[InducedSerenity]

Originally Posted by rrog

Side note. This thread is one of those classic threads that really dives deep into the detail of one particular aspect of growing. I love these types of threads, and you don't see them often.

Also, these more rare threads always have a champion. Someone who has really studied the system and shares and is patient with replies.

Thanks for being that someone, Simon.

precisely what he said

[Chem&M]

Just wanted to chime in and thank Simon for this. Just got some and they help a ton!! I really appreciate it.

[Animal Mother]

Thanks for the great info, i'm going to use this with my first grow of purple kush which is looking sweet. When you say
" Cut the product, trim it per your preference, but don't dry it until the stems snap"

Do you mean cut it at the base of the plant and then trim it? also, when you say don't dry it, what do you do with it after you cut it down but don't dry it?

Also, when you say "take it down while the stems still have some flex" do you mean take it down from hanging it like i've seen in pics, hanging from a coat hanger or something similiar?

Sorry if these are rookie questions, this is my first grow ever and they came out great, I just don't want to screw up the last part.

Do you trip it up after it's dried and cured or as you say, cut it and trim, meaning trim it right after you cut it down?

Thanks!!

[simon]

Originally Posted by Animal Mother

Thanks for the great info, i'm going to use this with my first grow of purple kush which is looking sweet. When you say
" Cut the product, trim it per your preference, but don't dry it until the stems snap"

Do you mean cut it at the base of the plant and then trim it? also, when you say don't dry it, what do you do with it after you cut it down but don't dry it?

I mean, trim and cut whichever way you prefer, then let the product dry.

Also, when you say "take it down while the stems still have some flex" do you mean take it down from hanging it like i've seen in pics, hanging from a coat hanger or something similiar?

Remove the product from the dying space, whether the flowers are a hanging on a rack, or laying down on a screen, etc. FWIW, I use standing towel racks from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Sorry if these are rookie questions, this is my first grow ever and they came out great, I just don't want to screw up the last part.

No problem. Congratulations on the harvest!

Do you trip it up after it's dried and cured or as you say, cut it and trim, meaning trim it right after you cut it down?

Having tried trimming dry once, I always trim immediately after it's cut down.

Simon

[Chem&M]

My jars have been sitting for about 24 hours. Temp and RH are stable at 72 F and 61%. I bought about 3 more of these last night. Killer Simon!!

.

[rrog]

Once 55% is achieved and sustained over a few days, are there ant thoughts about pulling a vacuum on these mason jars? O2 removal should prolong the bud, reduce decomposition I've read.

I have a little device that gives a partial vacuum and seals mason jars.

[simon]

Originally Posted by rrog

Once 55% is achieved and sustained over a few days, are there ant thoughts about pulling a vacuum on these mason jars? O2 removal should prolong the bud, reduce decomposition I've read.

I have a little device that gives a partial vacuum and seals mason jars.

I take it, you'll be storing the product longterm? If you are, let it sit for a week or so. I may have told the story of my very first cure, when I dried all the product, measured an in-range RH, and promptly packed it away. A month later, when I opened a jar, the flowers felt wet.

Air does serve a function during the curing process, so removing it all isn't great. I have a vacuum sealer, as well, and a Pump and Seal for smaller jars. To be honest, I never really noticed a difference between the product in the smaller jars (some air sucked out) and the .5-1gal jars I typically store in (the entire container vacuum sealed).

Simon

[flatcurve]

Originally Posted by simon

It's a personality flaw; I'm one of those extremely annoying people who always questions the established way of doing things.

When I stared out, the typically recommend curing methods seemed ambiguous. I did my usual, methodically obsessive searching and came across a mention of RH. Then I read a bunch about curing in general, especially the research into tobacco curing, and began noting the correlations between quality and RH. To make a long story short, here we are.

Simon

This was exactly the problem that I was having when I started out. So many aspects of growing this plant have been thoroughly documented down to the very last detail, that it seems careless that the best advice available for handling the finished product was "Dry it until the stem snaps, then put it in jars for like a week or so, opening it once a day."

I eventually found a method I liked, but never really applied numbers and science to it like you have. I'm going to use your method on my next harvest (six weeks away) to see if I like it. I think I'm jarring mine too early, because I need to burp the jars a lot. I get a good product, but that comes with a lot of maintenance.

As far as this particular digital hygrometer is concerned, this is definitely one of the best. I used to grow mushrooms, and these little guys were all I ever used when checking RH. Most hygrometers are wildly inaccurate at low and high RH. Mushroom environments need to be 95%-100% RH. This one actually does a very good job in the upper ranges. I wouldn't use anything else. Very good choice!

[rrog]

Originally Posted by simon

I take it, you'll be storing the product longterm?

Yes. I have a pump and seal system for jars that works quite well.

After the bud reaches the 55% and under range, I'll let the bud sit in the jars for a week before storing. Thanks for that.

Originally Posted by simon

Air does serve a function during the curing process, so removing it all isn't great.

I'll be removing much, but obviously not all. I have no problem letting this current batch continue to slow cure as the moisture slowly drops to below 55%. Maybe a couple more weeks of that. It's S-L-O-W drying right now. Maybe a couple of points a day. I assume slow and cool (55F) is OK rate of RH drop.

Then once at that level, I can maintain in O2 environment for a week or so, and then after all of that time (a month or so) then pull a vac on it.

Sound good? Thanks again for the time you spend with us all.