I know this has probably been talked about a million times but I figured I’d see what you guys think. Trying to get the drying & curing process down correctly.
So Ive dried till the outside of the bud was crispy, loosely trimmed the bigger fans and kept sugar leaves. Jarred about 75% full and overnight the rh was about 70%.
Does this mean I jarred too early? I’ve taken them out and placed in a baking dish and on my trimBin to “burp”
as many here I’m sure, I wait for the stem snap and try to dry as slow as possible. If you judged only on the outer bud it might be a bitt too moist inside still.
I’ve been talking to a few local oldtimers and they swear that sweating is the way to go. They jar after, but generally (this is how I understand it) they slow dry for a few days, then gather all the buds (on stems still) together tightly and pull a garbage bag over or pile them into a tote. Then after a day if sweating, space em all out for a few days and then repeat the sweating process. I have yet to try, but I’m told it’s much better than the slow dry then jar and burp method. Any comments or ideas?
For my winter conditions that are much like yours , I use the jars for part of the drying process. With such low humidity the outsides dry long before the insides , so I use the jars to continuously redistribute the moisture . Sometimes they are open for a day or more at the start , to only opening briefly or to burp a few days to a week or so later.
As for numbers I can’t offer that. IMHO this is just one of those things you have to develop a " feel " for.
Just wanted to add to always keep in mind that the slower it takes to dry without causing mold and other issues the better. No matter what the conditions
But we don’t jar and burp until they are dry enough for small stems to snap. These guys are sweating while still green, during the hang dry process before jarring.
I’m thinking that the sweating while green during the hang drying process (before jars) helps it dry slower and maybe that’s all it is. These guys are 60 and 70 years old, they’ve been doing it longer than I’ve been alive. They know nothing about the technical aspect of it, it’s just how they were taught and how they continue to do it
You are doing it just fine! Mine usually show low 70s RH when I first jar, and I take them out of the jar for the early burping. As they slowly get drier, burp less. I use various brands of mini hygrometers, one per jar. I like them to finish anywhere between 58-62 RH
I think 70 is perfect for freshly jarred rh. It is slightly above your target, so you didn’t over dry them. I have stored bud at 70 RH in cigar humidors with good results, where I just took a bud out and let it sit for an hour or two and it was perfect. 70 keeps them nice and fresh.
When you dry the bud the very outside gets ever so slightly crispy , if it gets too crispy for too long then that outer bud shall lock in hay taste maybe
Better to sweat from start and get a more nice even dry , never crisping too much the out side , plus it also extends drying time every odd extra day in jar/ bag prolongs the overal dry by a day kind off
