Drying process

Bluephish

Active Member
I've been drying an outdoor plant for 3 days now. Hung branches and large buds from a string. I've noticed it has started to smell earthy/grassy. Is it time to cure and will curing bring back the smell from when I chopped it?

Thanks
 

Clumpyoyster

Well-Known Member
Upper midwest. So, the nice sweet smell will come back?

Thanks again
If its cured properly flavour and smell will only improve with time. Curing is essential to having good bud. You can grow the most dense thick buds and the best harvest ever but its what you do with it after is the most important step. Skip properly drying and curing and you will ruin all the work and your crop
 

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
Stop messing with it. Let it hang until the stems audibly snap when you bend them over. If the stems fold over and crease without snapping it's not dry enough to jar up yet. Drying time depends upon the ambient humidity in your location and how much you have broken up the plant into pieces. The more whole you can leave the plant the longer it will take to dry. It should take 7 days at minimum.
Don't worry the smell will return when you get the buds into a jar. That fresh cut lawn smell is moisture releasing from the bud. It is the same smell you don't want after the buds are jarred. If it smells like hay/grass when it's inside the jar you either jarred it too early or picked it too early. When you jar the buds don't seal it up right away; leave the lid on loose overnight until you are sure the buds are totally dry.
 

Bluephish

Active Member
Stop messing with it. Let it hang until the stems audibly snap when you bend them over. If the stems fold over and crease without snapping it's not dry enough to jar up yet. Drying time depends upon the ambient humidity in your location and how much you have broken up the plant into pieces. The more whole you can leave the plant the longer it will take to dry. It should take 7 days at minimum.
Don't worry the smell will return when you get the buds into a jar. That fresh cut lawn smell is moisture releasing from the bud. It is the same smell you don't want after the buds are jarred. If it smells like hay/grass when it's inside the jar you either jarred it too early or picked it too early. When you jar the buds don't seal it up right away; leave the lid on loose overnight until you are sure the buds are totally dry.
Thank you! Sounds like I've been doing everything correctly. I'm patient, not going to rush the process
 

kgp

Well-Known Member
If its cured properly flavour and smell will only improve with time. Curing is essential to having good bud. You can grow the most dense thick buds and the best harvest ever but its what you do with it after is the most important step. Skip properly drying and curing and you will ruin all the work and your crop
I totally disagree. I've been growing pot for decades and weed that smells like grass clippings will smell like grass clipping after a cure.
Good weed will smell good after a cure.
Dank buds will be dank.
Most mistakes people make are with drying and trimming. After trial and error yeas ago I have found the best way is the chop at the main stem and hang the plant upside down. Fan leaves and all. In dry conditions a week, in more humid conditions up to 14 days or until the fans are completley dry.
I can let a plant dry for a week and it will smell and taste phenomenal. If it is top shelf genetics, it will be top shelf right after the dry trim.
 

Bluephish

Active Member
I've got 6 more plants very close to chopping. I've got to nail the drying process. Awesome genetics. Too much time and money to mess them up
 

Clumpyoyster

Well-Known Member
I totally disagree. I've been growing pot for decades and weed that smells like grass clippings will smell like grass clipping after a cure.
Good weed will smell good after a cure.
Dank buds will be dank.
Most mistakes people make are with drying and trimming. After trial and error yeas ago I have found the best way is the chop at the main stem and hang the plant upside down. Fan leaves and all. In dry conditions a week, in more humid conditions up to 14 days or until the fans are completley dry.
I can let a plant dry for a week and it will smell and taste phenomenal. If it is top shelf genetics, it will be top shelf right after the dry trim.
I chop mine at the base and hang to dry in a dark cool spot. I agree if the weed smells like shit it I’ll smell like shit but curing does totally help with smell and taste. Not saying it gonna work a miracle
 

tslonige

Well-Known Member
You can always water cure the "hay". It won't smell or taste much but the smoke / vape will be very smooth. Now you will have stealth smoke, lol. Better than tossing. Just saying....
 

justugh

Well-Known Member
damn ppl
I've been drying an outdoor plant for 3 days now. Hung branches and large buds from a string. I've noticed it has started to smell earthy/grassy. Is it time to cure and will curing bring back the smell from when I chopped it?

Thanks
hi this is easy
1 hang them up or lay out on a rack
2 have a fan going that changes air direction not just static ( rotation on lvl 1 low should be more then enough)
3 the RH in the area needs to be monitor......shoot for 50% RH it will make the dry go better a 7-10 day thing
3a the RH is important it is why u smell hay the RH in the room is too low so other edges dry up before in core ( 40% below hay smell 45% - 55% safe to dry and cure at 60%-65% mold can attach an grow)
4 the temp of the room shoot 68F to 75F ........at 80F thc degrades
5 finally light ........u want to avoid as much direct light as possible until it is time to buck/jar up it will make the crystals really pop and high test numbers


to fix the hay just add a humidifier that is digital get the lvl up to 50% the next day it will be gone to but dank back u will break suface of the oil glands to release if has not done to much damage
 

Bluephish

Active Member
Thank you all! Much appreciated. I'll keep ya posted on this 1 plant. Rh and temp matches what I've read in this post. Next question is on the 6 going. All indoor. Chop? They seem to just keep growing. This is week 9.
 

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