Skybound
Well-Known Member
I'd like to know sooner too b/c my harvest is right around the corner (early Feb) and the inlet air is not the greatest so I likely have all kind'a nasty crap stuck to my buds.
Bud Washing
- Thread starter Hiker
- Start date
AfricanGrower
Well-Known Member
A sample will be smoked when I harvest the Bubblelicious in 2-3 weeks.
Governmentchz
Well-Known Member
Also, do not discount the chemical reaction that takes place when the alkaline baking soda is mixed with the acidic lemon juice. It will bubble and release CO2 amongst other things and creates a more antiseptic environment for the material being washed.
Not that anyone needs my confirmation, but I washed my last harvest which I took down Friday. The branches are a more vibrant green and the buds look no worse for wear. I didn't do any foliar sprays during the grow and kept my room as clean as I could with 2 cats, 2 dogs and a couple other people living in my house. My rinse water didn't show anything unusually gross, but there were a few orange pistils and certainly some extraneous debris including some of the little leaf tips that stuck as I did a rough trim.
I look at it this way now (to quote DocBud)...better is just better.
I was excited (and a bit anxious) to wash my harvest and got things setup, and neglected getting any pictures of the process in my excitement. Here is a picture of my initial setup and all I did was try to get the second rinse bucket a bit warmer (~100f) and the third bucket a bit colder (~50f) as I wanted to also duplicate the blanching process to brighten colors. Knowing the resins are susceptible to more extreme temps I only rinsed in the third bucket for about 10 seconds to shock it back down, and let them drip. After they dripped for a few mins, I put them in the quick cure drying rack.
Another day or so and they will all come off the stems and I will get a final weight. A couple weeks and the smoke report.
Also, do not discount the chemical reaction that takes place when the alkaline baking soda is mixed with the acidic lemon juice. It will bubble and release CO2 amongst other things and creates a more antiseptic environment for the material being washed.
Not that anyone needs my confirmation, but I washed my last harvest which I took down Friday. The branches are a more vibrant green and the buds look no worse for wear. I didn't do any foliar sprays during the grow and kept my room as clean as I could with 2 cats, 2 dogs and a couple other people living in my house. My rinse water didn't show anything unusually gross, but there were a few orange pistils and certainly some extraneous debris including some of the little leaf tips that stuck as I did a rough trim.
I look at it this way now (to quote DocBud)...better is just better.
I was excited (and a bit anxious) to wash my harvest and got things setup, and neglected getting any pictures of the process in my excitement. Here is a picture of my initial setup and all I did was try to get the second rinse bucket a bit warmer (~100f) and the third bucket a bit colder (~50f) as I wanted to also duplicate the blanching process to brighten colors. Knowing the resins are susceptible to more extreme temps I only rinsed in the third bucket for about 10 seconds to shock it back down, and let them drip. After they dripped for a few mins, I put them in the quick cure drying rack.
Another day or so and they will all come off the stems and I will get a final weight. A couple weeks and the smoke report.
I'm telling you guys, washing not only makes sense from a public health standpoint, but your harvest will taste much better. There is no downside to this.
I love the skepticism and caution, as that's how I started out washing. But once you try it, you'll never skip it.
SweetLeef
Well-Known Member
I'm very excited to try it. I was skeptical, but the skepticism is fading more and more the more I see about this. I saw a video of Cervantes washing some buds and that was a big help in losing "the fear" But, now that AG has done it, I feel very good about this technique and am much less afraid to try it
I'm very excited to try it. I was skeptical, but the skepticism is fading more and more the more I see about this. I saw a video of Cervantes washing some buds and that was a big help in losing "the fear" But, now that AG has done it, I feel very good about this technique and am much less afraid to try it
The Cervantes video is what prompted me to do the peroxide wash. AS far as I know, I'm the first to DOCUMENT the lemon juice/soda wash. At least I haven't run into anyone else who has heard of it.
I'm telling you guys, ZERO people have regretted washing their harvest. Everyone who tries it keeps doing it.
Vegas flower
New Member
I will update my washed harvest to say yum! I said in an earlier post the buds appeared to dry a couple days faster. Four days hanging before jarring as opposed to six. No damage was done at all to the final product. Flavors are just as good with a much smoother smoke being the only giant positive from the wash. In other words I don't smell a decrease in turpines over the previous unwashed harvest nor do I see any visible decrease in bag appeal. So a little smoother and the knowledge that I am churning out the best possibe produce. My water was nasty on both first and second tub of rinse water so I'm happy to not be ingesting that. My final product is wonderful so zero regrets about the wash, and I will continue to do so.
sir grow alot
Well-Known Member
washing just makes so much sense i couldn't see why anyone would ever do it any other way once u know about it, simply based off this quote im all in 100% i don't like smoking "stuff" in my meds and the wash rids it!!!!!!!!!!!
SweetLeef
Well-Known Member
Well, I'm definitely washing my buds now.... The clones I was given were infested with Russet Mites. I have three autos that are flowering. So I have to spray them with stuff and wipe other stuff on the. So I will most definitely be doing the whole 5 buckets.
More information on russet mites and my battle with an enemy you cant see without magnification, Check my journal
More information on russet mites and my battle with an enemy you cant see without magnification, Check my journal
AfricanGrower
Well-Known Member
Well it has taken me a little over 2 hours to fully 'test' this method so foreign to me. I have pictures provided to further involve you all in the experience I felt when handling, grinding, ad smoking these buds. From the get-go, I can definitely say that there is a noticeable difference.
First I took out the washed buds from the mason jar, after 4 days in the curing jar.
I then took an after shot of 'roughly' the same area in which I captured before the washing process.
The 'Before' Shots
The 'After' Shots
Now the differences are very subtle (though the area is roughly in the general area)between the two, but onward to the smoking part of this experiment
The bud was ground up using a separate, clean grinder to process the herbs. The end material was 'fine' in the sense that the washed nugs seemed much more firm to the touch when handling them outside of the curing jar.
The burn, it traveled across my pallet with a pine-wheat flavor, with subtle undertones of grass-like (chlorophyll) tastes. It hit the back of the throat with a smooth sensation, very little irritation from newly-cured bud. The high took a minute to hit me. It was less of a creeping sensation, and more of 'smack' to the face a few minutes after the first bong hit. I took a second a hit, and the high lasted for another hour and a half or so before I started to feel a comedown.
So I opened the jar of the unwashed buds next. Instantly the smell that hit my nose was mixed with skunk and green material. I feel like the buds were not as evenly dried as the washed buds because of the simple fact the calyxes were more brittle on the outer layer (if that makes sense) of the colas, but become very malleable once you reach the core of each nug.
As far as a visual comparison between the two test samples, I noticed very subtle differences between the nugs, as I stated before. The only real differences were noticed in the handling of each batch.
I also took a trichome shot of the dry buds. This shot made the upcoming smoking session seem promising
I ground up the nugs in a separate, clean grinder. The processed material came out fairly 'fluffy' in comparison to the washed buds. From this point I believe the washing process also aids in hastening the drying and possibly the curing processes of harvesting cannabis.
Upon lighting the bowl, I got an instant rush of smoke, much quicker burn than the washed buds surprisingly. The smoke hit my pallet with an expected obnoxious green taste, with very subtle tones of piney-skunk. The smoke then hit the back of my throat with a level of harshness that should paralyze any smokers lungs, but the aid of 3 honeycomb diffusers helped contain the smoke in a more tolerable form
I also took sample shots of the ash that each bowl produced. The byproduct of both buds came out with fair amounts of white ash. You decide which came out 'cleaner'.
The washed bud's ash is on top in both pictures.
In conclusion, I have to say this process was very FUN to say the least. I will definitely be scaling this up to a couple of oz of harvested bud. I hope to have a better view of the visual differences between the bud quality given the quantity being used. Bubblelicious should be a tasty genetic any way.
Good Weed to all
First I took out the washed buds from the mason jar, after 4 days in the curing jar.
I then took an after shot of 'roughly' the same area in which I captured before the washing process.
The 'Before' Shots
The 'After' Shots
Now the differences are very subtle (though the area is roughly in the general area)between the two, but onward to the smoking part of this experiment
The bud was ground up using a separate, clean grinder to process the herbs. The end material was 'fine' in the sense that the washed nugs seemed much more firm to the touch when handling them outside of the curing jar.
The burn, it traveled across my pallet with a pine-wheat flavor, with subtle undertones of grass-like (chlorophyll) tastes. It hit the back of the throat with a smooth sensation, very little irritation from newly-cured bud. The high took a minute to hit me. It was less of a creeping sensation, and more of 'smack' to the face a few minutes after the first bong hit. I took a second a hit, and the high lasted for another hour and a half or so before I started to feel a comedown.
So I opened the jar of the unwashed buds next. Instantly the smell that hit my nose was mixed with skunk and green material. I feel like the buds were not as evenly dried as the washed buds because of the simple fact the calyxes were more brittle on the outer layer (if that makes sense) of the colas, but become very malleable once you reach the core of each nug.
As far as a visual comparison between the two test samples, I noticed very subtle differences between the nugs, as I stated before. The only real differences were noticed in the handling of each batch.
I also took a trichome shot of the dry buds. This shot made the upcoming smoking session seem promising
I ground up the nugs in a separate, clean grinder. The processed material came out fairly 'fluffy' in comparison to the washed buds. From this point I believe the washing process also aids in hastening the drying and possibly the curing processes of harvesting cannabis.
Upon lighting the bowl, I got an instant rush of smoke, much quicker burn than the washed buds surprisingly. The smoke hit my pallet with an expected obnoxious green taste, with very subtle tones of piney-skunk. The smoke then hit the back of my throat with a level of harshness that should paralyze any smokers lungs, but the aid of 3 honeycomb diffusers helped contain the smoke in a more tolerable form
I also took sample shots of the ash that each bowl produced. The byproduct of both buds came out with fair amounts of white ash. You decide which came out 'cleaner'.
The washed bud's ash is on top in both pictures.
In conclusion, I have to say this process was very FUN to say the least. I will definitely be scaling this up to a couple of oz of harvested bud. I hope to have a better view of the visual differences between the bud quality given the quantity being used. Bubblelicious should be a tasty genetic any way.
Good Weed to all
Well it has taken me a little over 2 hours to fully 'test' this method so foreign to me. I have pictures provided to further involve you all in the experience I felt when handling, grinding, ad smoking these buds. From the get-go, I can definitely say that there is a noticeable difference.
First I took out the washed buds from the mason jar, after 4 days in the curing jar.
I then took an after shot of 'roughly' the same area in which I captured before the washing process.
The 'Before' Shots
The 'After' Shots
Now the differences are very subtle (though the area is roughly in the general area)between the two, but onward to the smoking part of this experiment
The bud was ground up using a separate, clean grinder to process the herbs. The end material was 'fine' in the sense that the washed nugs seemed much more firm to the touch when handling them outside of the curing jar.
The burn, it traveled across my pallet with a pine-wheat flavor, with subtle undertones of grass-like (chlorophyll) tastes. It hit the back of the throat with a smooth sensation, very little irritation from newly-cured bud. The high took a minute to hit me. It was less of a creeping sensation, and more of 'smack' to the face a few minutes after the first bong hit. I took a second a hit, and the high lasted for another hour and a half or so before I started to feel a comedown.
So I opened the jar of the unwashed buds next. Instantly the smell that hit my nose was mixed with skunk and green material. I feel like the buds were not as evenly dried as the washed buds because of the simple fact the calyxes were more brittle on the outer layer (if that makes sense) of the colas, but become very malleable once you reach the core of each nug.
As far as a visual comparison between the two test samples, I noticed very subtle differences between the nugs, as I stated before. The only real differences were noticed in the handling of each batch.
I also took a trichome shot of the dry buds. This shot made the upcoming smoking session seem promising
I ground up the nugs in a separate, clean grinder. The processed material came out fairly 'fluffy' in comparison to the washed buds. From this point I believe the washing process also aids in hastening the drying and possibly the curing processes of harvesting cannabis.
Upon lighting the bowl, I got an instant rush of smoke, much quicker burn than the washed buds surprisingly. The smoke hit my pallet with an expected obnoxious green taste, with very subtle tones of piney-skunk. The smoke then hit the back of my throat with a level of harshness that should paralyze any smokers lungs, but the aid of 3 honeycomb diffusers helped contain the smoke in a more tolerable form
I also took sample shots of the ash that each bowl produced. The byproduct of both buds came out with fair amounts of white ash. You decide which came out 'cleaner'.
The washed bud's ash is on top in both pictures.
In conclusion, I have to say this process was very FUN to say the least. I will definitely be scaling this up to a couple of oz of harvested bud. I hope to have a better view of the visual differences between the bud quality given the quantity being used. Bubblelicious should be a tasty genetic any way.
Good Weed to all
Excellent summary of your experiment!
Do you spray your plants with anything? I've found that washing is necessary if you foliar feed OR if you have sprayed any kind of neem oil/miticide, etc.
When the buds are hung up fully hydrated, like right after a wash, photosynthesis and other metabolic action continues to take place in the bud and there is a noticeable lessening of the "cut grass" taste immediately, as you also noticed.
I do this process each and every harvest, without fail, without exception. There is absolutely no way I'll smoke unwashed buds, given the choice. As you pointed out, they're smoother and far less harsh on the throat.
Nice job!
AfricanGrower
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the words of encouragement
>>>Do you spray your plants with anything?
No, I have never had the need to use insecticides, nor do I have any first-hand experience with foliar feeding. I figured there was a reason to my cleanliness of wash water compared to the other reviews I've read on the process.
On another note, now that I have your presence on this thread, I was reading up on some other uses of water during the harvest process of cannabis. A grower, The Reverend, wrote an article I stumbled upon describing a method he uses to cure cannabis while submerged in water. He literally lets it 'cure' in the water for a period of time. He described the buds as "losing their color and weight" but gaining exponential benefits in flavor. I was dumbfounded on the info.
Have you heard of this method or this author?
Im a newb, ...not that theres anything wrong with that Im not answering for DrBud, although I came across water curing the other day on 420..
Water Curing Marijuana
Im not answering for DrBud, although I came across water curing the other day on 420..Water Curing Marijuana
A couple of shots of my washing line, using Doc's method.
Three lobster pots (what we call em here)
20gal, 10gal, 5gal, or so.
Hot with Lemon and Baking Soda/Cold Water/Warm Water
I was harvesting Liberty Haze, a bit earlier than optimal, 82 days in this case, due to simple white/grey spots of mold creeping up from the bottom. These buds don't have much frost on any of the leaves, but the calyxes are covered. They looked like crap before they went into the wash, and they'll still look sub-par, but better than they do now. I'll be taking down a Lucy in the next couple of days, and she's covered in trichs, I'll post her up here too. I have a cheap 500x usb that takes passable pics.
Three lobster pots (what we call em here)
20gal, 10gal, 5gal, or so.
Hot with Lemon and Baking Soda/Cold Water/Warm Water
I was harvesting Liberty Haze, a bit earlier than optimal, 82 days in this case, due to simple white/grey spots of mold creeping up from the bottom. These buds don't have much frost on any of the leaves, but the calyxes are covered. They looked like crap before they went into the wash, and they'll still look sub-par, but better than they do now. I'll be taking down a Lucy in the next couple of days, and she's covered in trichs, I'll post her up here too. I have a cheap 500x usb that takes passable pics.
AfricanGrower
Well-Known Member
Forgive me if I am incorrect, but are the buds supposed to 'sit' in the water with no sort of agitation for a period of time? The nugs I washed never spent more than a couple seconds submerged at a time. DocBud, please step in here with an appropriate answer
David Bowman
New Member
According to post #12, you fully submerge each bud into each bucket for 30 seconds while slightly agitating them for the duration. That's what I did when I washed my first harvest, using my watch to make sure it was 30 seconds each time.
Forgive me if I am incorrect, but are the buds supposed to 'sit' in the water with no sort of agitation for a period of time? The nugs I washed never spent more than a couple seconds submerged at a time. DocBud, please step in here with an appropriate answer
Well, I'm sure what works the best, because I haven't done it all.
But what I do is 3 five gallon buckets (4 if using peroxide) of water that is probably 65 degrees, as it's in a large barrel in my warehouse.
I put a bunch of buds in and gently agitate them by moving them slowly around in the water. Often I'll hold large stems and dunk them in and out. I try not to rub them against each other too much, but to move them around in the water.
I repeat this in the 3 buckets and let them drip off before I hang them.
Letting them soak would probably accomplish the same thing.
BTW, I'm looking into using sulfur dioxide ( Potassium Metabisulfite) in a bud wahs for moldy buds. SO2 is used extensively in winemaking when the winemaker wants to use a certain type of yeast. The SO2 kills off all naturally occurring wild yeasts in fresh grapes, leaving a blank slate for the winemaker to use whatever yeast he desires for the fermentation process.
There is a downside to this, namely that some people are allergic to sulfites....but such a technique might save many harvests from the dreaded rot and PM.
Forgive me if I am incorrect, but are the buds supposed to 'sit' in the water with no sort of agitation for a period of time? The nugs I washed never spent more than a couple seconds submerged at a time. DocBud, please step in here with an appropriate answer
Well, I'm not sure what works the best, because I haven't done it all.
But what I do is 3 five gallon buckets (4 if using peroxide) of water that is probably 65 degrees, as it's in a large barrel in my warehouse.
I put a bunch of buds in and gently agitate them by moving them slowly around in the water. Often I'll hold large stems and dunk them in and out. I try not to rub them against each other too much, but to move them around in the water.
I repeat this in the 3 buckets and let them drip off before I hang them.
Letting them soak would probably accomplish the same thing.
BTW, I'm looking into using sulfur dioxide ( Potassium Metabisulfite) in a bud wahs for moldy buds. SO2 is used extensively in winemaking when the winemaker wants to use a certain type of yeast. The SO2 kills off all naturally occurring wild yeasts in fresh grapes, leaving a blank slate for the winemaker to use whatever yeast he desires for the fermentation process.
There is a downside to this, namely that some people are allergic to sulfites....but such a technique might save many harvests from the dreaded rot and PM.
I want to pipe up here to help provide some extremes.
I fill one side of my sink with the hottest water I can get from the tap - I'm guessing somewhere around 140 degrees - the sink probably cools it to 120-130, and add 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1/4 cup of baking soda. It's hot enough that you don't want to keep your hand submerged in there for 10 seconds. Then I dump the entire couple ounces of trimmed branches into there, where the last one may soak for as much as 5 minutes before I get to it. The other sink has cold water from the tap, probably 50-60 degrees. I agitate each branch in the hot side. I take each cut branch between a couple fingers and swish it vigorously along its length, pull it out, let it drain a couple seconds and dunk it in the cold side where it sits with the rest. I go through the whole process, one by one, until the cold sink is full. Then I swish them again and pull them out one by one, letting them drain several seconds before laying them on a tray. The temp difference is extreme enough that the skin on my fingers tingles and puckers moving from hot to cold and back.
Don' worry, folks. You can manhandle these babies. I have knocked the socks off very experienced, lifetime smokers with my washed herb.
I fill one side of my sink with the hottest water I can get from the tap - I'm guessing somewhere around 140 degrees - the sink probably cools it to 120-130, and add 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1/4 cup of baking soda. It's hot enough that you don't want to keep your hand submerged in there for 10 seconds. Then I dump the entire couple ounces of trimmed branches into there, where the last one may soak for as much as 5 minutes before I get to it. The other sink has cold water from the tap, probably 50-60 degrees. I agitate each branch in the hot side. I take each cut branch between a couple fingers and swish it vigorously along its length, pull it out, let it drain a couple seconds and dunk it in the cold side where it sits with the rest. I go through the whole process, one by one, until the cold sink is full. Then I swish them again and pull them out one by one, letting them drain several seconds before laying them on a tray. The temp difference is extreme enough that the skin on my fingers tingles and puckers moving from hot to cold and back.
Don' worry, folks. You can manhandle these babies. I have knocked the socks off very experienced, lifetime smokers with my washed herb.