Humidity for Rosin
- Thread starter Tuck
- Start date
If you have time to watch the video, it's very educational. The short answer is 65% RH seems to be a good spot for pressing flowers into rosin. I have been happily pressing at 62% RH which is the same I use for grinding for vaporizing.
As to the preparation of flowers, my caregiver gives out flowers that seem to be around 30-40% RH. Not good for pressing. I bring them home, put them in a mason jar with a 62% boveda pack and allow about 4-5 days for an ounce to hydrate, this is generally with fairly dense nugs.
I used a steamer to add approximately 2g of moisture per ounce! I don't use boveda packs anymore.
Doktor Dub
Well-Known Member
I used a steamer to add approximately 2g of moisture per ounce! I don't use boveda packs anymore.
Why don t you use Bovedas no more? I like them a lot and just ordered new ones... not only preparation for Rosin but also just for longer storage and peace of mind...
They rob terpenes, and many people have reported that with time some chemicals in the packs break down and cause your herb to start smelling like hay. I spent a lot of money on boveda packs thinking I was doing the right thing, but it's better to keep your stash properly cured and dry airtight and in the dark. Of course people have different opinions, but this mine based on my own personal experience and that of some others. Once I removed the packs, the strains would bounce back somewhat, but were NEVER the same. I tossed out more packs that I care to admit.
The only time I could maybe see using them is at a dispensary, when they are constantly opening and closing big jars, or as above for a few days before a squish, but adding moisture via steam is better IMO. It's incredible just how much those strains come ALIVE! But you have to be super careful not to OVER humidify because then you're pretty much screwed and ruined your product. When I was still in a bit of a learning curve, I over humidified by 2grams (oz was 32g instead of 30g) and while it didn't completely wreck it, you could just slightly tell in the consistency of the rosin. With practice though I was just able to tell it was perfect when I could squish the buds somewhat into a ball and it would "stick".
What is the longest youve stored herb in boveda @biohacker? Hay smell typically happens when herb is dried too quickly, it's impossible to reverse that once it happens. Dispensaries have moved towards 10-14 day dry/cure, but the best cultivators dry for 10-14 days very slowly, then long cure for at least 2 months if not more.
Doktor Dub
Well-Known Member
Thanks, i also noticed that sometimes the buds are less smelly, but i always had the impression they go back to normal if you let them dry out a bit again.
I think i will do some A / B testing next time. I like them for not perfectly cured and dried material, especialy if it is a bit too dry if you get it or if i am not sure if it is dry enough for storage.
For sure it is only for samll adjustements...
EDIT: Thanks for the detailed answer @biohacker
@psychonaut +1000 for longer cureing! IMO it is quite spectacular how much a good cure can do for the product
I think i will do some A / B testing next time. I like them for not perfectly cured and dried material, especialy if it is a bit too dry if you get it or if i am not sure if it is dry enough for storage.
For sure it is only for samll adjustements...
EDIT: Thanks for the detailed answer @biohacker
@psychonaut +1000 for longer cureing! IMO it is quite spectacular how much a good cure can do for the product
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I've done boveda 62's over 12 months on the same herb. I had full control over the herb from start to finish. Dryed in 10 days, jarred at 68% RH and boveda'd, took about 2 weeks to get it down to 62%, then it stayed there the entire time. I probably opened the jar a half dozen times to check over those 9 months. I brought about half an ounce of it to a phish concert in commerce city, co. Gifted a stranger with it, he said it was the stinkiest herb he's ever smelled. The guy was about 50 years old. I like to credit the preservation to boveda.
About 6 months or so, but I noticed major loss of aroma only after a month or two IIRC. I personally never experienced the hay smell, but read about countless others that have. I only buy top shelf quad strains now, and they are impeccably cured.
Drying can cause loss of terps as well, but it's the reintroduction of moisture that causes the aroma to come back with a punch IME. It's actually quite overwhelming when steaming! lol If your material isn't perfectly cured then perhaps that have its purpose, but for long term storage of well cured flower, I wouldn't touch them again myself.
Massively important!
Just speaking of my experience and those of many others, but whatever works for you is awesome. You obviously wouldn't believe how let down I was when over a pound of my flower wasn't nearly as good as it could have been.
A lot of this info comes from my mentor, that squishes for about a 1/2 dozen dispensaries in Canada. Also doing 20 min presses at 195 for incredible yields and quality. But the packs I personally experienced, and he confirmed. Dispensaries keep coming back to him with demand that he can't even meet!
@biohacker interesting observations, I'll have to check mine periodically now that I may be on the lookout for loss of terps. I think when we smell the buds in the jars from our caregiver, since they are so dry they are going to be really pungent, when you reintroduce humidity into the mix, perhaps the perception of terpenes has diminished some as the moisture content could be holding onto more of the terps versus allowing natural evaporation? This is an interesting discussion! This theory could be completely bogus since the RH increased 30% from the time I bought my meds until they were brought up to 62%RH in jars. They still smell the same a month or so later.
The plant will go through considerable changes from chop to vaporization and the flavors tend to change all along the process, assuming the buds never reach below a certain RH. I remember hearing something around 50% RH, and the curing process is over, no more hope to continue curing, even if re-hydrated. If that is true information, I would think an herb thats never allowed to reach RH below 50% (or whatever that threshold is) should only continue to improve the product until degredation and decarboxylation finishes which they have said could be a couple of years or longer, again, if handled properly each step along the way.
Different experiences! I do really like your idea of introducing steam to rehydrate. It's tough here in CO where it's dry as hell, and even tougher in the winter. My house is 20% RH right now!
The plant will go through considerable changes from chop to vaporization and the flavors tend to change all along the process, assuming the buds never reach below a certain RH. I remember hearing something around 50% RH, and the curing process is over, no more hope to continue curing, even if re-hydrated. If that is true information, I would think an herb thats never allowed to reach RH below 50% (or whatever that threshold is) should only continue to improve the product until degredation and decarboxylation finishes which they have said could be a couple of years or longer, again, if handled properly each step along the way.
Different experiences! I do really like your idea of introducing steam to rehydrate. It's tough here in CO where it's dry as hell, and even tougher in the winter. My house is 20% RH right now!
I dunno bro, but yes definitely interesting! Dude as soon as my dry buds were steamed, they literally came alive! @lazylathe had some similar experiences with the packs perhaps he will join the discussion! Actually pretty sure this is groundhog day and already discussed in another thread recently? I'll have a look.
If you have some time check out my mentor's facebook page... my squishes are on video there somewhere in early January.
https://www.facebook.com/ewax2017/
@biohacker & co, just to chime in here rather loosely and uncertainly: we had our best ever outdoor harvest last August. I really wanted to do the best job all round drying, curing and storing. There is a lot of pressure on it when you have your entire supply for at least a year coming in trucks all at once.
I also was unable to use my senses and judgement properly throughout the whole process due to an optic nerve problem affecting my mental and sensory ability.
I had hunidipaks handy, but the aim was to dry as slow as possible, jar up at the high tip end of curing range (65%), then gradually bring down over months. Wihout needing the packs until fully cured and storing.
I had heard that some growers feel the humidipaks can affect odors if used in the frist 4 weeks of curing specifically.
Anyway, I always get such bad anxiety when weed is hang drying, in case it overdries when temp goes up and humidity comes down. Conditions can swing and what would have taken another 48 hours to be ready to cure, can be less than 12 hours and your bud is overdried.
So you need to watch it closely, and be able to sense/perceive/intuit when it is right.
I am not able to do this very well. Also we trim the majority as we jar- this is the better way for final product than pre-hang trimming, but is more awkard and increases the anxiety of the drying process because it takes us hours and hours that way, and it can suddenly be upon you and need doing urgently.
So the whole process was out of my control this time. The first 2 plants were suddenly ready and seemed to be overdried. Hygrometers were reading like 54%!
I panicked thinking we had messed up with the first 6 ounces of really lovely, hard earned weed. So I put 2 humidipaks in each of the 6 jars, hoping you can re-add moisture and the curing process can still take place.
However, it can be very deceiving, as it can take some time for humidity to rise up after initial jarring.
The rest of the plants we made sure to jar sooner, to the point of too soon. This is best avoided because you need to burp so much to get the % below 65, when weather allows. Hate waiting days and days in high 70% humidity before I can burp overly moist jars again.
We made a hash of things, not really sure of very much in the state I was in. Then I discovered the hygrometers I was using were 3 or 4 % too high! So I had been burping the jars down from quite high- 65/66%, leaving open for long times, before I realised the hygrometers were wrong.
So then I was convinced I had messed up and that the jars were at that perfect range for a long slow cure- 62-64%, without needing to use humidipaks. I thought I had messed up over-airing the jars. The smell was amazing to begin with and seemed to be mostly gone from opening them too much.
So I thought, fuck it, and put humidipaks in every jar to restore to 62%, and just leave it as an experiment. I really wasn't capable of figuring out what to do or what was what.
Its all a bit hazy now, but on reflection the first seemingly overdried 6 ounces were probably about spot on for jarring. The drier of the 2 plants has the best aroma.
Long story short(er)
, after months of storage with humidipaks, I can positively day that the smell in almost all jars is massively reduced, from stunning to barely noticeble.
I am also sure that the majority of it needs further drying now still. It is not fine grindable out of the jarm some is very soft and pliable.
I really don't know if the smell is reduced due to humidipaks (Im quite sure it is), or how much it is due to the weed needing to dry out more.
@biohacker (if you're still there buddy lol), I know what you mean about drying too fast/too much and loss of odor. But as @Doktor Dub said above, I also have observed many times that smell can dissapear when the herbs are moister, like when curing ib a jar and it rises to 63% or above, and can then return when the herb dries further again.
I am pretty sure I need to dry my jars out now. I have taken nearly all humidipaks out. I will see if odor increases. The herb still works no apparent potency loss. Im mind of hoping I may have just stalled, or prolongued the curing process, which could end up a good thing, providing it is still ongoing and can complete.
The potency has developed like with properly cured bud. In future the goal will certainly be to be more on ball and avoid humidipaks entirely (as it was), or just short spells for over dried buds maybe.
There are still so many people who use humidipaks from the off and swear by it with no downside, with a range of dryness- some just assume the packs will bring down moisture from 65 to 62 (not how it works IMU), or dry to 58,60% then add packs, don't burp.
Or get jars to 62/63% then add packs and leave indefinitely. And strong testimonies of success too. So I just tried it that way after I was convinced I had overdried everything. Now it turns out it is not dry enough.
Sorry to ramble on guys. Im really not clear on this now. Univesrsally unreliable hygrometers kind of caused all this mayhem, panick and uncertainty. Just can't truly trust a single hygrometer. 3 each with different readings.
I plan to do better in future.
I also was unable to use my senses and judgement properly throughout the whole process due to an optic nerve problem affecting my mental and sensory ability.
I had hunidipaks handy, but the aim was to dry as slow as possible, jar up at the high tip end of curing range (65%), then gradually bring down over months. Wihout needing the packs until fully cured and storing.
I had heard that some growers feel the humidipaks can affect odors if used in the frist 4 weeks of curing specifically.
Anyway, I always get such bad anxiety when weed is hang drying, in case it overdries when temp goes up and humidity comes down. Conditions can swing and what would have taken another 48 hours to be ready to cure, can be less than 12 hours and your bud is overdried.
So you need to watch it closely, and be able to sense/perceive/intuit when it is right.
I am not able to do this very well. Also we trim the majority as we jar- this is the better way for final product than pre-hang trimming, but is more awkard and increases the anxiety of the drying process because it takes us hours and hours that way, and it can suddenly be upon you and need doing urgently.
So the whole process was out of my control this time. The first 2 plants were suddenly ready and seemed to be overdried. Hygrometers were reading like 54%!
I panicked thinking we had messed up with the first 6 ounces of really lovely, hard earned weed. So I put 2 humidipaks in each of the 6 jars, hoping you can re-add moisture and the curing process can still take place.However, it can be very deceiving, as it can take some time for humidity to rise up after initial jarring.
The rest of the plants we made sure to jar sooner, to the point of too soon. This is best avoided because you need to burp so much to get the % below 65, when weather allows. Hate waiting days and days in high 70% humidity before I can burp overly moist jars again.
We made a hash of things, not really sure of very much in the state I was in. Then I discovered the hygrometers I was using were 3 or 4 % too high! So I had been burping the jars down from quite high- 65/66%, leaving open for long times, before I realised the hygrometers were wrong.
So then I was convinced I had messed up and that the jars were at that perfect range for a long slow cure- 62-64%, without needing to use humidipaks. I thought I had messed up over-airing the jars. The smell was amazing to begin with and seemed to be mostly gone from opening them too much.
So I thought, fuck it, and put humidipaks in every jar to restore to 62%, and just leave it as an experiment. I really wasn't capable of figuring out what to do or what was what.
Its all a bit hazy now, but on reflection the first seemingly overdried 6 ounces were probably about spot on for jarring. The drier of the 2 plants has the best aroma.
Long story short(er)
, after months of storage with humidipaks, I can positively day that the smell in almost all jars is massively reduced, from stunning to barely noticeble.I am also sure that the majority of it needs further drying now still. It is not fine grindable out of the jarm some is very soft and pliable.
I really don't know if the smell is reduced due to humidipaks (Im quite sure it is), or how much it is due to the weed needing to dry out more.
@biohacker (if you're still there buddy lol), I know what you mean about drying too fast/too much and loss of odor. But as @Doktor Dub said above, I also have observed many times that smell can dissapear when the herbs are moister, like when curing ib a jar and it rises to 63% or above, and can then return when the herb dries further again.
I am pretty sure I need to dry my jars out now. I have taken nearly all humidipaks out. I will see if odor increases. The herb still works no apparent potency loss. Im mind of hoping I may have just stalled, or prolongued the curing process, which could end up a good thing, providing it is still ongoing and can complete.
The potency has developed like with properly cured bud. In future the goal will certainly be to be more on ball and avoid humidipaks entirely (as it was), or just short spells for over dried buds maybe.
There are still so many people who use humidipaks from the off and swear by it with no downside, with a range of dryness- some just assume the packs will bring down moisture from 65 to 62 (not how it works IMU), or dry to 58,60% then add packs, don't burp.
Or get jars to 62/63% then add packs and leave indefinitely. And strong testimonies of success too. So I just tried it that way after I was convinced I had overdried everything. Now it turns out it is not dry enough.
Sorry to ramble on guys. Im really not clear on this now. Univesrsally unreliable hygrometers kind of caused all this mayhem, panick and uncertainty. Just can't truly trust a single hygrometer. 3 each with different readings.
I plan to do better in future.
Respect! There was a lot of pressure on my stash worth several thousands of dollars too!
Thanks for sharing bruv!
Always nice hearing your spin on things especially with your cultivating background! 
Doktor Dub
Well-Known Member
Who has a stash without pressure uses the first boveda....only thing to add: While a long cure is sooo nice, be careful with moisture because opening a jar and discovering mold is quite heartbreaking.....
...only thing to add: While a long cure is sooo nice, be careful with moisture because opening a jar and discovering mold is quite heartbreaking.....As long as the humidity is no higher than 65% in the sealed jar, there should be virtually zero risk of mold.Who has a stash without pressure uses the first boveda.
Of course the real matter is whether there is any fungal contamination present in the herb already. If so, then no matter what it will spread, but on the moister side it will be more rapid and pronounced.
I have only ever had one plant go into a jar contaminated due to aspergillus niger. Out of maybe 30-40 plants.
We have lost lots of bud while growing due to damp, but as long as you are careful to only harvest safe buds, the risk of mold in curing can be practically absent.
I have had jars much higher than 70% before, sealed up for a day or so, with no mold issues at all. And that is way moister than it ever should be.
So if you start with a clean product, you just dry it to within range and you should be good.
@biohacker good morning bro. I did remember somethong else of interest last night, in rrlation to the above.
A few days back when I was opening a few jars, checkong odor and removing humidipaks, I opened the 2 big jars of Auto Colorado Cookies. This was the very final plant to come in and dry. We purposely let it dry further than the others which I had to mess with for ages to bring humidity down.
Again, it seemed like the cookies was overdried. Readings in jar were 58/59%. By the way @psychonaut it is supposedly below 55% that the cure is dead and can't be restarted even if you add more moisture.
So I knew for definite that the cookies was not too moist. I thought- right, no moisture to burp out. Let's try it a different way, like many others who swear by the no fuss approach to a reportedly very decent cure, bu drying down to 58% ish, then simply adding humidipaks and leaving, no burping.
So I put 2 "paks" in each big jar and left shut for many days.
Over time the smell developed and the weed has needed burping, "popping" on opening at tmes. At some points, it was clear the jars needed airing.
The smell originally, at jarring up, was very mild. It then intensified with the packs in there sealed, and came on very strong.
It then died down due to me leaving them shut and not releasing gasses often enough.
The other day thiugh, I opened them both and removed the humidipaks which have been in there since jarring (end September).
AND...it smells gorgeous, proper dank like properly cured weed. Not like the others, no real sign that the humidipaks affected the odor, or at least nowhere to the same degree as the others.
And this was dried further in the beginning, then packs thrown in.
So I am very open to the packs affecting odors, but I still believe it can be at least partly related to the relative needs of the herb.
If it needs to come down to 60% to cure fullt, and develop stronger aroma, the humidipaks might not help, preventing this from occuring, or keeping it "on hold"/aroma devekopment and (and release crucually) at bay.
I am fairly sure this is exactly what may have occured with us, on reflection and hindsight.
The cookies on the other hand, was perfectly dried. Just enough moisture to rise back over 60% probably without adding packs. So it could take the humidipaks and cure in a different way.
So that worked anyway. Lovely dank smell, not ruined at all by the packs. Maybe it would be much stronger smelling, but a very valid and useful observation.
Damn guys/girls. I got a long mile to hike now to clear my lungs today, going to the chiropractor this morning, before I can have a vape today.
Which is fine, except this talk of cookies and the lovely dankness is making me salivate for it!
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And that's if you discover it.. I like erring on the side of dry, as I said for squishing you can always add the moisture after like I did (for 1.5lbs of flower).
That depends on temperature as well, and light. And good morning from across the pond bruv!
Interesting! As always, thanks for sharing your experiences bro!
Doktor Dub
Well-Known Member
Here is a cure - tutorial i think is quite good and helpful. Probably not so interewsting for the experts here but perhaps some good tips for newbies.
The Cure
Oh yes, the cure. Many times has this been judged the most important part of the growing experience, and with good standing reason. This is the point where all our patience and skill will shine through, or take a dive into the miserable oblivian of smoking mere mediocre herb. Botch things here and it will all be for not. Though a perfect cure can help cover up some small discrepancies during your grow, having the best growing conditions on earth will not earn you a free pass through this hallowed gate my friend.
So, how's your cure? Perfect? Consistantly perfect? Are you a Cure Master? Hmm.. Prove it. What?
Did you know that your cure can be broken down into a mathematical equation? What if I told you that you can attain the perfect cure, the best cure possible, every single harvest? And what if it was as easy as painting by numbers? And what if this could totally affect the way you cure, wether you are a newbie, or an old seasoned head?
The following is not something I discovered myself. I was first introduced to it from a guy named Simon. All though he initially taylored it to cannabis he, of course, didn't really discover it either. We most likey owe that to producers of tobacco. Their techniques are somewhat different but since they are curing a plant intended for smoking..... Well, it's just simply a matter of numbers.. I have, in turn, borrowed this concept and brought it here. I have eliminated what I deemed unneccessary and added some of my own insights/experiences. I have also condensed the original information the best I could (as it was quite haphazardly introduced, and many facts/ideas were addressed in later installments) in my own words (which has, in turn, increased greatly in size), but all credit must be afforded Simon for bringing these techniques, in their raw form, to public scrutiny. This, by no means, suggests that the work (either the original, or here) is complete. There are assuredly many more facts, discoveries and techniques left to be uncovered. That said, let's begin..
Cannabis is an annual weed. It's purpose in life is singular and pure: Continued propagation. The female cannabis plant, through it's propagating qualities is naturally the ultimate focuse of this forum, along with many others just like it. In order for the female cannabis plant to fulfill her destiny, and to fill our jars, like all life on earth she needs water. Her flowering buds are full of it. It is the point of drying them to release this water. The cure, on the other hand, is a bit more complicated. In contrast, the cure is an attempt to delay this release of water over time. It is this juggling act that is in dire need of deciphering and it is this thread that will show exactly how it is done. It is said that the bud of a cannabis plant continues to live for a certain amount of time after it is cut from it's stem ( per Ed Rosenthal), in some cases a couple of days. I personally think this is crazy. This is akin to cutting off a chickens head. A lot of good it did the chicken.. Unless your bud has the ability to sprout instant roots and walk itself to an empty pot it is, for all intensive purposes, d, e, a, d, dead. This, by no means, insinuates that there are not living cells and processes to be found, but without the ability to replenish water, the drying has begun. Even though the bud has begun it's dry cycle, there is still plenty of water in it to allow various cells to continue to function. Since the main stem has been cut they have no choice but to pull water and nutrients (in the form of clorophyl and other complex carbohydrates) from stores in the bud and process them into simple carbohydrates (simple sugars) in order to continue to function normally. The more complex carbohydrates that are broken down and the more simple carbohydrates that are used and the more moisture that is lost, the better your buds will be. Within this process is the secret to the perfect cure..
First we will break it down into phases. This seems easiest as you can refer back to any point of the cure by phase. Try to think of it like landing an airplane...
Phase one: The dry. This is kind of like preparing to land. The first thing you want to do is come to altitude and lower your landing gear. Basically, once you cut your bud, you need to decide what to do with it. Most of us go ahead and trim it now. Once it is trimmed to our liking, the bud is hung to dry.
Phase two: The pre-cure. This is somewhat like landing your airplane. The trick is to set it down on the runway at just the right angle as you begin to reduce your speed. This is where the mathematics come into play. What you are looking for here is the "feel". When your hanging bud begins to "feel" like it is drying out, but the stems are still flexible, it is time to jar. Don't worry, we will revisit this phase in more detail in a bit..
Phase three: The cure. Now your airplane is on the runway. This is where you are focusing on your instruments and applying the brakes. This is the actual part of the cure. It is a benefit to keep your bud in this stage for as long as possible. Actually, this may be a little misleading as some folks may like some cures better than others. In other words, this is the point where smells and flavors can change drastically. Depending on what it is you are after will dictate exactly how long you keep this phase in check. But only you can decide what you like.
Phase four: Storage. Well, the flight is over, time to put the airplane away. We have finally reached a point where the curing process has greatly slowed down and it is safe to store your bud.
Hygrometer is needed.
Oh yes, the cure. Many times has this been judged the most important part of the growing experience, and with good standing reason. This is the point where all our patience and skill will shine through, or take a dive into the miserable oblivian of smoking mere mediocre herb. Botch things here and it will all be for not. Though a perfect cure can help cover up some small discrepancies during your grow, having the best growing conditions on earth will not earn you a free pass through this hallowed gate my friend.
So, how's your cure? Perfect? Consistantly perfect? Are you a Cure Master? Hmm.. Prove it. What?
Did you know that your cure can be broken down into a mathematical equation? What if I told you that you can attain the perfect cure, the best cure possible, every single harvest? And what if it was as easy as painting by numbers? And what if this could totally affect the way you cure, wether you are a newbie, or an old seasoned head?
The following is not something I discovered myself. I was first introduced to it from a guy named Simon. All though he initially taylored it to cannabis he, of course, didn't really discover it either. We most likey owe that to producers of tobacco. Their techniques are somewhat different but since they are curing a plant intended for smoking..... Well, it's just simply a matter of numbers.. I have, in turn, borrowed this concept and brought it here. I have eliminated what I deemed unneccessary and added some of my own insights/experiences. I have also condensed the original information the best I could (as it was quite haphazardly introduced, and many facts/ideas were addressed in later installments) in my own words (which has, in turn, increased greatly in size), but all credit must be afforded Simon for bringing these techniques, in their raw form, to public scrutiny. This, by no means, suggests that the work (either the original, or here) is complete. There are assuredly many more facts, discoveries and techniques left to be uncovered. That said, let's begin..
Cannabis is an annual weed. It's purpose in life is singular and pure: Continued propagation. The female cannabis plant, through it's propagating qualities is naturally the ultimate focuse of this forum, along with many others just like it. In order for the female cannabis plant to fulfill her destiny, and to fill our jars, like all life on earth she needs water. Her flowering buds are full of it. It is the point of drying them to release this water. The cure, on the other hand, is a bit more complicated. In contrast, the cure is an attempt to delay this release of water over time. It is this juggling act that is in dire need of deciphering and it is this thread that will show exactly how it is done. It is said that the bud of a cannabis plant continues to live for a certain amount of time after it is cut from it's stem ( per Ed Rosenthal), in some cases a couple of days. I personally think this is crazy. This is akin to cutting off a chickens head. A lot of good it did the chicken.. Unless your bud has the ability to sprout instant roots and walk itself to an empty pot it is, for all intensive purposes, d, e, a, d, dead. This, by no means, insinuates that there are not living cells and processes to be found, but without the ability to replenish water, the drying has begun. Even though the bud has begun it's dry cycle, there is still plenty of water in it to allow various cells to continue to function. Since the main stem has been cut they have no choice but to pull water and nutrients (in the form of clorophyl and other complex carbohydrates) from stores in the bud and process them into simple carbohydrates (simple sugars) in order to continue to function normally. The more complex carbohydrates that are broken down and the more simple carbohydrates that are used and the more moisture that is lost, the better your buds will be. Within this process is the secret to the perfect cure..
First we will break it down into phases. This seems easiest as you can refer back to any point of the cure by phase. Try to think of it like landing an airplane...
Phase one: The dry. This is kind of like preparing to land. The first thing you want to do is come to altitude and lower your landing gear. Basically, once you cut your bud, you need to decide what to do with it. Most of us go ahead and trim it now. Once it is trimmed to our liking, the bud is hung to dry.
Phase two: The pre-cure. This is somewhat like landing your airplane. The trick is to set it down on the runway at just the right angle as you begin to reduce your speed. This is where the mathematics come into play. What you are looking for here is the "feel". When your hanging bud begins to "feel" like it is drying out, but the stems are still flexible, it is time to jar. Don't worry, we will revisit this phase in more detail in a bit..
Phase three: The cure. Now your airplane is on the runway. This is where you are focusing on your instruments and applying the brakes. This is the actual part of the cure. It is a benefit to keep your bud in this stage for as long as possible. Actually, this may be a little misleading as some folks may like some cures better than others. In other words, this is the point where smells and flavors can change drastically. Depending on what it is you are after will dictate exactly how long you keep this phase in check. But only you can decide what you like.
Phase four: Storage. Well, the flight is over, time to put the airplane away. We have finally reached a point where the curing process has greatly slowed down and it is safe to store your bud.
Hygrometer is needed.
Doktor Dub
Well-Known Member
Sorry for the back to back post, character limit...
Hygrometer is needed.
Phase one. 70% RH: This starts out just like any other time you have done it. Once you have harvested your bud and trimmed it to your liking, hang it in a cool dark place. This is where we will part from tradition. Allow it to hang until the buds begin to feel like they are drying (note the temps and rh as this will rarely be the same during subsequent harvests). They will start to lose their "softness" in favor of a slightly crispy texture. We don't want to allow it to dry until the stems snap. THIS IS WRONG! We want the stems to be flexible. Not totally soft, but not snapping, either. If allowed to dry until the stems snap we risk it drying too much and losing an opportunity to take full advantage of the cure window. You see once the bud reaches the 55% RH range, the cure is dead. No amount of moisture added will revive this. If you are a brown bag dryer you can still use this technique, although I no longer do. I feel it is unneccessary at this point in the drying process. Just make sure you do not over dry. Also, this is a perfect time to calibrate your hygrometers with your new calibrating kit. This phase may take anywhere from 2 to 7 days depending on ambient temp, RH and strain, etc. It is important to be right on top of this phase. Sometimes we will notice thinner stemmed buds getting done quicker. It is ok to take these first and put them in the jar. Just screw the cap on very loosely until the bulk of the bud joins it.
Phase two. 65%+ to 70%RH: This is where the numbers game begins to kick in. Once you have reached the crispy bud/flexible stem stage, it is time to jar it up. Now there are a few options here.. Really you can jar it up just like always. Only, fill your jar 3/4 to 4/5 full so you have room to use your hygrometer. You can leave it on the stem, stem free, whatever. I personally prefer it in it's finished state, no stems. You can leave just a few stems intact for the sake of testing stem flexibility. Also, with more stems comes more moisture. This may fit well with your style, but it also may play havoc if mold is present. Once your bud is in the jar drop in the hygrometer and cap it. Keep an eye on your meter for the next hour or so. What we are shooting for in this phase is 70% RH maximum. If you hit 71% or greater, you will have to take the bud out to dry more. If this seems a little tricky here, it is. The cure, even though we are still in the dry phase, has been happening to a small degree since the moment the bud was cut. Basically now we are juggling time with mold prevention. We want to avoid any instance of mold, but we want to get every second of cure time in that we can. The goal in this phase is to start at a 70% maximum RH and, in a timely and mold free manner, bring the RH down to about 65%. The reason I say "about" is that if there is an issue with mold (i.e. the crop was exposed to heavy mold before and/or during harvest) we may chose to take the RH even lower, like 62%. This won't leave a huge window for curing, but it will keep the bud safe. Ideally, however, 65% will do. Generally you can tell pretty quickly if the bud is still too wet as the hygrometer % will climb pretty quickly (rate: 1% per hour or faster). You will also notice, at this point, that the bud will feel "wetter". That's ok. The reason for this is that while the exposed part of the bud began to dry quicker than the inside during phase one, the inside of the bud and stems retained a good deal of their moisture. Once in the jars (phase two) that moisture can no longer be efficiently evaperated off and moved to a different area, being replaced by dryer air. Once you have determined the RH, which may take up to 24 hours, you can begin burping the jars. This can be done at a rate of one to two hours once or twice a day, depending on initial RH reading. Your room RH, temp, strain, exposure to mold and hygro readings will dictate this for you and wether to go faster or slower. Slower is always better, but precipitating factors, as stated, may trump this.. Also, at the end of this stage is where most commercial bud will hit the open market, if you are lucky. The bud at this stage should have that super sticky icky velvety feel and the 'bag appeal' will be at it's very highest.
Phase three, 60% to 65% RH: Your buds are in the jar and RH is 65% or less. Perfect. The object of the game, as stated before, is to slowly release the moisture from the jar over time. Your buds are now in the cure zone. At this point we are looking for a much slower release than phase two and will shift to a short burp once a week. Your buds will deliver a nice smoke at around 60%, so the speed at which this is done (which translates directly to duration of burpage) is entirely up to you. It is at this stage that small stems should snap in two. It is also in this stage that you will meet true stability, or equalization, in RH. What that means is that the amount of moisture in the stems is no longer disproportionate to the buds, and moisture transfer or persperation (sweat) slows dramatically. This also means it will take much longer to get a true reading from your Hygrometer. A true reading at this point might take up to 36 hours, but that's ok.
So, do you know what your idea of a perfect smoking bud is? If you have followed the phases as you have read them, then this is the stage where you can find out. It may be as specific as a stationary RH value, or even a "window" between different values. Everyone one should know there ideal smoking range. I prefer mine on a slightly dryer cure, say between 55 to 57%.
Phase four - 55%+ to 60%RH: Even though a true cure is far from over, your buds are truly ready to smoke if you wish. They are also ready to face long term storage. As stated before, the cure dies at -55%. It's ok for the cure to be dead if you have reached your desired cure level as later remoisturing can easily bring that bud back into your prefered smoking range. But, you can also continue the cure for long time periods and the trick to this is to stay above the 55% level. Unfortunately even claimed 'air tight' jars will allow bud to continue losing moisture over time. The trick here is to guarantee air tightness. Simon has suggested that he jars in air tight jars and double vacuum bags it as a way to ensure cure integrity. I am less picky. It is a good idea, though not neccessary, to leave a hygro in the jar and check it from time to time. I would start with once a week for the first month then, if everything is stable, once every month after that should suffice.
-end article
P.S. - Your welcome..
Phase one. 70% RH: This starts out just like any other time you have done it. Once you have harvested your bud and trimmed it to your liking, hang it in a cool dark place. This is where we will part from tradition. Allow it to hang until the buds begin to feel like they are drying (note the temps and rh as this will rarely be the same during subsequent harvests). They will start to lose their "softness" in favor of a slightly crispy texture. We don't want to allow it to dry until the stems snap. THIS IS WRONG! We want the stems to be flexible. Not totally soft, but not snapping, either. If allowed to dry until the stems snap we risk it drying too much and losing an opportunity to take full advantage of the cure window. You see once the bud reaches the 55% RH range, the cure is dead. No amount of moisture added will revive this. If you are a brown bag dryer you can still use this technique, although I no longer do. I feel it is unneccessary at this point in the drying process. Just make sure you do not over dry. Also, this is a perfect time to calibrate your hygrometers with your new calibrating kit. This phase may take anywhere from 2 to 7 days depending on ambient temp, RH and strain, etc. It is important to be right on top of this phase. Sometimes we will notice thinner stemmed buds getting done quicker. It is ok to take these first and put them in the jar. Just screw the cap on very loosely until the bulk of the bud joins it.
Phase two. 65%+ to 70%RH: This is where the numbers game begins to kick in. Once you have reached the crispy bud/flexible stem stage, it is time to jar it up. Now there are a few options here.. Really you can jar it up just like always. Only, fill your jar 3/4 to 4/5 full so you have room to use your hygrometer. You can leave it on the stem, stem free, whatever. I personally prefer it in it's finished state, no stems. You can leave just a few stems intact for the sake of testing stem flexibility. Also, with more stems comes more moisture. This may fit well with your style, but it also may play havoc if mold is present. Once your bud is in the jar drop in the hygrometer and cap it. Keep an eye on your meter for the next hour or so. What we are shooting for in this phase is 70% RH maximum. If you hit 71% or greater, you will have to take the bud out to dry more. If this seems a little tricky here, it is. The cure, even though we are still in the dry phase, has been happening to a small degree since the moment the bud was cut. Basically now we are juggling time with mold prevention. We want to avoid any instance of mold, but we want to get every second of cure time in that we can. The goal in this phase is to start at a 70% maximum RH and, in a timely and mold free manner, bring the RH down to about 65%. The reason I say "about" is that if there is an issue with mold (i.e. the crop was exposed to heavy mold before and/or during harvest) we may chose to take the RH even lower, like 62%. This won't leave a huge window for curing, but it will keep the bud safe. Ideally, however, 65% will do. Generally you can tell pretty quickly if the bud is still too wet as the hygrometer % will climb pretty quickly (rate: 1% per hour or faster). You will also notice, at this point, that the bud will feel "wetter". That's ok. The reason for this is that while the exposed part of the bud began to dry quicker than the inside during phase one, the inside of the bud and stems retained a good deal of their moisture. Once in the jars (phase two) that moisture can no longer be efficiently evaperated off and moved to a different area, being replaced by dryer air. Once you have determined the RH, which may take up to 24 hours, you can begin burping the jars. This can be done at a rate of one to two hours once or twice a day, depending on initial RH reading. Your room RH, temp, strain, exposure to mold and hygro readings will dictate this for you and wether to go faster or slower. Slower is always better, but precipitating factors, as stated, may trump this.. Also, at the end of this stage is where most commercial bud will hit the open market, if you are lucky. The bud at this stage should have that super sticky icky velvety feel and the 'bag appeal' will be at it's very highest.
Phase three, 60% to 65% RH: Your buds are in the jar and RH is 65% or less. Perfect. The object of the game, as stated before, is to slowly release the moisture from the jar over time. Your buds are now in the cure zone. At this point we are looking for a much slower release than phase two and will shift to a short burp once a week. Your buds will deliver a nice smoke at around 60%, so the speed at which this is done (which translates directly to duration of burpage) is entirely up to you. It is at this stage that small stems should snap in two. It is also in this stage that you will meet true stability, or equalization, in RH. What that means is that the amount of moisture in the stems is no longer disproportionate to the buds, and moisture transfer or persperation (sweat) slows dramatically. This also means it will take much longer to get a true reading from your Hygrometer. A true reading at this point might take up to 36 hours, but that's ok.
So, do you know what your idea of a perfect smoking bud is? If you have followed the phases as you have read them, then this is the stage where you can find out. It may be as specific as a stationary RH value, or even a "window" between different values. Everyone one should know there ideal smoking range. I prefer mine on a slightly dryer cure, say between 55 to 57%.
Phase four - 55%+ to 60%RH: Even though a true cure is far from over, your buds are truly ready to smoke if you wish. They are also ready to face long term storage. As stated before, the cure dies at -55%. It's ok for the cure to be dead if you have reached your desired cure level as later remoisturing can easily bring that bud back into your prefered smoking range. But, you can also continue the cure for long time periods and the trick to this is to stay above the 55% level. Unfortunately even claimed 'air tight' jars will allow bud to continue losing moisture over time. The trick here is to guarantee air tightness. Simon has suggested that he jars in air tight jars and double vacuum bags it as a way to ensure cure integrity. I am less picky. It is a good idea, though not neccessary, to leave a hygro in the jar and check it from time to time. I would start with once a week for the first month then, if everything is stable, once every month after that should suffice.
-end article
P.S. - Your welcome..
You are welcome buddy, always a pleasure to engage with you and all the other open minded fine citizens on this board.And that's if you discover it.. I like erring on the side of dry, as I said for squishing you can always add the moisture after like I did (for 1.5lbs of flower).
That depends on temperature as well, and light. And good morning from across the pond bruv!
Interesting! As always, thanks for sharing your experiences bro!
Right, we have a very interesting and encouraging update. I decided to cheak a few of the jars I opened days back to remove packs from, where there was very little noticeable aroma.
I aired a few of them at the time, others just 30 secs.
And today, I first opened a jar of the Durban, one of the first 2 to dry which we thought weree overdried. This jar still had a humidipak in, and this is the first plant which I said was on the drier side.
And the smell is really good, I didn't even feel the need to take the pack out or air it.
Then I opened a few more which had no real smell the other day, and wow! Aroma coming back VERY nicely! Real fresh, strong, full bodied floral aromas.
Just weren't there the other day. All I did was remove packs, variable air time 30 secs to 8 minutes.
And that has done the trick. I have to conclude that the aroma dies off when the moisture is kept higher. It could even be a feature of the humidipaks to preserve potency by "locking things in".
Not sure, but this is very pleasing to me,,and not a closed case at all just yet. Seems to have worked well overall. My plan now is to leave to slowly dry more, then re-add packs with oxygen packs and maybe vacuum(?), as per the highly knowledgable @Squiby 's advice and approach. Thanks girl for always sharing your side of things, you have so much knowledge and experience and never brag at all.
Had some more thoughts, gotta dash now. Maybe later.
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Your mentor's facebook page has the same press as me for his profile picture
... it's the Canadian Tire discontinued $150 CAD on sale 10ton bench press ... I know you had said you wanted something better @biohacker, but anything you buy from Princess Auto etc. won't be any better ... either way it's generic and re-branded for sale (actually I think Princess Auto and many other places sell the exact same press ... prices range from $150-$400 depending what sticker it has on it!)I'd go with this one over the 20ton Princess Auto or Harbor Freight with a bottle jack, unless one buys a really expensive bottle jack with the pressure gauge.
seaofgreens
My Mind Is Free
Just want to add my own negative boveda experience. I used to use them in all the cured jars as well. I have buds ranging from a few months since harvest to over 3 years ago. Couple years ago I was noticing that the jars from that 3rd year range (1 year old at that point,) had all taken on an odd color/scent. These were jars that were 6 months dry/cured before boveda was added. 6 months later, the profile was completely musty/gross.... I still have a couple nasty old jars of that stuff, but never used it again. I'm a weed hoarder though.
The stuff from 1-2 years ago, I just dry/cured like normal, and they still have great flavor/bag appeal today. Some of my favorite flavors still.
Now the stuff from this past year... I just had way way too much to handle as one person. It took me 2 weeks just to cut all the 1st and 2nd class branches down, strip the fan leaves and hang them in the rafters of a barn, etc. It was so much I just left buds sitting in the plants and gave up by the end.
By the time I finished the rough cut, and started to fine trim, things had been hanging at least 2 or 3 weeks. A couple weeks later, fine trimming and jarring, I ran out of jars for one thing, and also realized that I would be fine trimming solo well past Christmas. Some of the stuff had been hanging to dry for 4+ weeks at that point, so I just took everything else, didn't bother with fine trimming, and stripped them from main branches into buckets.
Few months later, everything is still fantastic, and I have had a fun time grappling with mass quantities. Luckily the weather was such during cut down, (cool and humid) that it took about 2 full weeks for the branches to fully snap. Everything was still a bit too dry by the time I could get to it, but it all tastes/smells great. No hay smell, no nothing. Maybe a bit too dry, but for vaping. Perfect. I would not add boveda to it. The stems snapped clean in half when I got to it, but the buds still squish into a ball, without too much crumble. It is crumbling imo that is indicative of poor rosin squishability. (and potency of course, will determine the volume of resin that will squish out.) But if a bud powders or crumbles when you squeeze it together, I would be curious to try steaming it a bit as @biohacker suggests, and see if that might do the trick. Might try it out today honestly, and see if it makes a batch easier to press and what it does to the rosin. I just put some buds in a steamer for a few minutes or something?
The stuff from 1-2 years ago, I just dry/cured like normal, and they still have great flavor/bag appeal today. Some of my favorite flavors still.
Now the stuff from this past year... I just had way way too much to handle as one person. It took me 2 weeks just to cut all the 1st and 2nd class branches down, strip the fan leaves and hang them in the rafters of a barn, etc. It was so much I just left buds sitting in the plants and gave up by the end.
By the time I finished the rough cut, and started to fine trim, things had been hanging at least 2 or 3 weeks. A couple weeks later, fine trimming and jarring, I ran out of jars for one thing, and also realized that I would be fine trimming solo well past Christmas. Some of the stuff had been hanging to dry for 4+ weeks at that point, so I just took everything else, didn't bother with fine trimming, and stripped them from main branches into buckets.
Few months later, everything is still fantastic, and I have had a fun time grappling with mass quantities. Luckily the weather was such during cut down, (cool and humid) that it took about 2 full weeks for the branches to fully snap. Everything was still a bit too dry by the time I could get to it, but it all tastes/smells great. No hay smell, no nothing. Maybe a bit too dry, but for vaping. Perfect. I would not add boveda to it. The stems snapped clean in half when I got to it, but the buds still squish into a ball, without too much crumble. It is crumbling imo that is indicative of poor rosin squishability. (and potency of course, will determine the volume of resin that will squish out.) But if a bud powders or crumbles when you squeeze it together, I would be curious to try steaming it a bit as @biohacker suggests, and see if that might do the trick. Might try it out today honestly, and see if it makes a batch easier to press and what it does to the rosin. I just put some buds in a steamer for a few minutes or something?
You have to be VERY careful not to overhumidify. I just put the oz in a big bowl and then pass a steamer over it back and forth while constantly stirring and moving the buds with the other. If you squeeze the buds that’s what gets the humidity in there the fastest so be careful. Only takes a few squeezes and when you can just form a ball it’s good to go. However I’d weigh it maybe 2-3 times as to titrate and not go over the 2oz of moisture.