What is optimal RH% for my drying cabinet?

Hello fellow growers! Newby looking for advice on humidity levels for my drying cabinet

My goals are to dry the new harvest as long as possible (e.g. at least 6 days) before moving them into the official curing process, and to avoid bud rot and them not being too hay-like. Plus, to make sure they cure into nice balanced weed, rather than racy paranoid buds (which I've tried to avoid by harvesting once trichomes have started showing amber- which is another question I had, since they're taking a very long time to mature to 30% amber, and aren't there yet, but the overall look of the plant, as far as pistils, leaves, buds etc, appears that they're ready - and I've been advised of this in a separate thread I posted).

So, it looks like my girls (2 autos at 120+ days from germination each) are ready to harvest. Based on other advice I've seen, I'm keeping them in the dark for a couple days to get the sugar and other undesirables out of the buds and back down to the root system, before cutting and moving them into the drying cabinet I built. The drying cabinet is a converted IKEA wardrobe armoire (see attached) installed with an AC Infinity inline fan + carbon filter, an oscillating fan and a baby humidifier (because my ambient RH% is only about 35% which I gather is too low for the drying process). Using the controller on this inline fan setup I can peg the RH& to anything I desire.

I'd been told by some that having a RH% between 45-55% is ideal, but I've also heard that RH% of around 60% is better for slower drying, leading into the curing process which I plan to do in stainless CVaults (or stainless kimchi containers) with BOveda 62% packets. What do folks think?

Also, do people recommend wet trim or dry trim based on my setup; I'm going with individual branches rather than hanging the whole plant?

Thanks!

I keep mine at 53% with a 5% negative difference.

The humidifier comes on at 48%. Stops at 53%.

Since I'm using an inkbird. The exhaust fan comes at 55%.

Current room temperature is 70°F. Dehumidifier is set at 40%.

Water leaves clipped and a few sugar leaves. Wet trim to that point. Clean the branches up. After about 8 days drying. Then the final dry trim going into jars.

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You want a slow dry but not that slow. Think fine cigar type dry.

Beehive said:

I keep mine at 53% with a 5% negative difference.

The humidifier comes on at 48%. Stops at 53%.

Since I'm using an inkbird. The exhaust fan comes at 55%.

Current room temperature is 70°F. Dehumidifier is set at 40%.

.....


You want a slow dry but not that slow. Think fine cigar type dry.

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Thanks for your very helpful reply, Beehive! I actually keep my cigar humidor at about 70% and figured that would be too high for drying buds.

Do you generally have more humidity than you'd like in your space? I have less ambient (30-35%) humidity than I'd like, which I fear would dry out the bud too fast, so have added a little humidifier inside the cabinet to add some moisture, but I can't set it to come on and off so run it low and have the AC Infinity inline micro adjust as necessary.

Do you think I'm setting myself up for bud rot if I do this, assuming I can keep it pegged at 53%?

Also, how many days do you typically dry before moving into curing?

Cheers!

BosBuds said:

Thanks for your very helpful reply, Beehive! I actually keep my cigar humidor at about 70% and figured that would be too high for drying buds.

It sounds like you have more humidity than you'd like in your space, so are drawing humidity out I have less ambient (30-35%) humidity which I fear would dry out the bud too fast, so have added a little humidifier inside the cabinet to add some moisture.

Do you think I'm setting myself up for bud rot if I do this, assuming I can keep it pegged at 53%?

Also, how many days do you typically dry before moving into curing?

Cheers!

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The excess moisture is the initial drying. Fresh cut plants. Humidity is going to high.

50% allows the plant to evaporate water slowly. Once they're in jars. It's 62% humidity packs. Not that much of a difference.

Lower humidity dry in the 30%. That's too fast. But in the room where the tent is, is fine. Maintain the humidifier in the tent.

As for mold. Keep the circulating air going and the temperature low. 65°-72°F. Pre clean the tent with a bleach wipe and let it air out before hanging the branches. Gentle air movement. Don't point a fan at the buds.

So I bought Ed Rosenthal's book "Harvest" a few years back and it changed how I dry and cure. He recommends a drying/curing room but a smaller space works too. He says to keep the RH between 50-55% and the temperature under 70F (21C).
He says not to use jars; just go from the dry right into the cure in the same space. He recommends a dry trim which I really like now.
I used to wet trim it all, hang it to dry and then jar it. I like Ed's way better but that's just me.
Dynamite looking buds @BosBuds !
Great advice from @Beehive too.

Beehive and MustGro, thanks so much for the additional tips! I harvested yesterday, cut up into small branches (semi trimmed, removing just the big fan leaves) and placed them into the drying cabinet. I have been able to peg it at 66*F and 52% RH, so the range of temp and humidity seems correct. I just hope the additoinal moisture I'm putting inside the drying cabinet with my baby humidifier to bring the RH from 35% up to 52% won't cause bud rot. I've got a small oscillating fan circulating air, and the inline running at 4 to keep a constant exchange, so praying this does the trick.

15 degrees temps 60% humidity hang whole plant takes, constant slight air flow not directly at buds 12-14 days perfect for jars by then.