TeSmp's 400W White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops

[Stoned4daze61]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

how do you work out what the perfect dryness is when drying a bud, over the years ive smoked all sorts some that sprinkles to dust when you break it off and ive had some where it just squashes and clumps together when you try and break it off the bud, so clearly their the extremes at either end of the scale, i know the difference is the weight, but how does the taste and smell compare from say a really dry bud to a slightly sticky damp bud, some growers are more bothered in profit where i am and not in quality but im growing my own so want the best i can, ive read about hang drying which is what i done years ago but i never cured it, but i think ill be doing that this time as it sound like it stops the buds drying out to much and makes them smoke and taste a whole lot better,

I use a hygrometer. I place my buds in mason jars to cure after drying along with a hygrometer. It measures the moisture content in the air, and works very well in properly drying your buds. It takes the guess work out of the equation and helps me feel safe knowing my buds are dry enough to not worry about the risk of mold. If you ever have any bud that is too dry and crumbles like you mentioned in your post then put a fresh little nug in the jar or some sort of fruit peel to add more moisture to the buds. I prefer orange peels. Here is a post quoted from a drying/curing thread that initially helped me. I use the Caliber III hygrometer, the same mentioned in the post. Drying your bud slower will result in a better tasting smoother smoke then quicker dried bud. Optimal drying conditions are 65-70 degrees, 55% humidity and your buds should take 1-3 weeks to be fully dry and ready for curing

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.

 

[teSmp]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

Getting chubby!

how do you work out what the perfect dryness is when drying a bud, over the years ive smoked all sorts some that sprinkles to dust when you break it off and ive had some where it just squashes and clumps together when you try and break it off the bud, so clearly their the extremes at either end of the scale, i know the difference is the weight, but how does the taste and smell compare from say a really dry bud to a slightly sticky damp bud, some growers are more bothered in profit where i am and not in quality but im growing my own so want the best i can, ive read about hang drying which is what i done years ago but i never cured it, but i think ill be doing that this time as it sound like it stops the buds drying out to much and makes them smoke and taste a whole lot better,

Yup read stoned4daze's info below... Good stuff I just hung a few test buds about a week ago in my closet and it's only about 15-20% humidity where I live. Let's just say it dried in about 2 days and smelled like grass, and still does. When I chop the WW I'm going to have to place it in a relatively small box and keep it closed up so the humidity in the box rises to around 55% and then air it out several times a day. I do not want it to go from smelling wonderful to shitty ass grass!

I use a hygrometer. I place my buds in mason jars to cure after drying along with a hygrometer. It measures the moisture content in the air, and works very well in properly drying your buds. It takes the guess work out of the equation and helps me feel safe knowing my buds are dry enough to not worry about the risk of mold. If you ever have any bud that is too dry and crumbles like you mentioned in your post then put a fresh little nug in the jar or some sort of fruit peel to add more moisture to the buds. I prefer orange peels. Here is a post quoted from a drying/curing thread that initially helped me. I use the Caliber III hygrometer, the same mentioned in the post. Drying your bud slower will result in a better tasting smoother smoke then quicker dried bud. Optimal drying conditions are 65-70 degrees, 55% humidity and your buds should take 1-3 weeks to be fully dry and ready for curing

Thanks for the info, exactly what I wasp planning to do.

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

No problem and I agree. My first few harvests I did not know how to properly dry and cure and I had the same problem, harsh weed that smelled like hay. I was really disappointed, especially since the plants looked really good. It is amazing what properly drying & curing can do for the buds smell/taste/flavor

 

[teSmp]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

No problem and I agree. My first few harvests I did not know how to properly dry and cure and I had the same problem, harsh weed that smelled like hay. I was really disappointed, especially since the plants looked really good. It is amazing what properly drying & curing can do for the buds smell/taste/flavor

Yeah I'm really scared I won't be able to get the humidity to the right level, I know temps will be fine. I'll be so disappointed if all this hard work turns out to just smell like shit. Not to mention my mom couldn't pass extra's onto other patients.

 

[teSmp]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

A few root pics:

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

Gotta love that Rootporn !

 

[teSmp]

Man, what a pain!

Does anyone else think flushing is a pain in the ass or am I just doing it all wrong?? It took nearly 35 minutes to flush 9 gallons through Mariah. Then I flushed 9 gallons through Jennifer in less then ten minutes!? What can that mean? My guess is that Mariah's root system is not nearly as good as Jennifer's so a lot of soil is still left in her pot, therefore, the water remained in the pot longer.

The first 7 gallons on each were just straight tap water that sat out for 24 hours and the last 2 gallons I pH'd down to 6.5 and ran them through. Pain in the ass, and messy! How many times should I do this before they're ready to cut?

 

[Kushwestcoast]

Re: Man, what a pain!

Does anyone else think flushing is a pain in the ass or am I just doing it all wrong?? It took nearly 35 minutes to flush 9 gallons through Mariah. Then I flushed 9 gallons through Jennifer in less then ten minutes!? What can that mean? My guess is that Mariah's root system is not nearly as good as Jennifer's so a lot of soil is still left in her pot, therefore, the water remained in the pot longer.

The first 7 gallons on each were just straight tap water that sat out for 24 hours and the last 2 gallons I pH'd down to 6.5 and ran them through. Pain in the ass, and messy! How many times should I do this before they're ready to cut?

I always flush for at least 1 week 2 being ideal.

 

[teSmp]

Re: Man, what a pain!

I always flush for at least 1 week 2 being ideal.

Cool, I was planning one week from today or Friday/Saturday. So 7-10 days. The trichs are just all cloudy and a few amber so I'm hoping over the next 7-10 they'll change at least 50/50 amber.

 

[Kushwestcoast]

Re: Man, what a pain!

Cool, I was planning one week from today or Friday/Saturday. So 7-10 days. The trichs are just all cloudy and a few amber so I'm hoping over the next 7-10 they'll change at least 50/50 amber.

Sounds Tasty!! Wish i was there to sample some.... I have never tried WW.

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

A week is good. If you use clearex or similar clearing solution you can cut it down even more, like 3-5 days

 

[teSmp]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

Sounds Tasty!! Wish i was there to sample some.... I have never tried WW.

I know wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where we could meet people on sites like this and not worry about anything. You can barely feel comfortable giving out your email address!

A week is good. If you use clearex or similar clearing solution you can cut it down even more, like 3-5 days

K. Yeah I've read about the clearing solutions, I'm in no hurry though and would like it to ripen up quite a bit more...Thanks!



Does anyone else experience really dry leaves and bud towards the end? My WW's are just real dry to the touch. If you kind of play around with the bud a little it still smells great but it feels dry otherwise.

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

I know wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where we could meet people on sites like this and not worry about anything. You can barely feel comfortable giving out your email address!



K. Yeah I've read about the clearing solutions, I'm in no hurry though and would like it to ripen up quite a bit more...Thanks!

The point isn't to harvest earlier, but to keep feeding nutrients longer. Since plants are known to bulk up the most during the last two weeks, many growers feel it is unnecessary to deprive their plants of needed food when it is the hungriest! Many talented & experienced growers have concluded that flushing isn't even necessary but rather a preference. They mentioned no noticeable difference in the end product, while others argue that not flushing will result in "shit" weed. It is not a big deal to me, so I flush for a week even though I am organic. I'm also trying some clearex this go but still keeping the 1 week flush.

Does anyone else experience really dry leaves and bud towards the end? My WW's are just real dry to the touch. If you kind of play around with the bud a little it still smells great but it feels dry otherwise.

I water 3 days before chop. After the final watering they get a final day under lights, then two days of darkness. By the time I chop, the nugs are slightly dry to the touch like you mentioned. However this is after three days and the pots are quite dry. Don't sweat it, after being cut the buds will draw moisture from the stem and you will have the opposite concern. They will be soft and moist, after a good dry and cure the buds will harden up and feel slightly denser. [/QUOTE]

 

[Kushwestcoast]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

I know wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where we could meet people on sites like this and not worry about anything. You can barely feel comfortable giving out your email address!

I hear ya bro!

 

[teSmp]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

The point isn't to harvest earlier, but to keep feeding nutrients longer. Since plants are known to bulk up the most during the last two weeks, many growers feel it is unnecessary to deprive their plants of needed food when it is the hungriest! Many talented & experienced growers have concluded that flushing isn't even necessary but rather a preference. They mentioned no noticeable difference in the end product, while others argue that not flushing will result in "shit" weed. It is not a big deal to me, so I flush for a week even though I am organic. I'm also trying some clearex this go but still keeping the 1 week flush.

I water 3 days before chop. After the final watering they get a final day under lights, then two days of darkness. By the time I chop, the nugs are slightly dry to the touch like you mentioned. However this is after three days and the pots are quite dry. Don't sweat it, after being cut the buds will draw moisture from the stem and you will have the opposite concern. They will be soft and moist, after a good dry and cure the buds will harden up and feel slightly denser.

As always thanks for your info. +rep to ya And yeah I hear ya on the putting on the bulk of the weight the last few weeks, I always thought that and since I've been on here I've read a few different things. That what you said a lot of weight gets put on and then exactly the opposite that it doesn't grow any more and just ripens the last few weeks?! certainly can't be both, maybe it's strain dependent? I'm just playing it safe this time, I don't want to take any chances for it to turn out bad on this first harvest back growing.

I think the dryness might be all the freaking trichs! Let me tell you the crystals are exploding, as if they weren't before, but way more now! I'll keep flushing whenever the pot is dry with 3 x the amount of water as the pot size correct? and then just 3 days before chop don't give it anymore?

 

[Stoned4daze61]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

No problem brotha

I personally believe they do bulk up the most in the last 2-3 weeks because I've seen it with my own eyes. Having staggered harvests with the same strain for a perpetual grow really allows you to see the different times of rapid growth vs. slow growth in the plants life cycle.

It could be the trichs making the leaves feel stiffer and rougher, Your test nug was gleaming with trichs so I can't imagine what your harvest will look like

Yep, your flushing sounds fine! I like to let the pot dry out before harvest because the plant is still technically living after the chop while it is hanging to dry. I want the plant to have the least amount of food and stored energy when I harvest so the plant will focus on drying rather then trying to survive off of the juices in it's leaves and stem. I also trim before drying, but if drying conditions aren't ideal then trimming after drying could be beneficial since it would allow them to take longer to dry which is good, it is also much easier to manicure.

 

[teSmp]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

No problem brotha

I personally believe they do bulk up the most in the last 2-3 weeks because I've seen it with my own eyes. Having staggered harvests with the same strain for a perpetual grow really allows you to see the different times of rapid growth vs. slow growth in the plants life cycle.

It could be the trichs making the leaves feel stiffer and rougher, Your test nug was gleaming with trichs so I can't imagine what your harvest will look like

Yep, your flushing sounds fine! I like to let the pot dry out before harvest because the plant is still technically living after the chop while it is hanging to dry. I want the plant to have the least amount of food and stored energy when I harvest so the plant will focus on drying rather then trying to survive off of the juices in it's leaves and stem. I also trim before drying, but if drying conditions aren't ideal then trimming after drying could be beneficial since it would allow them to take longer to dry which is good, it is also much easier to manicure.

That's a great point, a perpetual grow could easily put that to rest. I think it is the trichs making it feel rougher, there is so much on it now it's ridiculous. All the buds appear to be a lighter color but it's just the trichs making it look that way. I was thinking about trimming after drying to try and slow the drying process but I don't think I'm going to. I may leave a little longer stems though.

 

[teSmp]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

Wow the site looks great, awesome job!

Here's the WW at day 55, I forgot to take one of Jennifer so here's a side-by-side from 4 days ago from Mariah. I think it looks like it's still fattening up.

ok well I have pics for you guys if you tell me how to upload pics now. The little camera button that links to your gallery is gone and if your in your gallery there is no direct link listed?

 

[Mr Mud-Pie]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

Hey teSmp havent heard from ya in a while, Happy 420!!! how is everything?! Sherley is looking fire now

 

[SurfBuddy]

Re: teSmp's 400w White Widow's + Soil & DWC Lollipops - BPN

ok well I have pics for you guys if you tell me how to upload pics now. The little camera button that links to your gallery is gone and if your in your gallery there is no direct link listed?

Gallery > upload photos is on the right side. but if you mean find the photos you uploaded, I just did it right away and my photos were on top, but noticed that my gallery doesn't have all the plant photos.... you can search the gallery by username to find all yours..