillybonker]

if it's a total guerilla grow you could just let it stand.

we used to harvest a few days to one wk past the first killing frost. everything on the outside got browned, but we pulled it all, trimmed the dead stuff, including anything on the outside of the bud, then compacted it, short cure, and market.

there was no harvest then hang. like a 70s outdoor. probably more common in the north.
it had to frost dry though. if you got rain or a wet freeze you were screwed and it went into extract.

even now when my indoor plants are done i do something similar. i feed to the end and go to single water at chop. i strip the plants down but leave them stand until i do a final cut from the pot, and then hang.

the buds start the dry / cure process even while standing. i've left them that way for a wk or more while getting the rest ready. makes for a more relaxed harvest.

Yeah it's all a guerilla grow. So you let the frost kill the plants then let em stand for one week?, interesting method. It's a shame I can't do that because it always rains around harvest time in April.

 

[bluter]

Yeah it's all a guerilla grow. So you let the frost kill the plants then let em stand for one week?, interesting method. It's a shame I can't do that because it always rains around harvest time in April.

a short season and the rain would mess us up where i live now too. i grew in the foothills and mountains here for a bit and we had dry frosts and a longer season, but we had to start indoor, or green house, or both.

a dozen to 20 plants used to be worth the harvest if you could get them there. you can't get the volume per plant indoor even now.

edit : some of the best weed i ever tried came from standing plants that looked grey shit brown on the outside before we shaved it all off and cured.

 

[AgedMaster]

Hi theres a thread on here that might help u u could make the same with a box that fits the van theres also a smell proof drying nets here is the link for the box
DIY drying box with odor control
Here's the drying nets don't no if it would fit your van here's a pic of it

 

[Phillybonker]

Hi theres a thread on here that might help u u could make the same with a box that fits the van theres also a smell proof drying nets here is the link for the box
DIY drying box with odor control
Here's the drying nets don't no if it would fit your van here's a pic of it

I'll take a look, Thanks man