# Picking the right hygrometer.. to get that perfect cure each time. Help.



## cannabisguru (Mar 17, 2011)

whats up ppl?

man, I need a fucking job...  



anyhow, I'm getting all my stuff ready for my upcoming harvest.. which is still a good 20 to25 days away.. but I've never tried this method.. so I just want to make sure I'm ready.

I've been looking at different hygrometer models.. and I found some I like, that will also fit into the mason jars I use for curing. Well, I'm finding more of the hygrometers that have the wireless 'sensor'.. where you mount the sensor outside/inside.. and it will send the info back to the LCD screen (control panel) via wireless..

so my question is.. can you use these?? I mean, could you just drop the wireless sensor into the jar of buds your curing.. ??? Or would I be better off using the 'all in one unit' type.. that doesn't have the wireless sensor?

Just asking.. as I've never tried this curing method.. but I'm getting tired of not being able to hit that PERFECT cure point.. 

any of the experienced people that use a hygrometer, or have used one.. for curing.. I sure would greatly appreciate any help with this. 

Thanks.

peace.


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## webb107 (Mar 17, 2011)

cannabisguru said:


> whats up ppl?
> 
> man, I need a fucking job...
> 
> ...


Yeh i need a job to man i know how it is, Had an interview yesterday fingers crossed. About the hygrometer question it seems interesting i would like to know this answer as well


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## cannabisguru (Mar 17, 2011)

yeah it sucks.. jobs are fucking hard to come by right now.

and now.. with the events that happened over in Japan.. its going to make jobs even more scarce. Its kinda scary..


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## Drake S (Mar 17, 2011)

I ended up using my "outdoor" sensor that is part of my temp\humidity gauge. Only can use it in one jar, but I figure that everything being relatively equal, one jar shouldn't be that much different from another.


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## legallyflying (Mar 17, 2011)

I just chopped 5 days ago and have been looking for that damn post that has all the ideal humidity levels in it....


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## B.U.D.S.I.C.L.E.S (Mar 17, 2011)

If I were doing this I would use cheaper ones like they use in cigar humidors. You can read them through the glass jar and your going to be opening the jars frequently anyways. Also if you have a bunch of jars it might be cheaper to go that route if your buying more than one.


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## Drake S (Mar 18, 2011)

B.U.D.S.I.C.L.E.S said:


> If I were doing this I would use cheaper ones like they use in cigar humidors. You can read them through the glass jar and your going to be opening the jars frequently anyways. Also if you have a bunch of jars it might be cheaper to go that route if your buying more than one.


I hear ya there - and I'll probably get something else for my next curing session, but wasn't using the remote sensor.

p.s. The reading on my picture was 46RH, but that was when it was first jarred - it slowly went up to +70RH then I started the burping process.


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## cannabisguru (Mar 18, 2011)

here you go guys.. I didn't realize everyone was lost with this subject. Here's some information for you guys to read:


It's a very simple and effective process:

Cut the product, trim it per your preference, but don't dry it until the stems snap. Take it down while the stems still have some flex, but the product feel dry on the outside. This is a perfect opportunity to drop the dry-feeling flowers onto a screen and collect prime-quality kief that would otherwise get lost in the jar.

Jar the product, along with a Caliber III hygrometer. One can be had on Ebay for ~$20. Having tested a number of hygrometers - digital and analog - this model in particular produced consistent, accurate results. Then, watch the readings:

+70% RH - too wet, needs to sit outside the jar to dry for 12-24 hours, depending.

65-70% RH - the product is almost in the cure zone, if you will. It can be slowly brought to optimum RH by opening the lid for 2-4 hours.

60-65% RH - the stems snap, the product feels a bit sticky, and it is curing.

55-60% RH - at this point it can be stored for an extended period without worrying about mold. The product will continue to cure.

Below 55% RH - the RH is too low for the curing process to take place. The product starts to feel brittle. Once you've hit this point, nothing will make it better. Adding moisture won't restart the curing process; it will just make the product wet. If you measure a RH below 55% don't panic. Read below:

Obviously, the product need time to sweat in the jar. As such, accurate readings won't be seen for ~24 hours, assuming the flowers are in the optimal cure zone. If you're curing the product for long-term storage, give the flowers 4-5 days for an accurate reading. If the product is sill very wet, a +70% RH reading will show within hours. If you see the RH rising ~1% per hour, keep a close eye on the product, as it's likely too moist.

HTH,
Simon 



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Additional information on Hygrometer curing
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Default

*Phase #1:* 70%+ RH: This starts out just like any other time you have done it. Once you have harvested your bud and trimmed it to your liking, hang it in a cool dark place. This is where we will part from tradition. Allow it to hang until the buds begin to feel like they are drying (note the temps and rh as this will rarely be the same during subsequent harvests). They will start to lose their "softness" in favor of a slightly crispy texture. We don't want to allow it to dry until the stems snap. THIS IS WRONG! We want the stems to be flexible. Not totally soft, but not snapping, either. If allowed to dry until the stems snap we risk it drying too much and losing an opportunity to take full advantage of the cure window. You see once the bud reaches the 55% RH range, the cure is dead. No amount of moisture added will revive this. If you are a brown bag dryer you can still use this technique, although I no longer do. I feel it is unneccessary at this point in the drying process. Just make sure you do not over dry. Also, this is a perfect time to calibrate your hygrometers with your new calibrating kit. This phase may take anywhere from 2 to 7 days depending on ambient temp, RH and strain, etc. It is important to be right on top of this phase. Sometimes we will notice thinner stemmed buds getting done quicker. It is ok to take these first and put them in the jar. Just screw the cap on very loosely until the bulk of the bud joins it.
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*Phase #2: *70% to 65% RH: This is where the numbers game begins to kick in. Once you have reached the crispy bud/flexible stem stage, it is time to jar it up. Now there are a few options here.. Really you can jar it up just like always. Only, fill your jar 3/4 to 4/5 full so you have room to use your hygrometer. You can leave it on the stem, stem free, whatever. I personally prefer it in it's finished state, no stems. You can leave just a few stems intact for the sake of testing stem flexibility. Also, with more stems comes more moisture. This may fit well with your style, but it also may play havoc if mold is present. Once your bud is in the jar drop in the hygrometer and cap it. Keep an eye on your meter for the next hour or so. What we are shooting for in this phase is 70% RH maximum. If you hit 71% or greater, you will have to take the bud out to dry more. If this seems a little tricky here, it is. The cure, even though we are still in the dry phase, has been happening to a small degree since the moment the bud was cut. Basically now we are juggling time with mold prevention. We want to avoid any instance of mold, but we want to get every second of cure time in that we can. 

The goal in this phase is to start at a 70% maximum RH and, in a timely and mold free manner, bring the RH down to about 65%. The reason I say "about" is that if there is an issue with mold (i.e. the crop was exposed to heavy mold before and/or during harvest) we may chose to take the RH even lower, like 62%. This won't leave a huge window for curing, but it will keep the bud safe. Ideally, however, 65% will do. Generally you can tell pretty quickly if the bud is still too wet as the hygrometer % will climb pretty quickly (rate: 1% per hour or faster). You will also notice, at this point, that the bud will feel "wetter". That's ok. The reason for this is that while the exposed part of the bud began to dry quicker than the inside during phase one, the inside of the bud and stems retained a good deal of their moisture. Once in the jars (phase two) that moisture can no longer be efficiently evaperated off and moved to a different area, being replaced by dryer air. Once you have determined the RH, which may take up to 24 hours, you can begin burping the jars. This can be done at a rate of one to two hours once or twice a day, depending on initial RH reading. Your room RH, temp, strain, exposure to mold and hygro readings will dictate this for you and wether to go faster or slower. Slower is always better, but precipitating factors, as stated, may trump this.. Also, at the end of this stage is where most commercial bud will hit the open market, if you are lucky. The bud at this stage should have that super sticky icky velvety feel and the 'bag appeal' will be at it's very highest.
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*Phase #3:* 65% to 60% RH: Your buds are in the jar and RH is 65% or less. Perfect. The object of the game, as stated before, is to slowly release the moisture from the jar over time. Your buds are now in the cure zone. At this point we are looking for a much slower release than phase two and will shift to a short burp once a week. Your buds will deliver a nice smoke at around 60%, so the speed at which this is done (which translates directly to duration of burpage) is entirely up to you. It is at this stage that small stems should snap in two. It is also in this stage that you will meet true stability, or equalization, in RH. What that means is that the amount of moisture in the stems is no longer disproportionate to the buds, and moisture transfer or persperation (sweat) slows dramatically. This also means it will take much longer to get a true reading from your Hygrometer. A true reading at this point might take up to 36 hours, but that's ok.
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So, do you know what your idea of a perfect smoking bud is? If you have followed the phases as you have read them, then this is the stage where you can find out. It may be as specific as a stationary RH value, or even a "window" between different values. Everyone on should know their Ideal smoking range. I prefer mine on a slightly dryer cure, say between 55 to 57%.
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*Phase #4:* 60% to 55%+ RH: Even though a true cure is far from over, your buds are truly ready to smoke if you wish. They are also ready to face long term storage. As stated before, the cure dies at -55%. It is ok for the cure to be dead if you have reached your desired cure level as later remoisturing can easily bring that bud back into your prefered smoking range. But, you can also continue the cure for long time periods and the trick to this is to stay above the 55% level. Unfortunately even claimed 'air tight' jars will allow bud to continue losing moisture over time. The trick here is to guarantee air tightness. Simon has suggested that he jars in air tight jars and double vacuum bags it as a way to ensure cure integrity. I am less picky. It is a good idea, though not neccessary, to leave a hygro in the jar and check it from time to time. I would start with once a week for the first month then, if everything is stable, once every month after that should suffice.


There ya go.. hope you enjoyed reading it.

peace.


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## legallyflying (Mar 18, 2011)

THanks for the link. I placed some buds that had a "bendable but not snapping stem yesterday, the outside was a little "crisppy" and the humidty in the jar shot up to 72%. Essentially they went from smelling like nothing at all to smelling like cut grass. So I took them out. 

My last harvest I really fuckered up as I put them in the jars too soon. No amount of burping and drying ever brought back that tasty bud smell. They didn't smell like grass, but they didn't smell like weed either. A very experienced friend of mine never bothers to jar his bud. They just hang in an open space. He has a dehu set at 50% the first week or so then he just lets them hang. They hang up to a month or two, absolutely no jars. His buds smell awesome!!

Anybody ever employ this "skip the jar technique?" The jars are a complete PIA in my opinion. I just harvest about 2 lbs and I have another 1.5 lbs or so maturing in the next week. that is allot of jars!


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## Serapis (Mar 18, 2011)

there is no need to get fancy with a remote hygrometer or weather station. I use cheap reptile hygrometers that i calibrate with my digital one. I also have some brass hygrometers with glass faces, but i use those for long term storage. You just need something that is easy to read through the jar, like the pic below..

View attachment 1501113



cannabisguru said:


> whats up ppl?
> 
> man, I need a fucking job...
> 
> ...


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## Serapis (Mar 18, 2011)

In your case, I would use bags... Still use the same curing style, but in large bags.

Here is a journal entry I did on curing. I don't take credit, as i learned the technique from another here on RIU. I will say that I back up this technique with my own experience and my reputation on this board. Using hygrometers and this guide has me no longer worried about screwing up a cure or getting mold..

https://www.rollitup.org/blogs/blog9093-2-half-days-fast-when.html



legallyflying said:


> THanks for the link. I placed some buds that had a "bendable but not snapping stem yesterday, the outside was a little "crisppy" and the humidty in the jar shot up to 72%. Essentially they went from smelling like nothing at all to smelling like cut grass. So I took them out.
> 
> My last harvest I really fuckered up as I put them in the jars too soon. No amount of burping and drying ever brought back that tasty bud smell. They didn't smell like grass, but they didn't smell like weed either. A very experienced friend of mine never bothers to jar his bud. They just hang in an open space. He has a dehu set at 50% the first week or so then he just lets them hang. They hang up to a month or two, absolutely no jars. His buds smell awesome!!
> 
> Anybody ever employ this "skip the jar technique?" The jars are a complete PIA in my opinion. I just harvest about 2 lbs and I have another 1.5 lbs or so maturing in the next week. that is allot of jars!


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## legallyflying (Mar 19, 2011)

So I might have fucked it up once again. Told myself, just keep them hung, ust keep them hung, but the outsides were getting really crispy so I spend a couple hours cutting 2bs of buds from the stalks and placing them in jars. 2-3 hours later the hygromter read 73 and they started smelling like grass. So then I layed them all out on the floor covered with butcher paper and left them out overnight. This morning I placed them all back in the jars and its been about 45 minutes and the hydromter is reading 50. 

Obviosuly they went from too wet to very dry pretty damn quickly... too quickly? I'm hoping the humidity will raise up in the jars over the next couple hours but I have to say I have my doubts. there is a little smell but nothing like when they are freshly chopped. Which is a shame on epic fucking proportions cause this mango variety sells fucking wonderful when done correctly. I can grow plants like a mtha fucka but jesus I always fuck up the drying process. Way back in the old days we used to chop our outdoor plants, trim them all on the bush and then just hang the thing for like 3 weeks in the garage. Worked perfectly.


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## Ant Grows Dank (Mar 20, 2011)

You need to hang em, you fucked up wheny ou layed em on butcher paper or w/e that is lol... Paper is really dry and will suck mositure out like no ones business.


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## legallyflying (Mar 20, 2011)

Well to try and twisters humidity and even it out a little I put them all in gallon zip locs. Humidity up to 56 and 53 right now. Smell I a little weed and a little bud. Is there anything I can


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## Serapis (Mar 20, 2011)

Yes, and you may kiss my foot later.... 

Take fresh cut leaf, maybe two per jar since you in 50's, and leave them in until they look pathetic. The buds will draw all of the moisture out of the leaf. that should get you in 60's.... I'd then work with a small leaf or a few pieces, and start slowly burping the jars back down. You'll be able to recover some of the lost aroma and taste, but probably not all.

Next time you need to lay out on paper or a screen, keep it to 4-6 hours only, and not if your humidity inside house is 20% 



legallyflying said:


> Well to try and twisters humidity and even it out a little I put them all in gallon zip locs. Humidity up to 56 and 53 right now. Smell I a little weed and a little bud. Is there anything I can


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## Serapis (Mar 20, 2011)

Oh, buy half gallon mason jars...... qty 6 shipped only $19.99 on eBay.... I only use half gallon jars..... I got over burping 20 quart jars a day... ;p


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## cannabisguru (Mar 23, 2011)

Have a question..

I can't seem to figure out the need to leave the lid on the jar for the initial 24 hours. 

I'm doing a test with this hygrometer method.. with just a few 58 day old popcorn buds.

Anyhow, I started it this morning.. the RH value has risen 3% is the last hour.. which is 

fairly quick IMO.

Anyhow.. they say that you need to keep the RH *below *70% and *above *55%. So.. I got to thinking, why not just put them into the jars.. keep a very good eye on it. If it starts to reach the 68-69% range.. just go ahead and burp the jar. 

I warn you.. I may be too stoned atm to figure this out on my own. The funny part is.. is its probably a really obvious reason as to why you need that first initial 24-hour RH reading. But as for right at the moment.. I can't figure it out.

Anyone?

peace..


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## cannabisguru (Mar 23, 2011)

Serapis said:


> there is no need to get fancy with a remote hygrometer or weather station. I use cheap reptile hygrometers that i calibrate with my digital one. I also have some brass hygrometers with glass faces, but i use those for long term storage. You just need something that is easy to read through the jar, like the pic below..
> 
> View attachment 1501113



Wow.. I like those little meters you got. Those are sweet man.. where did you get yours?? if you don't mind me asking.

thanks..


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## Buddingbishop (Sep 22, 2011)

I would just like it say thank you for the information its help me so much, i had a hard time believing that there was no way exactly measure a cure


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## SimonD (Sep 23, 2011)

When I first posted the Perfect Cure tutorial, I only suggest using the Caliber III. This came from testing numerous hygrometers, digital and analog. The Caliber was the only one that delivered accurate and consistent results out of the box. This is still the case. I do recommend a HydrosetII/Xikar after calibration, as IME they a few points off when BNIB. The small Ebay digital can be a good value, as they care consistent, but not accurate, so they HAVE to be calibrated.

I do not recommended analog hygrometers at all. None under any circumstances and I'll explain why. The whole point of this is to allow folks to cure efficiently and predictably. Last thing I want is for anyone to fuck up his crop. Analog hygrometers are terribly inaccurate, but that's not their main problem. The big issue lies in their lack of consistency. Unlike digital modes, analogs suffer from mechanical binding and often will not present an accurate reading until physically manipulated. What this means is that we can't trust what we see in the jar. Not good.

Cliff Notes: Buy a Caliber III.

Simon


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## cannabisguru (Sep 23, 2011)

Nicely put Simon.

Appreciate the input and advice!

thanks.


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## rocknratm (Sep 23, 2011)

for affordability I would buy the ones from a pet store, especially if you need alot. 
Yes, accuracy may not be perfect. But still, better than nothing.
I feel for the post about overnights, same thing happens to me if I leave them in paper bags overnight, so if they are somewhat close with any crispyness at the end of the night I jar em overnight, then reopen them and let em dry for a few more hours that day.
I, and im sure other people as well, have never used meters and had good results. The point as far as im concerned is to get em in the jar right after the risk of mold is gone, and for at least 2 weeks slowly release the water/chlorophyl (sp) from the buds (up to a month). When im around petsmart I will buy some of the cheap meters just to see how my less sophisticated method compares to this scietific one.


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## poplars (Sep 23, 2011)

it seems like this is totally not economical for huge growers... you can't buy cheap analogs because they are said to be untrustworthy, thus you have to pay atleast 200 bucks for some huge jars and several of those hygrometers...

I'm thinking I'll take a cheaper more intuitive method with my large harvest......


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## SimonD (Sep 23, 2011)

poplars said:


> it seems like this is totally not economical for huge growers... you can't buy cheap analogs because they are said to be untrustworthy, thus you have to pay atleast 200 bucks for some huge jars and several of those hygrometers...
> 
> I'm thinking I'll take a cheaper more intuitive method with my large harvest......


Lots of options out there from 5gal buckets to Tupperware tubs. A big tub can hold +20lbs and use a single $20 hygrometer. This being said, what large-scale grower is concerned with $200 or $300 or $400 or $500 or whatever as a one-time expense? Hell, more than that falls on the floor at harvest.


Simon


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## legallyflying (Sep 23, 2011)

On the other token..what large scale grower cures shit? Cut, trim, hang...out the door.


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## poplars (Sep 23, 2011)

SimonD said:


> Lots of options out there from 5gal buckets to Tupperware tubs. A big tub can hold +20lbs and use a single $20 hygrometer. This being said, what large-scale grower is concerned with $200 or $300 or $400 or $500 or whatever as a one-time expense? Hell, more than that falls on the floor at harvest.
> 
> 
> Simon


 money runs out towards the end of the season that's how it goes....

and I"m not putting my delicate harvest in plastic... glass or nothing IMO.


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## poplars (Sep 23, 2011)

legallyflying said:


> On the other token..what large scale grower cures shit? Cut, trim, hang...out the door.


every outdoor grower who has put in a good chunk of effort will wind up with 10+ oz to several pounds... just because we end up with more doesn't mean we don't want the same quality, it just means the techniques can't be as nitpicky...


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## legallyflying (Sep 23, 2011)

Well, I'm just saying that I have had times where I was staring at 5lbs of buds drying in the closet. The last thing I was going to do was start putting them in and taking them out of paper bags and glass jars. You ever try to burp 110 mason jars several times a day?


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## poplars (Sep 23, 2011)

legallyflying said:


> Well, I'm just saying that I have had times where I was staring at 5lbs of buds drying in the closet. The last thing I was going to do was start putting them in and taking them out of paper bags and glass jars. You ever try to burp 110 mason jars several times a day?


sorry but that would not be 110 mason jars..

I did the math and 110 1 quart mason jars which hold an average of 2 oz of indica bud, will hold around 14 pounds... so yeah I don't think it's outragious to burp 40-50 jars a day for a good cure, it doesn't seem that ridiculous to me at all.

and you don't have to burp several times a day, you can leave it open for 8-12 hours and close it and repeat the next day.


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## SimonD (Sep 23, 2011)

legallyflying said:


> Well, I'm just saying that I have had times where I was staring at 5lbs of buds drying in the closet. The last thing I was going to do was start putting them in and taking them out of paper bags and glass jars. You ever try to burp 110 mason jars several times a day?


Heh, no one would use 110 mason jars. That's nuts. 4-5 2.5gal Anchor Hocking jars from Target, OTOH, are a different story. All I can say is, there are different grades of product out there. We all produce what we can. 

Simon


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## stumpjumper (Sep 23, 2011)

I like this guide, but what if you have 20 jars of buds?? That's a lot of hygrometers!


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## poplars (Sep 23, 2011)

stumpjumper said:


> I like this guide, but what if you have 20 jars of buds?? That's a lot of hygrometers!


that's why I prefer the idea of burping them in cycles using intuitive sense of how humid the bud feels. if one day you want to invest in hygrometers to be extremely accurate go for it! but if you cant afford it like myself, you have to improvise, and many many people have been doing it with methods like what I mentioned for years.


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## SimonD (Sep 23, 2011)

stumpjumper said:


> I like this guide, but what if you have 20 jars of buds?? That's a lot of hygrometers!


You don't need a hygrometer for each jar. Really, folks would do well to read the original thread stickied on IC. There's a lot of info there and every question imaginable has been addressed. I'm happy to support the process on this site as much as I can.

Simon


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## catmando (Sep 23, 2011)

serapis, where did you get those little colorful hygrometers? they look fucking perfect!


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## rocknratm (Sep 23, 2011)

if I had a shit ton of bud Id use 5 gallon buckets... airtight, and ya only fill half full but even if you had hundreds of pounds still managable for profit margin.

I do apreciate what your doin simon, makin it reasonable to understand scietifically, aka objective for all to use. Not that objectivity is possible, but thats a philosophical concept far from the idea of curing weed


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## cousinsmooth (Jun 5, 2022)

I


cannabisguru said:


> here you go guys.. I didn't realize everyone was lost with this subject. Here's some information for you guys to read:
> 
> 
> It's a very simple and effective process:
> ...


Heard that with p1 during the drying process immediately after harvesting the plants you should be drying at NO MORE than 65 RH is okay for the first few days. If you don't get it down to around 55 by 4th or 5th day, you won't get it to dry properly. I had it starting at 67 and this is what he told me. He has won multiple Cannabis cup awards  how are you able to dry yours properly at such high RH, 70?


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## Cookie Rider (Jun 5, 2022)

Nice!
11 year thread bump!
A gem of a read. 
Simons cure method is what I base mine on.
Well laid out and easy enough to do.


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