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Curing buds that were grown outdoors

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
Here in the humidity of Virginia most outdoor cannabis plants are prone to mold and budrot. And leaf spot septoria.

I've noticed that even when I pull off a decent grow, without mold, that the bud browns when drying and curing.

Last year I pulled a decent harvest of 4 Purple Satellites that finished blooming before any mold could attack. Buds looked decent, not the quality look of when they are grown outdoors, but we're green.
After the dry and cure they turned dark green and brown. Not as brown as the mexi-brick schwag, but not anywhere near the quality of indoor grown bud with the same cure process.

Any tips, ideas or advice will be greatly appreciated.

What can I do to better cure the outdoor grown bud?

Is it possible that there's some kind of fungus or microbe that doesn't show to naked eye, but causes some kinda of fermenting or similar that causes it to darken?
 

Donald Mallard

el duck
Moderator
Veteran
sounds like you could do with adding some heat source and lessening the humidity where you dry ,
i dont know how you are doing it , but if it starts light green and goes dark green to brown , then this could be the reason for it ..
 

Great outdoors

Active member
High heat flash curing will also cause darkening and browning. More so than slow curing as long as there is no previous mold.
 

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
I always remove fan leaf and hang in either an air-conditioned room or in a grow closet. Both are dark in well ventilated spaces. Not sure why indoor grown hanging next to outdoor grown in the same drying space would cause different results. .
Around the time the stem snaps like a pencil instead of bending like a soda straw I trim and go into jars. Then start burping. Unscrewing lids like 4 times a day for a week then start tapering down. How often and long I burp All depending on the dryness of bud

But really I notice the browning starting before going in the jars
 

flylowgethigh

Non-growing Lurker
ICMag Donor
How is the flavor, taste, and effect? I am pretty high right now, and easily imagine a scenario where the chlorophyl somehow disappeared or changed, and the bud smoked/vaped smooth.

That is some pretty heavy jar burping IMO also.
 

Great outdoors

Active member
I always remove fan leaf and hang in either an air-conditioned room or in a grow closet. Both are dark in well ventilated spaces. Not sure why indoor grown hanging next to outdoor grown in the same drying space would cause different results. .
Around the time the stem snaps like a pencil instead of bending like a soda straw I trim and go into jars. Then start burping. Unscrewing lids like 4 times a day for a week then start tapering down. How often and long I burp All depending on the dryness of bud

But really I notice the browning starting before going in the jars


The drying conditions sounds fine so I can only think you are over drying or have mold in there previous to drying that you can not see.
 

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
How is the flavor, taste, and effect? I am pretty high right now, and easily imagine a scenario where the chlorophyl somehow disappeared or changed, and the bud smoked/vaped smooth.

That is some pretty heavy jar burping IMO also.

The indoor always taste and smell better. Not really sure about the buzz, I don't think I notice a difference, but to be honest if I have indoor I'm going to smoke that before the outdoor. Taste and smell is my favorite part.
 

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
I will definitely try to add heat and have it less humid. I will start experimenting.
I just think it's weird that the indoor grown stays green during the cure, because it's hanging next to the outdoor grown in same room.

Thank you to all those that answered!
 

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
I will definitely try to add heat and have it less humid. I will start experimenting.
I just think it's weird that the indoor grown stays green during the cure, because it's hanging next to the outdoor grown in same room.

Thank you to all those that answered!
Personally that is something I would not do! I believe we have read enough horror stories to validate my point :tiphat:
 

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
I would use a de-humidifier, until the buds were dry enough that they were out of the "mold danger zone".

If I mess around with heat and humidity levels to fix the outdoor issue, what do you think will happen to the indoor bud that's hanging next to the outdoor. The indoor is drying and curing correctly, will the indoor get worse, while the outdoor gets better?

Sorry guys, I'm outta rep. I'll hit y'all when I get re-upped
 

vanilla dutch

Active member
experimenting works .. but outdoor usually is darker from what ur talkin about. the indoor is probally greener due to the environment.Donald Mallard gave some good advice.
 

Tynehead Tom

Well-known member
my indoor and outdoor curing methods are the same.
-First while the plant is still standing..... take all fan leaves and leaves with a visible stem.
-Trim off the tips of anything that isn't frosty.
-chop the plant and hang it in the drying room.
I have a room with lines strung across and strings hang down with loops on the ends for attaching to the plant. This lets the plant move and slowly spin with the air currents from the fans.
-for first 2 or 3 days (depending on plant size) I keep temp at 78F with high airflow and exhaust
-after 2 days the plants should be fully wilted and I turn the temp down to 72F maintaining high airflow and exhaust.
-by day 5 I set the temp at 68F, fans turn to low and exhaust stays on.
after day 5 I go by feel, gently touching the flowers at top and bottom. Once the leaves feel dry and stems are near dry and have a snap to them.... it's time to paper bag sweat.
-all flowers are removed from stems and brown paper bagged, filling bags 1/2 way , no more.
-the bags are closed for first 24 hours and then opened for 12, closed for 12, alternating until the flowers have reached a nice cured feel and a probe in a sealed bag reads 65 RH

-Then the flowers are trimmed and jarred in glass mason jars.
-These will need to be opened for a few hours each day for a couple days. I test doneness by lightly pressing on the flowers in the jar. If they feel spongy, they are not done. If I press down and the flowers feel solid in jar..... perfect!!

it's a perfect cure everytime. I think going from the stem to the jar is a mistake and causes some fermentation? Try going from stem to paper bag..... then to the jars
 

'Boogieman'

Well-known member
I think it's more of a sativa thing. My Durban Poison cured brown last year, my special kush#1 turned a lime green and yellow.
 

prune

Active member
Veteran
I'm thinking the outdoor does have some kind of microbes on them that causes the difference.

Your buds have wafted around in the outdoor air for months, like little airfilters collecting dirt and mold spores all summer long. Once you harvest, the plant immune system ceases to protect against that exposure and all those natural decomposers go to work "moldering" your bud.

I would suggest a faster initial dry, or better yet, grab a UVC light and treat your plants pre and post harvest.
 

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
Your buds have wafted around in the outdoor air for months, like little airfilters collecting dirt and mold spores all summer long. Once you harvest, the plant immune system ceases to protect against that exposure and all those natural decomposers go to work "moldering" your bud.

I would suggest a faster initial dry, or better yet, grab a UVC light and treat your plants pre and post harvest.

That's what I was thinking you just said it sciencier. Lol.
Uv is an idea. I may look into that.
 
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