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How to Properly Cure your Buds - Dry and Jar Method

G

gift of gab

Member
Also I have found a good 6 month to 12 month cure makes better bud than I ever smoked from bought bud.

People (non growers) I have turned on to some cured stuff are always blown away, so much that I have to be careful who I give any to. Don't need people following me around begging fore more.
Click to expand...

You got that right, some strains respond better to the LONG cure than others, not that it negatively effects any strain, but some strains just keep getting better and better and better and better with a long cure more so than others. Im experiencing this with a little blueberry shiva I grew out a few months ago. Everytime I break out the jar, this stuff just keeps surprising me.
 
G

Guest

I have a question which Rasputen touched on...the use of the polycarbonate vacuum jars. Instead of mason jars..is it more favorable to use an jar you can suck the air out of (between burps)? I have both the Vacuvin canisters and the "pump-n-seal" device, which I can use on my mason jars. They both do the same thing - take all the air out. So is this advisable...or does a good cure require the small bit of trapped air between burps? I have been using these air-free devices AFTER my bud has cured, but not during. Any thoughts on this? Thanks kindly.
 
S

SmokeAndBeKind

Member
I have a question, I read somewhere (probably on overslow) that the cure can be monitored with a hygrometer, stuck into the sealed jar to measure the moisture levels. The article I read said that as soon as the bud is dry enough to maintain 50% humidity in the jar then the jar can remained sealed without mold issues, and that is the ideal humidity level for curing. I know they sell little analog hygrometers that are like 1.5" in diameter for use in lizard tanks, etc. and they only cost like $2.

What are people's thoughts on this method, I have never used it, I always just open the jars until the buds "feel" dry enough. I figured this might save some work and be more precise.
 
G

Guest

I use one of those "lizard" hygrometers, stuck to the inside of a mason lid, so I can put it on whatever jar I want.

It works ok, but it's not the most accurate hygrometer - but you get a sense over time how it should read for your prefered dryness.

I also use 50% humidity as my target for "done".

Don
 
RuralRoute420

RuralRoute420

Active member
.

.

i too am using the little RH meter while curing in my tubberware, seems to be working great, takes the guesswork out of it, just take a visual of #'s and everything's cool. i once heard 60%, but now have decided to go with your guy's 50%, sounds more reasonable...
 
Transcendence

Transcendence

Member
What benefit comes from placing the mason jars in the freezer? Is this the ideal solution for the long term cure? All I ever heard about was just placing the jars in a cool dark place, but this sounds interesting. Also some really great info in this thread! Thanks! :)
 
Closet Funk

Closet Funk

CeRtIfIeD OrGaNiC!
Veteran
Everybody has thier own method of drying and curing I believe. This is my method.

1.Cut buds off of main stem (increases drying time)

2.Manicure most of the small leaves and bigger leaves

3.Place buds on magazine and put in a shoe box cover. Drying enviroment should be 65-70 degrees and dark. Also plenty of ventilation.

4.Depending on bud size they are dry from 3 to 7 days

5.Once dry enough on the outside, I begin to manicure more smaller leafs that are crispy dry.

6.If they still feel alittle moist I'll leave them dry for another day

7.Once dry enough I place them in jars

8.I open jars every 12 hours for about a week, rotating buds around.

9.Sometimes I may manicure more so buds can dry a bit more while sitting out.

10.Once the buds are not showing moisture and are dry I then leave jars shut for another week. I spin the jar around and rotate buds.

11.Once in the jar about 14 days the buds are smokable. Waiting longer is better but I say wait at least 2 weeks before starting to smoke.
 
G

Guest

I wonder if commercial growers even take the time to cure there pot. They probably dry it for a week and thats it...
 
wotamess

wotamess

Active member
Young Giver said:
I wonder if commercial growers even take the time to cure there pot. They probably dry it for a week and thats it...
Click to expand...

absolutely doubt it! unlesss they're 'boutique commercial'...

lovely techniques, folks... the only difference with mine is that i hang the branches for a few days before any trimming takes place.
this way i find i can get a cleaner cut as the buds have lost some moisture, and the fans are easier to cut off right at the branch.

later
wam
 
Transcendence

Transcendence

Member
Transcendence said:
What benefit comes from placing the mason jars in the freezer? Is this the ideal solution for the long term cure? All I ever heard about was just placing the jars in a cool dark place, but this sounds interesting. Also some really great info in this thread! Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

TTP, In case the question was missed.
 
G

gift of gab

Member
Young Giver said:
I wonder if commercial growers even take the time to cure there pot. They probably dry it for a week and thats it...
Click to expand...

one of the main reason why commercial herb is in fact "commercial" is the fact that it doesn't get the proper drying and curing that it needs.

No cure, coupled with early harvest = commercial nugs, aka beasters.
 
gregor_mendel

gregor_mendel

Active member
Even commercial grows can be properly cured this way, but instead of using mason jars, use 5 gallon buckets or 32 gallon or 55 gallon tash cans. (used only for this purpose, of course.)
Since you will buy it new, leave it out in the sun with the lid off to speed up off-gassing. The plastic smell will not transfer to the product, but one must remove the product from the can to smell it without the plastic/rubber smell.

GM
 
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G

gift of gab

Member
But the thing is GM, 99.9999% of commercial growers don't bother to properly dry and cure their product, hence the "commercial" quality ;)

Im not saying that they couldn't do it, just that they don't, for whatever reason.

Personally I wouldn't do the plastic thing either, but thats just me.
 
MoSi

MoSi

New member
with my last grow, i hung it in a large cardboard box, zig zagged with wire, everything seemed fine, but it lost its smell. I then put it into jars, when the stems were "snapable" and it began to smell a bit damp.., kindof mouldy. No signs of it though...purely smell. Its been in the jar for a while & were nearly at the bottom of it, so potency seemed to be fine, it just smells of cat wee !!!
 
V

Verger OG

I like to add a recommendaion. Using jars or glass pots to cure, make sure you disinfect them before use using steam. Why risk fungi? I ahve a steam cleaner for this use. It precents mold. if you follow the described rules this will help avoid unneeded touble. It is just a little extra work.
 
NightFire

NightFire

Member
I've been using mason jars for cures, but got tired of opening so many up every day, so I decided to get a few of the gallon size vacuum seal jars for the Food Saver. Throw your bud into em and you only have 2 or 3 jars to open and move things around in instead of 2 or 3 cases of quart mason jars. They cost a bit more than a case of mason jars, but well worth it to me.
 
Druid

Druid

Member
Transcendence said:
What benefit comes from placing the mason jars in the freezer? Is this the ideal solution for the long term cure? All I ever heard about was just placing the jars in a cool dark place, but this sounds interesting. Also some really great info in this thread! Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

I wouldn't suggest putting your mason jars in the freezer unless you are planning on kiffing the bud.... Freezing bud will do nothing for you except make trichomes fall off.
 
G

Guest

Anyone use these methods and in any dessicant in the first few days to jump start the drying, or is that moving too fast for the process?
 
minds_I

minds_I

Active member
Veteran
Hello all,

I have a problem that just occured to me.

I just harvested tonight and the buds are hanging in my cab inside a cardboard box.

Now, after the buds are dry and the stem snaps-I need to jar them and then burp them for a few weeks or so. OK, I am good with this.

What I just relized is that in eleven days I go camping for 4 days.

What am I to do about the burp- possibly leave the lid on losely? Actually, my jars are the wire bail kind so leaving it un clasped leaves the lid just about the jar so air can circulate. I can keep them in a 70* environment the whole time.

What would you do?

minds_I
 
killabrown420

killabrown420

Active member
minds_I If you let your buds dry out properly before you go on your trip they will be fine in the jars for 4 days without burping. If there is too much moisture in the buds still it could be a problem, but 11 days is plenty of time for them to hang and dry fully.

Enjoy your camping trip (bring some "tester" bud from your harvest to enjoy over an open fire)
 
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