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coxswain
I apologize if this was already discussed but I'm having problems with drying up my crop this year. Any suggestions on how to do this outside close to my patches? How to avoid bud rot?
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FlyinHawaiian
Member
ive used a 12v car battery with a couple pc fans for circulation in a tent or just with a roof for the hanging buds
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coxswain
Thanks for suggestions ...
Both have some pro and cons.
Endur, would this work even if it rains for couple of days? I'm afraid of bud rot. It sure helps for the first stage of drying since there's a lot less material to carry around. Someone needs to design ultraportable inflatable tent with air circulation support for us guerilla growers
Both have some pro and cons.
Endur, would this work even if it rains for couple of days? I'm afraid of bud rot. It sure helps for the first stage of drying since there's a lot less material to carry around. Someone needs to design ultraportable inflatable tent with air circulation support for us guerilla growers
coxswain
I have used the tarp method last year and yes it will work in the rain. Some of the tips &tricks I learned are from a mentor here at IC mag, Julian.
1. Don’t think as drying outside as end all solution it's a tool in your bag.
2. Inspect buds completely looking inside the large colas for signs of mold before hanging to dry them. No mold before the hang = no mold while the hang.
3. Yes it will work during rain but keep in mind they only get as dry as the air around them so no, they do not "dry" but will loose moisture content to equal outside moisture content.
4. Everyone dries their shit differently and this is only one mans opinion but I would trim or at least big leaf my plant before hanging them. But Endur is right on how its done. All plants are cut in relatively the same size and the buds are left on the plant so you can hang them.
5. Again personal opinion I like to use a brown camo trap to match the fall colors in my area and I like the tarp high off the ground for better air flow and easier to work under. A low tarp means you cant see what’s going on around you while you work under it.
I have used the tarp method last year and yes it will work in the rain. Some of the tips &tricks I learned are from a mentor here at IC mag, Julian.
1. Don’t think as drying outside as end all solution it's a tool in your bag.
2. Inspect buds completely looking inside the large colas for signs of mold before hanging to dry them. No mold before the hang = no mold while the hang.
3. Yes it will work during rain but keep in mind they only get as dry as the air around them so no, they do not "dry" but will loose moisture content to equal outside moisture content.
4. Everyone dries their shit differently and this is only one mans opinion but I would trim or at least big leaf my plant before hanging them. But Endur is right on how its done. All plants are cut in relatively the same size and the buds are left on the plant so you can hang them.
5. Again personal opinion I like to use a brown camo trap to match the fall colors in my area and I like the tarp high off the ground for better air flow and easier to work under. A low tarp means you cant see what’s going on around you while you work under it.
R
Rysam
I have to dry in an old rickety shed that is barely more than that tarp. one thing I have found is that there is a fine line between dry enough and too dry. when I think they need another day, I pull them then and the buds finish out enough between trimming and jarring that they usually come out alright.
Im in a real dry area so I'm sure that makes a difference too.
Im in a real dry area so I'm sure that makes a difference too.
cro_guerilla
Member
Outdoor drying methods and tutorials wanted
Outdoor drying methods and tutorials wanted
Outdoor drying is missing part of our collective knoweldge on ICmag and very actual at moment
In Thread published by Endur we know:
1. The easiest drying method outdoors is hanging whole plants but....
Use cartboxes, closets, pc-cabs, rooms(?!) ect. for drying. One could use fans of some sort and chemicals that absorb moisture, or AC. And trim the herb before drying, its easier, removes a mold-threat and it looks better:
2. Outdoor drying in garbage can with silica gel (or CaCl) and ventilation holes at bottom
Here we need simple and ultimate how to dry this year outside harvest and pros-cons of possible methods?
Maybee:
3. Never exposed to direct sunlight and its THC degrading effects.
https://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/7710Guerrilla_Bud_dryer.GIF
4. https://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/17060trashcan-thumb.JPG
(just sampling first this year flower - promise a lot)
Outdoor drying methods and tutorials wanted
Outdoor drying is missing part of our collective knoweldge on ICmag and very actual at moment
In Thread published by Endur we know:
1. The easiest drying method outdoors is hanging whole plants but....
Use cartboxes, closets, pc-cabs, rooms(?!) ect. for drying. One could use fans of some sort and chemicals that absorb moisture, or AC. And trim the herb before drying, its easier, removes a mold-threat and it looks better:
2. Outdoor drying in garbage can with silica gel (or CaCl) and ventilation holes at bottom
Here we need simple and ultimate how to dry this year outside harvest and pros-cons of possible methods?
Maybee:
3. Never exposed to direct sunlight and its THC degrading effects.
https://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/7710Guerrilla_Bud_dryer.GIF
4. https://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/17060trashcan-thumb.JPG
(just sampling first this year flower - promise a lot)
The only thing I want guerillas to know is that its Lat dependant i.e. location dependant.
In most of the East coast and Midwest the weather turns cool and damp or even downright rainy in the fall months Oct - Nov and if you plan on drying outside well the plants will loose moisture content but will not be dry.
So if your harvest is 3-5lbs the garbage can methods or cardboard box (in my opinion) just doesn’t apply.
To take that one step further with small harvests 1lb and under unless you are a teenager you can find a closet or some other place to dry that amount of weed indoors. It's when the harvest gets larger you become a thread starter of "HOW TO DRY OUTSIDE". You have now outgrown the 1lb conventional methods and need to expand so you and I start thinking, “why not dry outdoors.”
That’s all fine but think about what your lat conditions are Oct - Nov. Cool and damp then counting on finishing outside is very iffy. In my opinion 7 out 10 times you will have to finish somewhere indoors( I count a shed as indoors heated or not). That doesn’t stop me from using the tarp method in this thread it works no doubt it and not trying to scare guerillas away from it just educate them.
my 2cents
In most of the East coast and Midwest the weather turns cool and damp or even downright rainy in the fall months Oct - Nov and if you plan on drying outside well the plants will loose moisture content but will not be dry.
So if your harvest is 3-5lbs the garbage can methods or cardboard box (in my opinion) just doesn’t apply.
To take that one step further with small harvests 1lb and under unless you are a teenager you can find a closet or some other place to dry that amount of weed indoors. It's when the harvest gets larger you become a thread starter of "HOW TO DRY OUTSIDE". You have now outgrown the 1lb conventional methods and need to expand so you and I start thinking, “why not dry outdoors.”
That’s all fine but think about what your lat conditions are Oct - Nov. Cool and damp then counting on finishing outside is very iffy. In my opinion 7 out 10 times you will have to finish somewhere indoors( I count a shed as indoors heated or not). That doesn’t stop me from using the tarp method in this thread it works no doubt it and not trying to scare guerillas away from it just educate them.
my 2cents
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coxswain
Great post(s).
There are also other reasons for drying outside. You're staying at someone else's place because you're moving/renovating/buying new flat/apartment/...
I am thinking about drying outdoor too and this is how I found this tread.
IMHO the biggest problem in drying weed inddor or outdoor is mold.
Mold can't grow at PH levels over 10 and the most molds do not grow at PH levels higher than 8 or 9.
Sow how about to wash or spray fresh harvested plant material in a water solution with PH 9-11 before hanging it up to dry?
That should prevent the plant material to start to get moldy.
There are people ( I am not one of them) who belife that alkaline water with a high PH is healthy and therfore they drink water with PH up to 11.
My assumtion is when these people can drink a glass full of water with PH 11 on a regular basis without getting health issues it should not be dangerous to treat buds with a water solution of PH 10 or 11.
On glass of water 250ml should be enough to treat a medium size plant -let's say 100g dry.
Of course I don have a clue how an alkaline water solution will affect the taste, look, structure, terpnjes, carbinoids but I imagine that it won't have a serious effect.
I only know that in some extractions methodes NAOH is used for de-carboxylating purposes.
So when I use a water solution based on NAOH it might de-carboxylate some of the THC-A which would not be a problem.
Another advantage is that buds which are washed in an alkaline water solution get rid of dust, bugs etc.
Because of this some people specially practise "bud wash".
What do you think about treating plant material with an alkaline solution before drying ?
IMHO the biggest problem in drying weed inddor or outdoor is mold.
Mold can't grow at PH levels over 10 and the most molds do not grow at PH levels higher than 8 or 9.
Sow how about to wash or spray fresh harvested plant material in a water solution with PH 9-11 before hanging it up to dry?
That should prevent the plant material to start to get moldy.
There are people ( I am not one of them) who belife that alkaline water with a high PH is healthy and therfore they drink water with PH up to 11.
My assumtion is when these people can drink a glass full of water with PH 11 on a regular basis without getting health issues it should not be dangerous to treat buds with a water solution of PH 10 or 11.
On glass of water 250ml should be enough to treat a medium size plant -let's say 100g dry.
Of course I don have a clue how an alkaline water solution will affect the taste, look, structure, terpnjes, carbinoids but I imagine that it won't have a serious effect.
I only know that in some extractions methodes NAOH is used for de-carboxylating purposes.
So when I use a water solution based on NAOH it might de-carboxylate some of the THC-A which would not be a problem.
Another advantage is that buds which are washed in an alkaline water solution get rid of dust, bugs etc.
Because of this some people specially practise "bud wash".
What do you think about treating plant material with an alkaline solution before drying ?
Been puffing some buds hung outdoor to dry last year in southern Oregon. Killer smoke
Have to watch the weather very closely. Sometimes you have to sacrifice those last few days of ripening, and chop early to make sure the crop will dry. If they dry outdoors a couple days, they lose a lot of the smell, and can be brought in the barn if needed.
Hunting blinds are perfect tarps if they're waterproof.
Hunting blinds are perfect tarps if they're waterproof.
uthenger
Member
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a very strong base, would attack the plant tissues.
Instead you could use baking soda solution in water (Sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3, European food additive code E500).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_bicarbonate
This could work, also the solution is used as an anti fungal medicine.
Yes NaOH is a strong alkaline substance in principal BUT a water based solution of NaOH is just as strong as concentraded this solution is.
Am alkaline water solutio based on NaOH with PH 10 should be as strong as any other alkaline solution with PH 10.
Sure it is also able to use any other alkaline chemical substance such as NaHCO3.
But I think a strong alkaline substance is better, because less material of it is needed to get obtain a water solution with a certain PH Level and therfore less residue remains in the plant material after the water solution has dried up.
I 've ordered 1kg of food grade NaOH some days ago and I will run some mold tests with it. I will not use cannabis but some plant material which I'll find outside.
If that works I will use this methode on a portion of my harvest this year, because I do not have space to dry indoor, therfore I want to dry outoor but my grow site is in a jungle like wood next to a rive and in October it is very humide there and therfore I have lot's of problems with mold each year.
Purple Jungle
Member
Any updates on the NaOH solution?
Time Bomb
Member
One year I had so much I just laid out some boards covering about 10'×10' and I laid the plants with the majority of fan leaves removed in a pile about 1'-2' high and they even got rained on and it still didn't mold. I usually dry in my garage though and it's not connected to my house so it stays pretty damp and on average it takes twice as long to dry outdoors in the fall than it does inside or outside in the summer and it never gets dry enough to jar for me, my plants need a day or 2 somewhere inside or in giant paper yard bags to finish drying before I would even think about putting it in a sealed container. I've never lost much to mold as long as the buds are checked before I hang them.
My partner and I are planning on drying underneath a tarp this year as well, interesting thread I'll be following along!
