Drying/curing for vaping

[Melizzard]

I wasn't really sure where to put this post, so please forgive if I picked the wrong spot.

Anyway, I just harvested my first girl on Wednesday. Since then, she 's been hanging in my guest room closet w/a fan in it (not blowing on the plant ... just keeping air circulating). I think she's almost ready to come down ... her stems no longer bend, they snap, but they aren't breaking in half easily, so maybe one more day?

But my big question is, what next? My brother swears that putting the bud in a jar to cure it is not necessary if one is vaping rather than combusting. Others swear by it. Can anyone clarify this for me? I typically store my bud in jars anyway, so a jar would be the next spot for her anyway ...

And is she ready to go if her stems aren't breaking in half? Do I wait until the actually snap off before unhanging her?

xxoo
Melissa

 

[Frickr]

i feel curing is vital, as it evenly distributes the left over moisture in the buds all over the bud again to further dry. by curing you make a microclimate in the jar, which pulls the residual moisture in the center of the buds, out to the outside, where it can be further dried.

curing adds more then just drying though. some claim an increase in potancy because it converts more of the THCA into straight THC. curing also helps with harshness, and also makes it easier to store without risk of mold.

it only takes a few more days to fully cure the buds. dont get lazy at the end!

 

[hereatlast]

While I don't have experience curing buds specifically for vapor use, I'd definitely agree that curing makes for better bud. I've found that buds in your stage Melizzard (exactly what you've described, stem-snapping and what I would assume looks/feels kind of dry on the outside of the bud) while seemingly dry enough for use, can get much much better. I wouldn't be surprised if your buds, when put in a jar for a some time, will still smell beasty/moist. The difference in smell, from what is most commonly referred to as beasty or 'hay-like' to a sharper, more pungent smell characteristic of mary jane/specific strain, was one of the coolest parts of the grow itself to me.


What I've been told is similar to what Frickr suggested. I put my bud in the jar and open it for a few minutes once a day for the first week or so. Another week or two (total of 2-3 weeks of curing I guess) in the same airtight jar will definitely transform your bud. At the end of the process the bud for me was generally less harsh, smellier, tastier, and how-you-say, higher?

 

[Melizzard]

So then, with the stems snapping but not breaking, is now the time to jar her up? And then cure her for another couple of weeks?

xxoo
Melissa

 

[hereatlast]

I think thats a safe bet. But I think snapping is breaking right? Once there not all bendy and it takes a snap to break off a piece was the right time for me.

2 weeks would also be safe, I'm not too sure about the right length of time but the process must stop at some point and time after probably wouldn't enhance the bud anymore. I'd also recommend opening the jar every other day or so for the first week, helped get the initial hay smell out for me. Good luck!

 

[hereatlast]

Hey hope the drying/curing process went and is going well. I found this article and figured this was a good place to post.

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/Drying-And-Curing-Marijuana.html



Melizzard, how'd your buds come out? Would love some pictures but I know this can be difficult.

 

[Egzoset]

Does a vaporist really need to cure his bud for immediate consumption?
(merged)
I'm pretty sure this has been on topic somewhere but i can't see how to find it using the search engine, not that i haven't tried...

 

[Nycdeisel]

huh? cure from what point?

Ideally, the buds you buy should already be properly harvested, dried, and cured. However, since not everyone is so lucky to have such regulated product, this can vary.

I will for one say that whenever I get a new pickup, I always let it dry somewhat in case it still has a little too much moisture, which could cause mold, which is a big deal when storing whole buds in mason jars.

For vaporizing I believe the herb one uses should be much more dry then what one would use for smoking.

 

[Egzoset]

Well, i did specify that the bud(s) is(are) for immediate consumption. Which means there's no need for storage. I could have added that the circumstances would be those of a guy who's growing his own weed...

 

[WatTyler]

You're not chopping buds off of your poor little auto before it's ready?

 

[Sour Deez]

I would let it dry some, but i dont believe it needs to be cured.

 

[momatik]

You're right it has been discussed here somewhere but I can't find it either :/

I remember people saying they have done it successfully, and that the bowl lasts quite a while because of the excess moisture.

edit: http://www.fuckcombustion.com/viewtopic.php?id=3184

 

[Hippie Dickie]

i find that water vapor collects in the lower part of my glass draw tube if the bud is not sufficiently dry. The evaporating H2O makes the complete vaporization of the trichomes take an extra 5 to 10 minutes -- depending on how full the vial has been stuffed. Plus it's a nuisance to keep swabbing the water out of the draw tube.

So when i get wet bud -- inadequately dried -- i continue drying it until no H2O vapor is extracted when vaping.

i consider curing to be a different matter -- the effect is noticably better after several months in the mason jar -- assuming it lasts that long.

 

[wilf789]

I always heard that curing was important for turning the THCA into psychoactive THC, decarboxylation or something? Unless vaping fresh buds skips the necessity of this process?

 

[Sour Deez]

I always heard that curing was important for turning the THCA into psychoactive THC, decarboxylation or something? Unless vaping fresh buds skips the necessity of this process?

True, thats what curing does.

Thats also what decarbing does, converts acids into actives. When you are vaping you are basically decarbing at the same time. Thats why you can eat your ABV straight after a session.

I would properly dry it to get the excess moisture out of the bud.

 

[Vicki]

i consider curing to be a different matter -- the effect is noticably better after several months in the mason jar -- assuming it lasts that long.

I definitely agree. I keep my herbs in mason jars (for several months) and I can tell it is better than when I first got it.

 

[eddyfrancis]

I've been in that position lateley, out of medicine while my herb is still drying. I do find that it really helps for it to be at least a little dry, otherwise it barely works. You can dry it out in your vaporizer but effectiveness varies from model to model. Right now I'm using a wand vaporizer but in the past I have successfully used the lowest temp setting on a Volcano to dry out the weed and then raised it up to a normal temp and it worked pretty well. When I say pretty well, I'd say the only thing you miss out on is the taste. Mainly it just tastes a little funky from the excess water vapor remaining.

 

[Egzoset]

Thank you everybody for the numerous and relevant answers!



Don't worry WatTyler, my plants are too young for any other purpose than gardening contemplation!

Oh! Allow me to show you my taller one, by the way:

Well, she sure knows how to catch attention already, doesn't she?!... ...and her glory hour hasn't even come yet!!!

Oh my, oh my... I can hardly wait for the great day, when it will be time for the real thing!...



Anyway. I've taken note of your inputs, Momatik, Hippie Dickie, Wilf789, Sour Deez, Vicki and EddyFrancis! Together you informed me about all i wanted to know and this is appreciated.

 

[StickyShisha2]

I've been in that position lateley, out of medicine while my herb is still drying. I do find that it really helps for it to be at least a little dry, otherwise it barely works. You can dry it out in your vaporizer but effectiveness varies from model to model. Right now I'm using a wand vaporizer but in the past I have successfully used the lowest temp setting on a Volcano to dry out the weed and then raised it up to a normal temp and it worked pretty well. When I say pretty well, I'd say the only thing you miss out on is the taste. Mainly it just tastes a little funky from the excess water vapor remaining.

had the same experience with the volvano and moist herb.

what about freeze drying? using cold and vacuum to remove the water and hopefully leave the volatile oils

&

 

[Herborizer]

Curing makes a HUGE difference. Personally, I believe in at least a 3-5 month cure before vaping it. I have tried at different times. I have tried stuff that registered a 2 (on a scale of 1-10) in strength after just 4 weeks of curing. Then trying this same weed 6 months later and it was about an 7-8. It REALLY makes that much of a difference. If you are truly medical, then you should wait.

I don't think most people wait for a proper cure, because they are either: A.) selling, or B.) Jonesing for weed, C.) Have no patience. I think most of the stuff out there is all premature and under cured, meaning that most people have just come accustomed to this.

Try this experiment for yourself and you will be surprised.

 

[obelisk]

Curing makes a HUGE difference. Personally, I believe in at least a 3-5 month cure before vaping it. I have tried at different times. I have tried stuff that registered a 2 (on a scale of 1-10) in strength after just 4 weeks of curing. Then trying this same weed 6 months later and it was about an 7-8. It REALLY makes that much of a difference. If you are truly medical, then you should wait.

I don't think most people wait for a proper cure, because they are either: A.) selling, or B.) Jonesing for weed, C.) Have no patience. I think most of the stuff out there is all premature and under cured, meaning that most people have just come accustomed to this.

Try this experiment for yourself and you will be surprised.

Again, +1. Deja vu!

I dunno why or how or if this is just perceived, but I usually tend to have a decently large stash and whenever I get a new bag, I don't vape it immediately (many folks are surprised by that) but drop it in one of 3 glass jars I have, away from light. I dunno why, but even waiting for 2 or 3 weeks makes a difference. I typically do not have large enough of a stash to be able to rotate batches of weed for 6 months. I wish!

I dunno if what I described above is essentially curing (??), but it definitely does work. I used to mention this a lot to this guy I know and he wouldn't believe. About two weeks ago I bought an o through him. Yesterday he asks me if I'd mind giving him back some and I say OK. When he gave it to me, the pot (Sour D) was a little disappointing on first impression, not a lot of smell, not a lot of visible trichs, etc. His car was not smelling at all and we both mentioned that, kinda surprised. Anyway, today he was very surprised by the strong smell only an 8th of the same weed left in my car and said hey maybe your curing thing works. maybe it does brother!

 

[djonkoman]

curing can also make a huge difference in smoothness
but it seems to matter more for sativas(ive often read landrace sativas need yo cure for a few months too)
last year I had 2 strains, one more indica(but without the couchlock), one mostly sativa, with those typical very airy foxtail sativa buds
at first, the sativa was very harsh and didnt produce that much vapor, potenxy was also on the low side
but after a good cure, its just as smooth as the other strain, potency is average and produces more vapor

while the more indica strain hasnt changed that much from curing

my weed now already has a cure for 3 quarter year or so I think, since this is still last years outdoor harvest

 

[gobbly]

just to throw in some extra info, curing, if done properly can increase the potency. That said, you could trim a bud up (take off all the sugar leaves, the ones coated in crystals), stuff them in your SSV/iolite/bong/whatever, and vape away, and you could do the same with non-trim. The first group of hits are going to be full of flavor, but mostly water vapor, after a few of those it'll have dried out and will vape just like any plant material you've used before. You aren't getting the added potency from the cure (which may or may not happen based on your technique of curing), but it will certainly work, and you'll come out feeling just like you had vaped some cured and ground dry matter. You will, of course, need to vape more matter to get the same effect if you're using sugar trim, but it won't really taste any different, and you'll get just as much effect in the end.

As a disclaimer I might add that potency varies from strain to strain. I've had strains where the sugar trim was nearly as potent as the bud, and others where the trim was rather weak, but in general the trim tends to be about 2/3 the potency of the bud matter. I predominantly vape sugar trim (mixed in with small buds that weren't big enough to trim), cured, dried, and ground rather fine. I only really vape bud matter when I'm in a hurry

 

[djonkoman]

I disagree that the flavor is the same, one of my own harvest strains from last year tasted a lot like lemon/orange when fresh(not dried yet), after drying and curing that taste has changed a lot(can't really explain how it is now, but it's also more earthy now)

 

[JDVapes]

Curing your buds, vaping dry bud or wet buds? (merged)

So a friend and I were having a debate on whether curing bud actually makes a difference. I say it does, but he think it doesn't really make a difference. what i do is when i purchase a batch i keep it in a mason jar and open it once a day so it gets new air. I do this for about a month. also, is it better to vape dry stuff or not so dry stuff? thoughts anyone?