noticed a trend...

[PoopyTeaBags]

every and anytime that i have had a branch break off or cut a plant whole and hung it till completely dry it was by far the best weed out the batch... it also took twice as long to dry if not more... it basically cures itself and when its dry its done and ready to go...


its super sticky and super smelly...

anyone else ever realize this??

 

[BrownThumb]

I think some people feel it is more difficult to trim when dry. I have done it both ways and agree with you. If you want a pleasant treat, freeze dry it, but beware of over drying. It can take months, depending on how often you pull your crop out and let it breathe (let it get some fresh air). But, it was the best tasting smoke I ever grew and it was noticeably tastier than the stuff that mostly got trimmed wet. Nobody seems to talk about this method for some reason and maybe there is some downside of which I am not aware. But, however, yet, I can't think of what it would be, other than requiring patience and enough pot to get you through the curing process.

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

the only down side i noticed is were it would be dry in 7-10 days drying. a whole plant esp on the size could take a month or more...

 

[RugerBaby]

My very first harvest, was trimmed then hung to dry. Came out ok. Second harvest came, and I chopped the whole plant from the base and just hung that mofo like that, been doin it like that ever since. Stanky shit indeed.

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

i think im gonna call this technique the "natural cure"

 

[al-k-mist]

Dont know where I read it but definitely read that trimming fresh = potency, trimming dry=flavor. makes sense.
It is harder, in my opinion, to do it after its dry.
This time we did it both ways. Some got too dry hanging, some was perfect.

Another thing to consider is the trim, making bubble. frozen fresh trim works best

 

[BrownThumb]

Dont know where I read it but definitely read that trimming fresh = potency, trimming dry=flavor.

So, the crystals are more likely to fall off when the buds are dry, is that the idea? You'd think that the longer the leaves are on the plant the longer the buds are at least partially protected, therefore if anything, just due to the buds themselves being touched slightly less...you see where I am heading.

 

[cyat]

for shure

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

i believe it cures itself dry.... natural way to cure a plant.. .just cut the main stalk and hang till dried...

 

[ForestBuds]

Good observance. I've noticed that natural cure branches do give out little extra oomph in the smell department like OrganicBuds mentioned. It's strain depend on whether it's pain in the ass to trim or not. Trimming it fresh will get you lots of scissor hash and minimal trichome loss with a very clean bud look. Natural cure trimming bursts trichomes everywhere that can be easily trapped with the right set up. I guess it's a pro and con thing for both methods. I like both methods.

 

[DTFuqua]

Long ago in in a far away land, we used to just hang it till dry cured and lightly brush the little leaves from the buds. When dry, the little sucker leaves will crumble up and make something to smoke while preparing your stash for whatever end you have in mind for it.

 

[unclefishstick]

i noticed with those sativa heavy strains its much easier to dry the whole plant and then go back and finger pluck all those little leaves off but the indica dom buds still seem easier to wet trim.

 

[SeaMaiden]

the only down side i noticed is were it would be dry in 7-10 days drying. a whole plant esp on the size could take a month or more...

It shouldn't take that long just because it's a whole plant.

I've been doing 8'-10' plants whole from the get-go, and unless it's quite rainy, wet and humid they dry in about 7-10 days, which in my opinion is ideal. Then I cure, and I personally prefer 2mos for curing. For curing the plant is at most broken down and slightly deboned, the buds are never removed and neither are the fan leaves that remain.

Since I've only done one grow trimming fresh then drying the buds on a string, and another I pulled them off and let them dry on a tray one time, I can't say that I've noticed a huge difference in the other areas (smell vs potency). I smoke all day long, so I don't really get high (I also don't get red eyes, munchies, or cottonmouth), and ever since the rattlesnake bite I haven't had such a good sense of smell. That's what, 0 for 2?

I need others to give me the input on these parameters. Otherwise, my goal is to achieve as close to zero kief/shake as I can, and I get none. I get trim and that's it.

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

It shouldn't take that long just because it's a whole plant.

I've been doing 8'-10' plants whole from the get-go, and unless it's quite rainy, wet and humid they dry in about 7-10 days, which in my opinion is ideal. Then I cure, and I personally prefer 2mos for curing. For curing the plant is at most broken down and slightly deboned, the buds are never removed and neither are the fan leaves that remain.

Since I've only done one grow trimming fresh then drying the buds on a string, and another I pulled them off and let them dry on a tray one time, I can't say that I've noticed a huge difference in the other areas (smell vs potency). I smoke all day long, so I don't really get high (I also don't get red eyes, munchies, or cottonmouth), and ever since the rattlesnake bite I haven't had such a good sense of smell. That's what, 0 for 2?

I need others to give me the input on these parameters. Otherwise, my goal is to achieve as close to zero kief/shake as I can, and I get none. I get trim and that's it.

well drying in a controlled enviroment and drying outdoors is two totally different things... ive never seen a plant dry fast like that unless it was next to a dehu or a fire place lol... If you dont dry outside im sorry for misreading but i notice just in my home alone...

take a bud upstairs drys out over night.. .leave shit down there drying at about 50% humidity takes alot longer to dry esp if its a whole plant and leaves are on it.. seems when leaves are left on the plant it takes way longer to dry... which is the cure just my observation over the years.

 

[SeaMaiden]

I dry in my basement *if* I can. But it's open, with bare earth (which is part of what makes it great for curing IF it's not too wet), and if it's very rainy then water comes through, right over the dirt. It is at those times that I have to move things inside, which is quite a proposition. It STINKS and I have to dedicate an entire bedroom to it, and I absolutely must run humidifiers because with the home heating the RH is far too low.

Either way, in my world a relative humidity range of 50%-55% for drying is ideal, and 60%-65% for curing is ideal. I want drying to take around a week, ten days is a little better, because I feel it gives a better product overall and that there is less likelihood to get that grassy or hay smell.

Oh, my other 'thing' with regard to drying and curing is darkness, along with air movement. I haven't used jars since my first grow, went to paper bags and plastic bins. No burping in my life, the bins and bags don't seal. That means that as long as RH is controlled, nothing molds.

I dried once outdoors, last year, and I HATED it. Too much light, they dried in just a couple of days, got full of weed seeds, and I was injured so doing stuff was a real pain. I like the basement.

 

[cannabis love]

IMO, hanging the plant whole for a week or so and then brown-bagging them for another week or more before putting the buds in jars does the trick for me. They smell great and they aren't so bad to trim after all.

 

[Penguin59]

Hi there Poopy!

That sounds about right mate, the more stem and leaf matter you leave on the plant while drying, the more moisture the plant will retain as a whole and will extend the drying time as a result.

Not sure of the science behind it but using this method and allowing the plant to dry for longer before curing it will always give the grower a smoother smoke.

Penguin

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Perhaps I'll hang a branch this go around... I just think I remember not liking the pulling off dead leaves part.

Been trimming wet and hanging branches to dry since the beginning. No matter what strain, this stuff is always super dank, potent and smelly. Can't imagine it getting any danker, but hey.

I do try to keep all dry times about a week in length.

Stay Safe!

 

[Brother Bear]

When i stopped growing in my closet, i was to busy/lazy to trim. So i just turned off the lights, pulled my gear out of the closet, and left the plant to die. As i needed herb, i just cut/trimmed off a branch. Smoothest cure i ever had. Never got to dry either, even after a few months in there. I definitely think your on to it PTB.
I got a bit more drying space now, think i'm gonna try this a few more times for my headstash

 

[The Revolution]

I dry similar to that method. I take off the 'sun leaves' that grow from the main stem while in the field. I leave all of the bud leaves on until after it is mostly dry. I feel these bud leaves protect the flowers throught the drying process, and keeps most of the trichomes intact when being handled, and hung. I hang entire branches also, Once the branches are dry enough that they crack when bent, I start manicuring the buds and removing them from the stalks. They might lay out for a day or two, or sometimes they go straight into jars for the burping, and removing the small amounts of moisture, before they are finally sealed up for cure.
I get countless comments and remarks about my flowers taste, and how nicely they smoke. I believe the drying and curing process is atleast 75% of the importance in the entire grow. And one of the most important steps in the entire process.