The Real Truth About Slow-Drying Your Harvest

[Stunger]

damnit. it did. thank you for letting me.know . i did struggle to post it too. not sure what happened but......
here goes again , sorry
So cont.........
No nutes for last week of the grow to force her to start on the stores in her leaves .Dont flush at all. ( Will keep feeding when the plant needs it the most in her cycle ( flushing is a huge myth gone mad!)).
Remove Her as complete as possible inc root ball.
Hang Her uncut with NO LEAVES removed yet. She will cannibalize over the slow drying period and convert anything left into carbs for her precious flowers. Hence one reason no need to flush. It is leaf matter containing chlorophyll that creates the harshness to dried too fast weed. If you also trim wet then so much leaf matter gets left in the finished buds by way of sugar leaves trimmed off and not plucked once dried.( Not everyone's before i get lynched...).
Hang her in good circulating air with a fan assisting to move the air around but not the plants. The idea is to exchange the air to avoid any chance of mildew spores finding a good home. The ideal temp for me is below normal room temp around 18-19°c ( I use my attic space so has cold air for most of year coming through eaves)
The rh is not a big issue if you keep the clean , fresh air circulation going and the fluid will eventually be used up by her last breaths of love to her buds ( No chops or trim keeps the networks of mobility for the fluids open , allowing for all fluid to be used up rather than trapped within the chopped stem/leaves to rely on evaporation to remove it.
This slow dry to snappable can take between 10 and 14 days easily but does make up for it with not needing long to final cure.
Once dry then the trim removes all the leaves at their base , even within the buds that are growing outward( makes sense when you do it !) , which is a real pain in the ass but the sugar leaf and trim make amazing hash easily so no waste of trichromes at all.
A longer more frustrating trim is a small price to pay not smoking "alfalfa" after all that love and hard work to get those terpenes active. Result is always a great success using this way and the science supports a lot of the concepts too. Please research any of the methods for a more comprehensive and understandable explanation than my ramble. lol
hope it helps. peace
a couple of low and slow dried buds from my last barneys farm grow as an example. good luck and enjoy

all down ,dry and ready to trim

Thanks very much for continuing your post. A very interesting read, and great pics, especially the envy inducing pics of your bubble hash, wow! I feel like I could reach out and squish a corner! Thanks again for sharing that!

 

[TurboBucket]

No Flush before harvest (happy to elaborate if needed.) but not to feed any nutes for the last week ,only ph'd water ( and any designed till end products used)
Remove plant intact but some rootball st

Wouldn't supplying water only for an extended period be considered flushing?


@RookieJuana
Are you running an exhaust fan in your drying tent? It sounds like your air mass is too large for the amount of moisture in your plants.

Slowing down the dry time is a huge part of why I leave the plant whole while drying.

 

[RookieJuana]

Wouldn't supplying water only for an extended period be considered flushing?


@RookieJuana
Are you running an exhaust fan in your drying tent? It sounds like your air mass is too large for the amount of moisture in your plants.

Slowing down the dry time is a huge part of why I leave the plant whole while drying.

Oh thank goodness you responded I've been wanting to know the answer to this! That is my question exactly, do I need to run an exhaust fan in my dry tent or will I be fine with an air vent open with an oscillating fan on the floor and a humidifier to keep the RH close to 70. Do you think this is okay or must I have my carbon scrubber exhaust set up in my dry tent???

 

[TurboBucket]

Well odor scrubbing is a personal opinion usually. If you can keep the tent completely sealed it may not smell too badly. But it probably will. I run my filters during drying.

The dehumidifier will add some heat to the tent when it runs so I have my exhaust fan set to try to keep it under 70.

My main concern was the more air your pulling through the tent the faster it's going to dry out. A sealed room/box is the best way to do it but requires a way to remove the moisture and keep the temp down. That's why low and slow in fridge works so well. If you can fit your harvest in a fridge it's a great way to go.

How are you measuring the humidity? My dehumidifier is off by 5% the other hygrometers I have used always read 5% lower than it does. 70% scares me. Over 65 starts making friendly conditions for mold to try and take hold. Enough airflow can keep it at bay but it's not good for the buds.

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

Wouldn't supplying water only for an extended period be considered flushing?


@RookieJuana
Are you running an exhaust fan in your drying tent? It sounds like your air mass is too large for the amount of moisture in your plants.

Slowing down the dry time is a huge part of why I leave the plant whole while drying.

Well when i do mine yes i give only water for a week maybe a week n half. But thats only 2 waters, 3 max. So its feed, water, feed, water, water.

 

[Emilya Green]

I have a little 2'x2.5' Gorilla tent that I use just for drying and pollinating. The space is small enough to hold in some of the humidity coming from the plants, and with a bud wash and no fan I can get a consistent 5-7 days slow drying. I also do not trim much but the lowest fan leaves on each bud set and I let the sunleaves wrap around the buds as they dry to help hold in moisture. The stink is not too bad as long as that tent stays sealed, but to take care of the smell I also run a filter/fan in the room outside of the tent. I find this small tent space to be perfect for a slow dry and I see many people use a similarly sized cardboard box to do the same thing. I used to always harvest at the end of the watering cycle too, but I have adjusted that and now tend to move the plants to the dark tent for 36 hours before the chop, and I give them a good watering on that move. This added water in the system seems to add a day or two to the slow dry.
I and those around me have noticed that over the years the quality of my cured product has gone way up. I believe a lot of that is the added care that I now take to ensure a slow dry and a good long cure.

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

Harry Pothead and the Philosphers stoners....
hehe....

love it.

 

[RookieJuana]

I have a little 2'x2.5' Gorilla tent that I use just for drying and pollinating. The space is small enough to hold in some of the humidity coming from the plants, and with a bud wash and no fan I can get a consistent 5-7 days slow drying. I also do not trim much but the lowest fan leaves on each bud set and I let the sunleaves wrap around the buds as they dry to help hold in moisture. The stink is not too bad as long as that tent stays sealed, but to take care of the smell I also run a filter/fan in the room outside of the tent. I find this small tent space to be perfect for a slow dry and I see many people use a similarly sized cardboard box to do the same thing. I used to always harvest at the end of the watering cycle too, but I have adjusted that and now tend to move the plants to the dark tent for 36 hours before the chop, and I give them a good watering on that move. This added water in the system seems to add a day or two to the slow dry.
I and those around me have noticed that over the years the quality of my cured product has gone way up. I believe a lot of that is the added care that I now take to ensure a slow dry and a good long cure.

@Emilya ,So can you tell me something? Is it necessary that I have a carbon scrubber and filter in my dry tent? I have two small oscillating fans at the bottom of the tent and the buds are hanging from the top of the tent I also have a humidifier in there to keep the humidity around 75%. I have a vent open so there is some fresh air coming in. Do I need a carbon scrubber?

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

Thanks for taking the time to share the info @Ganjagrandaddy!

my pleasure Herb. Have thumbs like a blind cobbler now though !!! . Have jad to smoke so much "Hay strain" weed in my past growing life due to needing the weed quicker.lpl Radiator drying , microwave madness , on top of lights. Curing was what you did if you were a doctor when i used to grow before and Pontius was STILL a Co-Pilot too!!!!
so much jas now become INDUSTRY driven , even in our peace loving hobby. So much money to be made from weary and new growers alike with products for everything needed even to get a bud to form !!!!.
The industrial cannabis industry saves Thousands per crop by flushing the last two weeks. It only affects yield slightly on their scale. You cannot take anything from out of the roots or stems ever !!! but you can starve your plant during a crucial phase of her cycle. It is a pet hate seeing starved to death plants being punted as "ready now" due to the cannabalising of herself......madness. Products to do the same thing are also snake oil for me. I will try some stuff out but have had success with breast milk and its substitute, Aptimil. have to try things to gain the experience i suppose

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

Wouldn't supplying water only for an extended period be considered flushing?


@RookieJuana
Are you running an exhaust fan in your drying tent? It sounds like your air mass is too large for the amount of moisture in your plants.

Slowing down the dry time is a huge part of why I leave the plant whole while drying.

not if it is just for the last few days. I dont replace it just add water as the last week progresses and the ppm's drop that way.
I dont preach it necessarily and always an "each to their own" philosophy and choice . I like the logic and science for it too.

 

[Emilya Green]

@Emilya ,So can you tell me something? Is it necessary that I have a carbon scrubber and filter in my dry tent? I have two small oscillating fans at the bottom of the tent and the buds are hanging from the top of the tent I also have a humidifier in there to keep the humidity around 75%. I have a vent open so there is some fresh air coming in. Do I need a carbon scrubber?

no, it is not necessary at all, unless you are concerned about the smell leaking out into your house, you don't need to filter and certainly don't need a lot of air exchange. I am not even sure that I like the idea of having oscillating fans going in there or the fresh air vent, and the only time I run a fan at all on chopped buds is for a few hours after bud washing just to get rid of all the extra water. If I start smelling the drying tent in the upper part of the house, I run my extra can filter and fan as a stand alone filtering unit in the bedroom where the drying tent is and that so far has stopped it.

 

[BluPitt]

damnit. it did. thank you for letting me.know . i did struggle to post it too. not sure what happened but......
here goes again , sorry
So cont.........
No nutes for last week of the grow to force her to start on the stores in her leaves .Dont flush at all. ( Will keep feeding when the plant needs it the most in her cycle ( flushing is a huge myth gone mad!)).
Remove Her as complete as possible inc root ball.
Hang Her uncut with NO LEAVES removed yet. She will cannibalize over the slow drying period and convert anything left into carbs for her precious flowers. Hence one reason no need to flush. It is leaf matter containing chlorophyll that creates the harshness to dried too fast weed. If you also trim wet then so much leaf matter gets left in the finished buds by way of sugar leaves trimmed off and not plucked once dried.( Not everyone's before i get lynched...).
Hang her in good circulating air with a fan assisting to move the air around but not the plants. The idea is to exchange the air to avoid any chance of mildew spores finding a good home. The ideal temp for me is below normal room temp around 18-19°c ( I use my attic space so has cold air for most of year coming through eaves)
The rh is not a big issue if you keep the clean , fresh air circulation going and the fluid will eventually be used up by her last breaths of love to her buds ( No chops or trim keeps the networks of mobility for the fluids open , allowing for all fluid to be used up rather than trapped within the chopped stem/leaves to rely on evaporation to remove it.
This slow dry to snappable can take between 10 and 14 days easily but does make up for it with not needing long to final cure.
Once dry then the trim removes all the leaves at their base , even within the buds that are growing outward( makes sense when you do it !) , which is a real pain in the ass but the sugar leaf and trim make amazing hash easily so no waste of trichromes at all.
A longer more frustrating trim is a small price to pay not smoking "alfalfa" after all that love and hard work to get those terpenes active. Result is always a great success using this way and the science supports a lot of the concepts too. Please research any of the methods for a more comprehensive and understandable explanation than my ramble. lol
hope it helps. peace
a couple of low and slow dried buds from my last barneys farm grow as an example. good luck and enjoy

all down ,dry and ready to trim

@Ganjagrandaddy , so if I am going on a trip and need to harvest prior this method will be ok to use if leave them hanging in a tent with an intake and exhaust fan?

 

[Amy Gardner]

keep the humidity around 75%.

High rookie! Not many folks have responded to your original question about RH when drying. Turbo bucket mentioned that over 70% is dangerous for mold. 75% is too high.

If you are gong to take the great advice here to slow things down, you will want the humidity lower or mould will be a real possibility.

My take is to start drying with the ambient RH in the 50s the first day or so and then let it come up as the plant dries. So by mid-end of week the RH in the drying space is around 62% (the maximum for effective curing). A ventilated dark space with very light air movement is my preference. Then the are always between 58-62 when I jar them.

Using little hygrometers in your jars will help you keep them in the zone for curing. I aim for 60% in the jar but anywhere from 58-62% in the jar is good.

The first week in jars you need to open the jars once or twice a day (for air exchange and keep the buds loose - not sticking together), then once every 3-4 days for a week or so then once a week, then leave them closed. When you pop the jars early on it’s important that the RH in the room isn’t higher than 62%.

3-4 weeks into this process and the cure will be good. 6-12 weeks in the jars is even better.

 

[Herb Dean]

High rookie! Not many folks have responded to your original question about RH when drying. Turbo bucket mentioned that over 70% is dangerous for mold. 75% is too high.

If you are gong to take the great advice here to slow things down, you will want the humidity lower or mould will be a real possibility.

My take is to start drying with the ambient RH in the 50s the first day or so and then let it come up as the plant dries. So by mid-end of week the RH in the drying space is around 62% (the maximum for effective curing). A ventilated dark space with very light air movement is my preference. Then the are always between 58-62 when I jar them.

Using little hygrometers in your jars will help you keep them in the zone for curing. I aim for 60% in the jar but anywhere from 58-62% in the jar is good.

The first week in jars you need to open the jars once or twice a day (for air exchange and keep the buds loose - not sticking together), then once every 3-4 days for a week or so then once a week, then leave them closed. When you pop the jars early on it’s important that the RH in the room isn’t higher than 62%.

3-4 weeks into this process and the cure will good. 6-12 weeks in the jars is even better.

Thanks for all the great info Amy!

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

@Ganjagrandaddy , so if I am going on a trip and need to harvest prior this method will be ok to use if leave them hanging in a tent with an intake and exhaust fan?

as long as it is exchanging the air regulary and not blowing at or onto the plants at all. As mentioned by another member , your tent would effectively act as a drying box if rhe exchange isnt too rapid. You dont want a wind tunnel effect but a little negative pressure will help with keeping use of filters. Dark , Cool and fresh air exchange will be ok. should give you at least a week before risking too dry. Remaining Leaves will cover the bud to keep it moist while it dries slowly and air flow will keep the mildew at bay.. good luck. peace

 

[BluPitt]

as long as it is exchanging the air regulary and not blowing at or onto the plants at all. As mentioned by another member , your tent would effectively act as a drying box if rhe exchange isnt too rapid. You dont want a wind tunnel effect but a little negative pressure will help with keeping use of filters. Dark , Cool and fresh air exchange will be ok. should give you at least a week before risking too dry. Remaining Leaves will cover the bud to keep it moist while it dries slowly and air flow will keep the mildew at bay.. good luck. peace

What are your thoughts? Intake fan at the bottom exhaust at the top.

 

[SlyTown420]

Theres heaps of ways to dry and cure...

Heres one I have used for years...

Take whole plant, cut into pieces with two opposing branches on one piece of stem.
Split the stem down the middle so you bow have a branch with a hook to hang.
Pull all shade leaves off, trim, hang.
Rinse and repeat....

Leave to dry, no heat, no light, moving air and good air exchange... Humidity.... Whatever....
Will take longer to dry , 1-2 weeks but buds are ready to cut down, and get ready to cure...

To cure, use a turkey bag, jar or plastic food grade bucket with sealing lid.
Put buds in but not tight.
Open and air for 20min twice a day.
Do this for a week.
Next week once a day.
Done.
Then seal up airtight for a month, that gives a great taste. 1-2 months like that , buds are perfecto!

Hope that gets you intrested.
Took me 10 years to get to that.
Will demonstrate at harvest.

Copied and saved forever.

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

What are your thoughts? Intake fan at the bottom exhaust at the top.

Looking good and will be ok as long as not blowing at the plant directly. Dark as possible and check about day 4. Ideally should take about 7-10 days before snappable is noticeable on lower outside branches. Heavier buds will take longer so watch for mould starting. with good air exchange and reasonable rh ( below 50% at very least. )
Fingers crossed for your success. soon be enjoying your own quality buds.

 

[BluPitt]

Looking good and will be ok as long as not blowing at the plant directly. Dark as possible and check about day 4. Ideally should take about 7-10 days before snappable is noticeable on lower outside branches. Heavier buds will take longer so watch for mould starting. with good air exchange and reasonable rh ( below 50% at very least. )
Fingers crossed for your success. soon be enjoying your own quality buds.

Now with the light out of the tent and only the intake and exhaust fans going my RH has dropped right under 50%. Should I be concerned with the temp?

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

Now with the light out of the tent and only the intake and exhaust fans going my RH has dropped right under 50%. Should I be concerned with the temp?

with no lights running etc.. hopefully cooler without too much trouble but for me below 19°c ( even copler is better and slows things down nicely. My attic space does have cooler air running through the eaves so i am fortunate to be able to use this to my advantage. Cold is our friend for slow and low drying . looking good