Please refer to the first post in the thread, and post back if you have questions.
Simon
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A perfect cure every time
- Thread starter simon
- Start date
Please refer to the first post in the thread, and post back if you have questions.
Simon
I re-read this part "Cut the product, trim it per your preference, but don't dry it until the stems snap. Take it down while the stems still have some flex, but the product feel dry on the outside. This is a perfect opportunity to drop the dry-feeling flowers onto a screen and collect prime-quality kief that would otherwise get lost in the jar."
a couple times and I think I understand. You hang until the flowers feel dry and the stems still have some flex, and then into the jars with the hygrometers
a couple times and I think I understand. You hang until the flowers feel dry and the stems still have some flex, and then into the jars with the hygrometers
Great thread, Simon. Simple effective and measurable. What more could ya want ?!? I vote Sticky too.
As you've said the Caliber III is excellent. For those that have several jars or need in multiple locations. I would suggest getting 1 Caliber III and then look at theses: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1J9EM23S2FZTKEA6V4R3
They are very accurate and can be calibrated if you ever need. In fact, you can calibrate w/ the Cal III or calibrated separately to double check all. (EDIT: You don't need the Calibration kit. Google to find simple and quick methods.) Don't let the picture fool you; the size is really about like a silver dollar. I've used them for a long time and have been happy w/ them --- kinda cool classic look as a bonus.
Thanks again for sharing -------------- CB
As you've said the Caliber III is excellent. For those that have several jars or need in multiple locations. I would suggest getting 1 Caliber III and then look at theses: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1J9EM23S2FZTKEA6V4R3
They are very accurate and can be calibrated if you ever need. In fact, you can calibrate w/ the Cal III or calibrated separately to double check all. (EDIT: You don't need the Calibration kit. Google to find simple and quick methods.) Don't let the picture fool you; the size is really about like a silver dollar. I've used them for a long time and have been happy w/ them --- kinda cool classic look as a bonus.
Thanks again for sharing -------------- CB
The Chlorophyll smell and taste will dissipate gradually. The less leaf, the more flower mass, the quicker it will happen. OTOH, if the product is overdried, it will always smell like hay.
Simon
N
NicholasSmokes
I like to take a cured oz or so from each harvest and seal in a bag with my Food Saver and then store it in my freezer. What should the RH be for long term cold storage? 55%?
I've never frozen product for storage. Intuitively, 55-60% should be fine, but never having done it, I can't sign-off on the proposition. Let us know how things work out for you.
Simon
chepnut
Member
I picked up a unit off of Amazon and checked my jars and I was to wet. After all these years doing it the same way and I find out that I am jarring it all up to early. I used to be able to get a good cure but it would require a lot of burping and babysitting for the first week. Now I just glance at the jar and make sure the number is cool and thats it. I am starting to notice the smells are getting better a lot faster than they were previously. 
Hey, thanks for the link. What OP is using is a bit too large for me & expensive, so these are perfect. I went looking on ebay to see if anyone offers them cheaper, and found what appears to be the same exact hygrometer. $5 w/ free shipping if you win the auction. No buy it now price.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Analog-Hygromet...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5d28489b49
Here is another one that has a buy it now option & free shipping for $7.00. I went ahead and purchased it. Ill test it out when it arrives, and post pictures, and let you know how well it works. It can also be found on Amazon as well. Carboy, have you ever seen this one or tried it out?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Brass-Analog-Hy...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2eabae3c62
Make sure you calibrate them... I've had similar hygrometers and they were junk.
Agreed. I'd be careful with an analog hygrometer. The ones I tested weren't reliable. This isn't to say that a good analog hygrometer can't exist.
Simon
I think the same can be said of digital ones. Most are junk and price isn't indicative of quality. I like having both to cross check. Much like using digital thermometers --- have a standard mercury one in case something seems suddenly out of whack. Better analogy would be a digital ph pen. Calibrate but have drops as a back-up.
The Caliber III is the class act of the digitals. I've got a half dozen or so of the mech. one I mentioned above. Never had a problem w/ any of them and they are all damn sure more accurate than the digital reading on my dehumidifier.
CB
I can only say that I saw much less variance with digital models. I don't recommend using analog hygrometers, but if they work for you, great. That's what all this is about.
Simon
When a 5% variance makes a real difference, I want a proven product. This is the only hygrometer that I've seen such consistent positive reviews of, and for $20 or less, it's definitely worth it. I'm probably going to be grabbing 3-6 of them before harvest time.
Cannalicious
Member
So, to put in my cents, in my humble opinion:
Not only should you take it out of the buds out of the jar at 70% RH, but should take bud out at a lower RH until you know it's good to seal up.
Why? Even with the hygrometer, you can have uneven moisture in your bud. Bud packed into or just compressing from weight in the bottom of the jar can harvest pockets of water waiting to mold. Big colas collect water too (putting them on the top of your jars help in drying and preserving shape).
What I think that most people do, is over clip their pot. Not only do sugar leaves have trichomy goodness, they protect the bud. If you leave them on, you can toss your plants and minimize the damage to the bud and maximize the airflow through your harvest.
This is how I trim my plants (blue widow) before I put them away for good:
If you are growing for yourself, I see absolutely no reason to clip shorter; you can hash it up later if that's what you want.
Clipping can be a pain in the ass, but I can chop up 2 oz. in an hour looking like above. I sell, and I always sell a 30 oz. ounce. Let's say I want to sell my bud for $350/oz. That = an extra $12/oz I have to pony up. But if I am a business man that charges $355 is anyone going to say no vs $350? For the $355, it costs you $7 to save hours trimming shorter and you preserve the bud!!!
A customer who has consistent quality and knows he has a heavy sack is likely not to clammer back even if it costs "5$" more.
Every once in awhile you get a patient that says the extra 2 grams doesn't make up for the extra stems and shake; I just tell them to save the shake and for every gram over 30, I'll give them double in quality bud. Noone has ever come back from that one and complained.
Remember that we are not a nation of Walmarts and that quality can be preserved at a reasonable price.
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
Chronic777
Member
I can't afford any more hygrometres right now & this is my first ever harvest, after getting 2/3 buds and drying them way too much just sitting on my desk in my bedroom they lost all flavour, so i have to get this right!
Im hanging at the moment & gonna wait until the buds are crispy on the outside like you say, no way am i gonna wait til stems snap as im keeping the buds on the main stems during curing aswell
So my plan is as soon as they go crispy on the outside, into the jars they go & wait until they go moist again, then open for a couple hours until they go slightly crispy again, then close the jars for longer & repeating.... as long as i keep closing the jars for longer each time does this sound good?
When they stop remoistening, then leave jars closed indefinitely?
Im hanging at the moment & gonna wait until the buds are crispy on the outside like you say, no way am i gonna wait til stems snap as im keeping the buds on the main stems during curing aswell
So my plan is as soon as they go crispy on the outside, into the jars they go & wait until they go moist again, then open for a couple hours until they go slightly crispy again, then close the jars for longer & repeating.... as long as i keep closing the jars for longer each time does this sound good?
When they stop remoistening, then leave jars closed indefinitely?
J
jim_browsky
Great thread here. I also use this analog hygrometer above, I
have four and each one will read within 2% using the salt
calibration test in a ziplock bag. I only actually need to calibrate
them once when I receive them and they have stayed calibrated
for more than a year. I switched to these because my digital
hygrometers/thermometer combos were flaky. I wanted
something cheap and found these. They are actually well made
and would recommend them for sure.
