Yup, people make things harder then they really are sometimes... even I myself am guilty of this. It happens! But.. what I have done for everyone.. is broken down the drying and curing process.. to where even the NOOBS can understand how to properly dry.. and cure their pride and loved harvest.
Alright, as for drying... this is probably the easy part compared to the curing process.. but again.. even curing isn't that difficult.
On the day of your harvest... you need to do the following: Hang your buds up.. with some type of string/thread or even fishing line will work. Hang them up.. and ONLY let them dry.. until ONLY the outer sides of the buds feel dry.. AND.. the stem BENDS (might even crack some and thats okay) but doesn't BREAK. (
if the stem breaks in two when bent.. you have "over dried" the buds.. or in other words.. you have let out too much if not all of the buds moisture content.. and its pretty much too late now.. it can be fixed.. but its a pain in the ass.. and no matter if it gets fixed or not.. the final product will NOT taste/smell/smoke like it would have if done properly.)
You don't want to wait until the stem breaks. Why? well, because by this time.. you have waited too long.. and the buds water content has dropped way to low in percentage by this time (possible to 0%). When air drying.. you want to wait until the outer part of the bud feels dry.. and the stem bends.. but doesn't break. Then you can start your curing.
Once the outer side of the buds are dry.. and the stems
BEND but
doesn't BREAK into two pieces.. this is the optimal time to start the "curing process".
Now, let me explain some things to everyone.
you need to be careful with what information you chose to read and follow. Why? Because the internet is filled with all kinds of information.. good and bad.. not only good and bad.. but some of it is correct.. but.. some of it is also incorrect. In fact, 70% of the material you read on the internet about growing cannabis.. is actually incorrect. Why so much incorrect info? Well, its sad to say.. but 70% of the information (articles) you read about growing cannabis.. is incorrect because its mostly written by young immature teenagers that "think" they know it all.. but in fact they don't know what they're talking about. It's true! If you want some correct and GOOD information on growing.. check out hightimes magazine or just simply go and buy yourself a few books on growing... that way you know the information is at least %99 if not %100 correct because its generally written by experts (people that actually
KNOW what the hell they're talking about).
The curing process runs on the same principles as your plants light cycles. You cure in cycles.. once the outer edges of the bud is dry.. and the stem bends but doesn't break.. and you have put your buds into your jars and have the lids on.. wait 12 hours until you open the lids of the jars. During this 12 hours.. the moisture from inside the middle of the buds has slowly made its way (evaporated) out of the bud.. but has no way to escape because the lids are still on the jars thus trapping in all that moisture. The evaporating moisture also makes a rise in the humidity inside the jars.. and since its still trapped inside the jars.. it rehydrates the buds to a certain point. Finally, after the first 12 hours of having the lids on.. take the lids off. The buds should feel a little damp again
(but not too wet.. if they feel like a fresh harvested bud.. then you need to air dry them for a few more days.. also if they didn't re-hydrate then you've let them air dry too long.) After inspecting the buds to make sure they got a little re-hydrated from being in the jar for 12 hours.. just leave the lid(s) off of your jar(s) for a good 2 to 4 hours to let the fresh moisture on the buds evaporate.. then put the lids back on.. and repeat the cycle. See how its kinda like the light cycle? Like that one would be 12hrs/2hrs or 12hrs/4hrs. See how that works now?
Each time you put the lid on.. the humidity inside the jar(s) will slowly evaporate the moisture from inside the middle of the bud as well as the stem thats inside the middle of the bud... thus raising the humidity level inside the jar like I said before... then each time you take the lid off.. your letting that new evaporated moisture from the middle of the bud.. and the stem thats in the middle of the bud.. evaporate. So, see.. each cycle of lid on/lid off which is one complete cycle.. your taking out the moisture bit by bit.. from inside the middle of the bud (and the stem thats inside the middle of the bud).
Now.. you don't want to just keep on repeating cycles until the buds are 100% dry. You want to leave around 10% to 15% water content inside the middle of the buds.. once they get to around that level of water content.. you can then put them back into their jar(s) and store them without having to worry about "burping" the jars. Also, at this point.. the buds are not only smokable.. but they will smell and taste like they should!
There ya go.. hopefully I have broken this down so that the ones that don't understand.. now understand.
(if you still don't get it, you probably never will.. and IMO.. you should change professions... because growing isn't for you)
peace..
written and edited by: ganjaluvr 10/01/2010
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