Should I dry my buds in my van or outside?

[Phillybonker]

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?

 

[grayeyes]

Soon as you harvest send it to me. If you can't dry and cure you can't have possession, right?

 

[SmokingWings]

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.

Hhhmmm, a van. Makes me think that it is an older Volkswagen van someone named Phillybonker in the back pulling buds off of sticks and putting them into jars. Oh, and with Cheech and Chong up front because they smelled something and volunteered to drive.

I would go with the van. The tree is probably exposed to view. Plenty of dust in the air, more than most of us realize. The rains might not be frequent but a good chance that there are times when it might rain for 15 to 30 minutes, maybe not not hard, but steady enough to get everything wet. Plus, even on a nice day there could be insects moving in, not to eat, but using the plant material as someplace to hide.

If the van can be driven then put all the windows down and drive it around for a couple of minutes in late afternoon to give an exchange of air. Lowest humidity most late afternoons so the fresh air would be a bit drier. When parked and if the windows are up there is a good chance that it will get hotter, maybe as much as 40 to 45 C (110F) which is why the warnings not to leave children or pet animals in a van on a hot sunny day.

 

[Azimuth]

And park the van under a tree or in shade if you can.

If it's an auto its probably a smallish plant. How about in a paper bag in the fridge? Low and Slow Drying in the Fridge

 

[Keffka]

Neither are ideal and as @SmokingWings said, that van will get brutally hot. I too still would choose the van but I would get a windshield cover to keep the sun out (or park in the shade like @Azimuth said). If possible you’re going to want to open the van up multiple times a day, or at the very least once. No airflow is devastating for drying cannabis and will surely lead to issues.

 

[SmokingWings]

No airflow is devastating for drying cannabis and will surely lead to issues.

... and with high temps it can lead to being not close to dry one afternoon to being over-dried 24 hours later.

If it's an auto its probably a smallish plant. How about in a paper bag in the fridge? Low and Slow Drying in the Fridge

Autos mentioned as in more than one. Philly tends to think big as in more than a few plants. Kinda like he plans for there being some that will not make it or that some will be found and "ripped".

I seem to remember him mentioning a year or more ago why he can't grow at home, inside or outside, or keep large quantities around the house.

 

[Keffka]

and with high temps it can lead to being not close to dry one afternoon to being over-dried 24 hours later

Yep, and over dried is the worst thing that can happen aside from mold, may as well just buy brick weed. I would rather just dry them slightly then jar them and burp the jars down to an appropriate rh. However, if you’re drying in a van or tree, even burping jars may not be an option.

 

[Lerugged]

Could you possibly park the van in an underground parking? with the window cracked a cm? Not sure if it's legal where you are but if not then the smell will attract unwanted attention. An option would be to use some double pillowcases. Place the buds inside them and then hang them under a tree. That way you can keep the dirt and bugs out but, if it rains everything will be soaked. If you can get them hanging under a roof or cover that might help. I never dry my buds in complete darkness, just darkness. At those temps if you hang them outside they should be dried in a day or two.
Good luck and let us know what you went with in the end.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

the smell will attract unwanted attention.

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.
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.

 

[Roy Growin]

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

 

[InTheShed]

Maybe you could make a version of the cardboard box drying space @InTheShed uses

Thanks Mel, easy peasy! Build is here.

 

[Phillybonker]

Hhhmmm, a van. Makes me think that it is an older Volkswagen van someone named Phillybonker in the back pulling buds off of sticks and putting them into jars. Oh, and with Cheech and Chong up front because they smelled something and volunteered to drive.

My van ain't as cool looking as a Vee Dub, it's just a beaten up old Toyota Hiace that I should really be replacing.

The tree is probably exposed to view.

I can find a tree that is out of view but now you made me think of another problem - There is no guarantees someone won't come wandering along during the 7-10 day drying process.

Plenty of dust in the air, more than most of us realize.

Growing outdoors in the bush the buds get quite dusty anyway, I've done a bud wash before and removed dust, dirt, insects, insect poop, bits of plant material from other plants, some other stuff I wasn't able to identify.

Growing in the bush is real rough on the final product.

When parked and if the windows are up there is a good chance that it will get hotter, maybe as much as 40 to 45 C (110F) which is why the warnings not to leave children or pet animals in a van on a hot sunny day.

Yeah the heat is what gets me concerned, I'm not sure how that will effect the quality. But it probably won't be any better drying outdoors because of the buds being exposed to light for 7-10 days.

Well, that's one vote for the van. Cheers mate

 

[Phillybonker]

And park the van under a tree or in shade if you can.

That's a good idea

If it's an auto its probably a smallish plant. How about in a paper bag in the fridge? Low and Slow Drying in the Fridge

I can't dry my buds in my house due to my circumstances unfortunately. But I'm going to save that thread so I can have a read through later. Around April my photos will be ready to harvest and my circumstances should have changed by then, so I should be able to use that fridge drying method.

Thanks for the link

 

[Phillybonker]

Neither are ideal and as @SmokingWings said, that van will get brutally hot. I too still would choose the van but I would get a windshield cover to keep the sun out (or park in the shade like @Azimuth said). If possible you’re going to want to open the van up multiple times a day, or at the very least once. No airflow is devastating for drying cannabis and will surely lead to issues.

Yeah I would open up the van a few times a day but it will be parked in a parking area with people around and I can't risk anyone smelling it, I'm in a prohibition country. But your right, no airflow is devastating for drying cannabis. I can get airflow in the morning just before work and in the afternoon when I finish work, but not during the daytime.

 

[Azimuth]

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.

 

[InTheShed]

Until you open the door to roll the bags or lower the moisture, then everyone will know.

 

[Phillybonker]

Autos mentioned as in more than one. Philly tends to think big as in more than a few plants. Kinda like he plans for there being some that will not make it or that some will be found and "ripped".

Heavy losses are the norm for me, rippers, botrytis, floods, high winds, Police bust, I've suffered losses to all those things.

Last year I lost half my crop before I even got em out in the bush because mice ate half my seedlings.

I seem to remember him mentioning a year or more ago why he can't grow at home, inside or outside, or keep large quantities around the house.

My girlfriend is worried her ex-partner will use any cannabis bust at our property as grounds to take full custody of their son. She had gotten spooked by a Police bust at our property a couple of years ago when they seized 3 pounds of buds and half a dozen of my plants that were hanging up drying.

 

[Azimuth]

Until you open the door to roll the bags or lower the moisture, then everyone will know.

Well, he'll have that issue no matter how he dries. But at least he could control when he exposed the odors.

My girlfriend is worried her ex-partner will use any cannabis bust at our property as grounds to take full custody of their son. She had gotten spooked by a Police bust at our property a couple of years ago when they seized 3 pounds of buds and half a dozen of my plants that were hanging up drying.

Ah, gotcha. Maybe a friend with an extra outlet in their basement who'd be willing to trade space for a taste.

However it's done, it's not without risk, though I'd suggest it's lower than the 3-4 months a grow takes.

In any event Philly, good luck with however you decide to do it.

 

[Vegan4life]

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

 

[Phillybonker]

Could you possibly park the van in an underground parking?

No underground parking where I'm at unfortunately or else that would have been ideal for shade.

Not sure if it's legal where you are but if not then the smell will attract unwanted attention.

It's not legal where I'm at but cannabis almost become legal in my country after a referendum three years ago, 50.7% of voters opposed it and 48.4% supported it.

An option would be to use some double pillowcases. Place the buds inside them and then hang them under a tree. That way you can keep the dirt and bugs out but, if it rains everything will be soaked. If you can get them hanging under a roof or cover that might help. I never dry my buds in complete darkness, just darkness. At those temps if you hang them outside they should be dried in a day or two.
Good luck and let us know what you went with in the end.

Pillowcases is a good idea, but growing outdoors in the bush the buds are already exposed to dust and bugs anyway.

I won't know till February which one I go with because things can change between now and then, but I'll update this thread when I start drying the buds.