[Bobbo4200]

I've recently gotten a Medical Card, & started growing for myself. Before this, I would always store my bud in the freezer. Sometimes it would be really fresh(i knew the guy, who knew the guy who grew it), & after going into the freezer about once a week for it, I did notice it had gotten better.
Im still learning the curing process, but I thought I may have read in one of Rosenthal's books you could freeze dry your bud in about 20 days.
I think for my next plant I will hang upside down for 3-5 days, or until pretty much dry, then I'll put it into jars, then into the freezer. & like you said, you dont have to do too much to it. What are some recommendations on burping/opening the jar while in the freezer, or should I leave the jars open for 15-20 days?

[jus'plain'gill]

Hey Bobbo, congrats on being legal!

As far as curing your recently harvested pot in your freezer, you DO NOT want your stash in an airtight container at all because there is no "burping" to be done. Your freezer itself is a vacuum (airtight) and I actually just put my buds in a cardboard box with NO lid so that the proper process can take place unimpeded.

As for storing already dried and cured pot in the freezer, I don't know much about that except the bit I've read. I store my goods in food storage containers in a cool, dark place.

I am still drying my harvests this way and loving it! Set it and forget it! However, I am having to change things up a little. I have seeded buds that I am drying ala the jar method to make sure I end up with as much viable seed as possible and I am about to go from a perpetual set up to a "fill the floor space and have one good go" setup. That means going from drying a little in my fridge all the time to drying a (hopefully) large hunk all at once. That is sort of daunting considering its the only freezer I've got and if there isn't room for pot-pies I might starve. Either way, rock on



.JPG

[Bobbo4200]

JPG-You can use the freezer to dry, & cure? I chopped one yesterday morning. Im gonna let it hang upside down for two days, then into a brown paper bag for 1-2 days, then Im gonna put it in the freezer. Does that sound right? Do you use the freezer or refrigerator? Thanks again!

[jus'plain'gill]

That sounds about right

I chop my buds and hang them to dry in my drying cab for 3-5 days. Once they are at the proper point (crispy on the outside of the bud with the stem still having some flex, no snapping) they go straight into the FREEZER. All us growers have different growing, drying, and curing conditions. MY buds might dry in 3 days under MY conditions whereas the same buds could take 6 days to dry under YOUR conditions. The freezer method should take out that variable and put all who try it on the same page as far as timing is concerned.

I don't think putting your buds into the paper sack will be detrimental in any way but I also don't believe that it is a necessary step. The idea of the paper sack is to slow the drying process and get more even moisture through your buds so they dry consistently. This isn't necessary with the freezer method because the freezer itself is slowing down drying (in fact a whole other process takes over: sublimation) and you should end up with the most even and proper cure possible.



.JPG

[bird]

nice report. something i will try next time i harvest. stored bud that was bought in the freezer. never thought bout cureing in there tho

[Bobbo4200]

Yeah, I think my buds will dry pretty quick. The humidity is in the 30s

[Bobbo4200]

JPG-Do I have to use dry-ice? If I use the freezer, I shouldnt have to use dry-ice? All that Ive read so far on freeze-drying, is with dry-ice so I wasnt sure. Thanks again
Im gonna do a side by side test as well. I just put the one I chopped last Monday (1-10-11), into jars this morning. One jar went into the freezer-with the lid off, the other Im gonna cure normally

[jus'plain'gill]

Hey Bobbo, my humidity is also in the 30s on average. No dry ice is necessary. I also came across some of that info as I looked for details on freeze drying but as it has turned out I am only going by what I read in Rosenthal's book.

I would still love to hear from another grower's perspective how this works for them. I find that there is nothing lacking in the odor, flavor, or potency departments and the texture of the buds are just right as well. Still, I have no other freeze dried buds to compare my own to so to hear a fellow grower has had success would be nice...



.JPG

[GrowBox420]

jus'plain'gill I really like this method that you have been experimenting with. I think I am going to try this out, its my first grow and its about chop time. I have been looking for some kind of way to dry it without messing with it all the time and this seems to be the way to go.
Thanks again for the post and the constant updates.
Ill post some results when im done... do you have any pics of your dried freezer nugs?

[jus'plain'gill]

I sure don't have any pics. I would challenge any smoker to tell me the difference between the bud I dried in my freezer and the bud I dried in jars though. It has been my experience that I can achieve buds with the perfect amount of "chew" using my freezer. The consistency is just right, firm but with a little bit of cushion when squeezed. A word of caution: your trichomes are at their most brittle when they are that cold so be as gentle as possible when handling your stash to avoid losing trichomes.

Please keep us updated here, a side by side with photos might generate a little more interest :-)



.JPG