Hay smell on drying

Hey!

Since wednesday I've been harvesting my girls, a bit prematurely, but aphids/thrips were becoming a problem, as well as bud rot, on a very hot and humid outdoors climate.

As I found dozens of aphids, I decided to cut/remove all I could off and wash all the buds with lemon juice/baking soda/filtered water solution, ending with two rinses at clean filtered water.

Then I let them drip on some glass trays and put on this mesh drying rack below:



The problem is: I was too afraid of mold that I set the temps at 17°C and 45% RH. I feel the buds collected from wednesday already dry outside and a bit flattened because the mesh, with a very muted smell, even hay-like. I can't really smell any terpenes from any buds in the tent.

Now I'm trying to raise RH to 60% and keep it for a week, when 55% for another. It's gonna be difficult because no remote controlling, but will it save my flavors and aromas? Or I already ruined my weed?

I have 1 intake fan, 1 exhausting and 2 inside airflow fans. Humidifier with 2L tank and a dehumidifier with 2L cap if needed.

Any suggestions are very appreciated. If any data needed, I'll be willing to provide.

Harvested early, washed it, and dried too fast.

My .02. Have the fan gently blowing on it, drop the dehumidifier to 55, it will pull the room down to 50 then creep up to 55, do this for a couple of days then raise it up to 60. The begining of curing always smells like something you would pull from under you mowers deck. That is what curing is all about to gas off.