I've put the buds in plastic bads (see previous post for pics of harvest) and I'm now in the curing process. How long each day should I allow the buds to "breathe" (leave the bag open)? I've ready many different opinions and would like to know what the growers on this site do. I allowed them to hang for over 3 days, and they did seem a bit wet although beginning to get crisp on the outside. Currently they are rolled up in a plastic bag and stuck in a dresser drawer.

At harvest-time all you have to do is cut the plant as low as possible and hang the whole thing upside down to dry on a line. The room you use to dry should be the about the same size you grew in (if not the same room). The humidity should remain a constant 50-60%. Too high and buds will mold, too low and they dry too fast and taste bad. Temperature should be around 65-68 degrees, wherever possible. Make sure the room is dark, as light degrades THC.

All kinds of processes, like the transport of sugars inside the plant still take place, even when you cut it down. These processes will slowly come to an end while the drying progresses, but are the main factor for the end-taste of your smoke. That is the first reason why you don't want to quick-dry your weed. The second reason is the way that a plant dries. Plants are made up of cells and, as we all know, cells contain mainly water. Exposed to air, the (dying) plant's outer cells will dry out first but the above-mentioned processes will still transfer water from the inner cells to the dryer outer cells, thus causing the plant to dry equally all over. By removing the stalk and cutting off the individual colas, you prevent this natural process by taking away the extra moisture that would be drawn from the stem to the leaves and bud. Got it? Good! Moving on...

Make sure you hang the plants so that they do not touch each other (invites mold). With constant temp and humidity, the plants should be ready for manicuring in 3-4 weeks. At this time trim colas from the main stalk, and trim large and medium fan leaves (save them for making hash), leaving most of the smaller leaves sticking out of the bud in tact. Hang them up again and for a day or two, until 'popcorn' dry. The stems should snap when you bend them, and the bud should be dry, but not brittle. Now for the curing...

Trim all remaining leaf (save for hashmaking) tight to the buds, and trim smaller buds from larger stems. Store them airtight; air at this point degrades THC. Note- ziplock bags are not airtight! You could use buckets with an airtight lid like used for food and sauces and such, but the best containers are those glass jars with the rubber seal and latch. Just put as much bud in it as possible using light pressure. The point is to fill it as much as possible, so not too much air remains in the container. The less air, the better. To be safe, check them the next day to make sure it's still dry (did not 'sweat'). Any excess moisture at this point will invite mold. If it did sweat and is moist (soft) again, lay the bud out on something other than newspaper and put in a dry place to get the last water out.

Repack and place the container in a cool, dark place, like a refrigerator. Note- fridges have high humidity so they must be absolutely airtight.
The longer it sits (up to around a month, maybe longer in the fridge) the better it gets, both in taste and potency. At around the month mark, you can move it to the freezer to almost stop the aging and curing process. Once you've got some buds stored in the freezer, you have a private stash that will last a long time. If you've got the patience to wait, the smoke will be sweet and smooth. The high will be mellow, and longer lasting. If you grew enough to last you a while, then after a few harvests you will be able to have properly cured buds at your disposal, with no downtime waiting for the next batch to cure!

Why are they in Plastic Bags? The idea is to sweat the moisture out of the buds without making them crispy and to avoid mold. You'll ruin the buds by keeping them in the plastic bags. Instead of plastic bags, put them into brown, paper lunch bags or brown, paper grocery bags. From there, put them into GLASS Mason Jars and close the lids. Open the lids a few times a day to test for moisture. As soon as the buds are "springy" ... not dry, but not really moist either, then its safe to put them away in the Mason Jars for storage. They keep getting better over time. The aroma when opening the jars should be really pleasant. If the odor is rank ... check for mold.

Vi

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Well I don't have any paper bags at them moment so I placed them in rolled up paper towels and tape the ends shut, sound ok? They still feel pretty wet though, not sure whether or not I let them hang long enough. Either way thanks for the advice. The reason I put them in plastic bags is because Widow's grow guide said it would be ok. Shouldn't I open the paper towels a few times daily to allow excess moisture to escape? If so for how long?

what about using some of those silica gel packets that are shipped in like electronics packaging? placing one of those in the same sealed container as the bud should draw moisture, no? or maybe salt (not physically touching the buds, just airborne exchange btwn them)

wouldnt that draw h2o out of the plant cells?

that silica pack idea sounds cool. u guys think that would work good, u know toss one or two in a jar when its stored in the fridge?

Dude! Go to the grocery store and ask them for a couple of paper bags. If the buds still "feel wet," you need to let them get some air, otherwise you'll end up with moldy buds and a lot of wasted time. Gardening requires patients ... and lots of it.

Vi

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Liberals are people that will believe anything twice.

Vi is right you should go that route. but on the other hand, the silica packs sound interesting though. in theory they should draw out moisture at an alarming rate. I guess you should hang dry them for 2 weeks then take one nug and put it in a plastic bag, hear me out Vi, with a silica pack. the plastic should hold in the moisture to see if the pack is working or not. who knows maybe it is just stoner talk lol

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I have a question

To dry could you use one of those commericals vacuum sealers... They give you bags or w/e and it makes air tight... Could you use that for drying or maybe just storage?

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After the buds are cured you can store them in vacuum sealed bags. That is an excellent way to store your goods.

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