The Lotus Dry method involves placing freshly harvested buds in brown paper bags in the refrigerator and allowing to dry slowly at LOW temperature over at least 15-20 days. This method results in more intense colors and retains more terpenes. Once properly cured in jars it delivers a smooth, flavorful smoke.
* 2 weeks before harvest remove any yellowish or non-essential fan leaves, along with undesirable larf. Leave a few fan leaves near bud colas. You want all the plant's energy directed to the buds.
MOST TRICHOMES ARE STILL CLEAR.
* Check your refrigerator. Temp should be between 38 and 44 inside. Make sure the defrost is working, or manually defrost - turn off for a few hours and GENTLY remove ice from evaporator panel. Do Not use a sharp object! You should be able to gently remove the ice with your fingers. Dry evaporator and any water with a towel and make sure door magnets are clean for a tight seal.
* Important - place several bottles of water / soda / beer in the fridge well in advance to help keep the inside cold. These bottles will act as a buffer - keeping the temperature from spiking too much when you open the fridge to check progress. After you close the door the temps should drop back down under 45 degrees after 10 minutes. Fridge with an evaporator fan may be better.
*A few days before harvest trim remaining fan leaves as desired. Leave the sugar leaves as they will help protect buds during dry.
5-10% OF TRICHOMES ARE STILL CLEAR, 75% CLOUDY, 5-10% AMBER
* Harvest Day - 75-85% OF TRICHOMES ARE CLOUDY AND ABOUT 15-25% AMBER. The more amber trichomes the more heavy / sleepy the high. For Indica strains more amber may be desired. Caution - trichomes turn amber fast. Watch closely - check at least once per day when all trichomes are cloudy and harvest day nears.
*Wash buds if desired. Washing the buds will facilitate a more even and faster dry, and - if outdoor grow - will rinse off any dust / bugs. Let the branches hang to dry for around 3-4 hours. Evening might be better time if it is hot out (it's regularly over 100 at my house in September).
* Leave buds on the branches but keep small enough that they fit in the paper bag and won't take forever to dry. Leave sugar leaves on for now but trim any leaves without sugar. Leave at least an inch of stem on several buds - for now - to check progress of dry.
* Place the buds into brown paper bags. Keep in mind that you're trying to create maximum surface area, so avoid overloading the bag. About six 8 inch branches (or about 10-15 good size buds) per bag - eyeball what would be about an ounce of dried flower. Fold top of bag over once then fasten with a paper clip or clothes pin - loosely. You want it to be able to vent off moisture (ends up as frost on the evaporator). After 3-4 days fold bag over twice; you want the remaining moisture to leave the bag slowly.
* Place bags inside fridge - home or mini fridge. Ideally you would place horizontally on a wire shelf - although glass will work (just put an empty bag on the bottom next to the glass). Stack no more than 3 bags with flower to prevent squishing. Fridge with an inside evaporator fan may be preferred over a mini fridge with an exposed evaporator (frosty panel).
* Inside fridge the temperature should be between 35 and 44 degrees. Place hygrometer inside fridge near bags. Monitor relative humidity inside the fridge every few hours (opening and closing the door will remove moisture but will raise temp); it will be high at first - over 75% RH. Thats OK for a day or two as long as bags are cold. After 2-3 days RH inside fridge should drop below 50%. Ideally will be around 35% or less for next 2-3 weeks, but under 50% RH is good.
* The buds still contain moisture and you want to extract that slowly at a cold temperature - about 35 to 44 degrees - over about 15-20 days. Below 45 degrees mold will not grow as long as RH is under 65% inside fridge.
* Open bags 1-2 times per day for first 3 days. Tumble or gently shake buds around to prevent flat spots and to vent out moisture. *If buds seem too wet (water on your fingers) after 3-4 days leave bags open in fridge for a few hours to help vent moisture out. The evaporator will collect this moisture as frost.
* After 3 days check once every 2-3 days. Open bags and use your hand to reach in and really move things around. After 3-4 days humidity should hover around 50% or less inside fridge (not in paper bags). Keep this routine for next 7-10 days - checking stems to see if they become brittle.
Stems bend = leave it; stems crack = place bag contents in jar to check RH%.
* After 15 - 20 days place contents of one paper bag in a wide mouth mason jar with a hygrometer inside and close tightly. *Place outside of fridge at room temp*
After 2 hours at room temp check RH%:
- Over 70% RH: buds go back into paper bags inside fridge. Check again in a few days.
- Between 65-69%: almost ready for jar cure; place back into paper bags and continue to check every day for a few days until RH gets below 65% in a sealed jar at room temp.
- Once buds are below 65% RH in jar after at least 2 hours: leave it in jar in a cool place (around 70-75 degrees) for next 30 days. Trim off any sugar leaves and excess stem, and manicure to your taste. Save sugar leaves in a separate jar if desired. You can cure these leaves separately and save to make cannabutter or hash.
- Burp jars 2-3 times per day first few days, then once every 3-4 days - just leave lid off for about 10 minutes. Gently shake / tumble jar. Should be no more than 2/3 full. Ideal RH in jars is 62%. You may want to place a Bovida pack inside jar to keep right at 62%. Some people like 65% RH Bovida packs. 65% will smoke just fine but is a little moist. Below 60 is little dry; mix contents of jar with a more humid batch.
After 10 days in jar you'll notice the cut grass smell going away; after 25 days the nice skunky flower aroma will return and buds are ready to smoke. Let jars age for at least 30 days (burp every 3-4 days) for optimal flavor. Long term just burp once per month.
Oh well...I harvested what I could, trimmed as much as I could until my hands got tired, washed, and put them in a room to dry overnight. Time to put them in a paper bag. Do I need to go into the bag everyday to rotate the buds? I need to go through this thread again and do a recap. It has been a rough past few weeks. Lost a couple more plants and overall...season has been a rough one. Hopefully the bud wash and extra trimming will salvage some. They aren't the prettiest. I was so excited about the Romulan too. Urgh...
