what are ideal drying room conditions?

FlaCaEnt said:

pretty interested in this as we plan on getting our finished producted tested for mold when the time comes. What do you do to fix this issue have u experimented with lower RH to see which works better at all? what were your temps for dry/cure also?

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It's an ongoing problem for me... haven't found an easy cure all. My temps right now are ~70f and rh is ~50 for the first three days and then ~40. Buds are dry within 5-7 days.

Lowering RH really dries them too quickly but that's the route I'm gonna take next. Add another dehumidifier and make sure rh never gets above 40.

I know this is an old thread but for anyone looking to use simons thread as a way to get a perfect cure I wanted to add a link to something that might even be better....

http://www.woodworkingparts.com/1-7-16-36mm-white-mini-hygrometer-insert-fit-up/

opek said:

Is part of the 65/65 that the colder air holds less humidity and thus wicks away less humidity? Have you tried 75/65 or 85/65? What brought you to 65/65?

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What brought me to 65/65 is partly Simon's thread on drying/curing and trial and error. The temperature impacts the rate of evaporation. Too hot and it drys too fast, to cold and it takes too long. For me, 65F is the sweet spot. Just remember, when you are drying this slow, air movement is also critical. As the water is lifted off of the leaves into the air, it stays near the bud. A gentle circulation of air in the room helps pull that wet air away from the buds. Stagnant air that is wet will mold very quickly.

a stable 65%RH is the number Simon mentioned was the magic number where he found that the bud's are safe from mold. I started shooting for that in my drying and have found it to work really well.

I shoot for a minimum of a 7 day dry, but 10-14 ideal. Summer is easy to get 14 days but winter is so dry around here I have to work hard to get to 7 sometimes. This year, I used 18gallon rubbermade storage bins to put my open containers of bud in. Like a little micro environment to help control things easier. It worked well. 5 gallon buckets with lids work well too.

Once I get to a stable 65% I shoot for 59-62% over the course of 30 days or more.

BreezeEazy said:

I know this is an old thread but for anyone looking to use simons thread as a way to get a perfect cure I wanted to add a link to something that might even be better....

http://www.woodworkingparts.com/1-7-16-36mm-white-mini-hygrometer-insert-fit-up/

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I would love to use these, but after reading Simons posts about their dependability, I have shied away from using them.

roasthawg said:

Anyone get their finished product tested routinely at a lab that does petrie dish mold testing? If my humidity is above 50% for the first few days mold is present... not visible mind you, product looks bomb. But petrie dish results are positive.

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I have not had anything ever tested. I can smell it usually before I can see it. That doesn't mean its not there though.. but if I can't see, smell, or taste it I guess I don't worry about it.

in the tobacco community, they generally look for 55-65 Rh and 55-65F temp drying condition, with generally 65-70% RH being the target on the finished product. Personally i prefer the 55F drying temp as it helps it dry a little slower

something that just occurred to me that might give some food for thought. Moisture in the plant material, whether tobacco or hemp, is what gives you your taste and other compounds that you're looking to extract. The theory is that the coal burning (whether in a joint or pipe bowl) is steaming the plant material just downwind from the coal, and that steam is what is carrying the flavors (and probably THC) to the user.

I agree with that assessment cause when the plant material is too dry, whether hemp or tobacco, the smoke is harsh not only because the smoke does not have the flavors but also you're now getting an undiluted dose of the by-products of the coal's combustion ie the tars, arsenic etc, which aren't too tasty.

But the best proof i can think of, supporting the above, re the steam being created carrying the flavors etc, is that basically that's what vaping does, without the combustion process occurring in the plant material.

fwiw

St3ve said:

I would love to use these, but after reading Simons posts about their dependability, I have shied away from using them.

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I think once they are calibrated they are +/- 5%. Not as good as the digital ones that are +/- 2% but for the price difference I'm willing to try and give these a chance. Beats not having one

HygroSet II and xcaliber II are suppose to be the best ones to use but at $20 a pop basically that is a costly investment. I'd ideally like to get one for each jar just to help hit quality standards. I got a crop to cut down in 2 weeks. I'll let people know how they worked for me.

Hi all

Any new expirines based on 65/65?

Triballian said:

Hi all

Any new expirines based on 65/65?

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I am currently running my drying area at 65/60. I tend to hang whole untrimmed plants for 14-20 days before a final trim and jar.

I have a typical dehuey and fan setup. Once the dehuey starts to barely cycle I know I am getting close to final trim. On the last day in the drying room its just fans circulating to get even moisture content.

I basically aim for 60% in the jar first shot, no burbing ,no babysitting.

72F/65RH for me. I dry in my flower room so have both an AC and Dehumidifier. Circulation fans on the same circuit as the dehumidifier so they run when the dehue runs. When I notice the room humidity stabilize a few points lower than 65 for a day (due to the AC also pulling moisture from the air), that usually means they're ready to come off the lines and get trimmed (I trim after drying). Outside of the buds should feel a but crunchy and the stems should *just* crackle a bit when bent. Usually takes me about 7 full days at these settings.

I shoot for 60/60. Usually takes 2 weeks to dry. Works well for me.