CURING science, harvest

Some THC is converted to CBD’s as trichomes become milky then amber. Harvest when terpene production is high. Indoors a few hours after lights on. Outdoors about noon after a few days of sun. Don’t let flowers lose water. Stand stems in a bucket of water if needed.

Pot cures when cells have high water content and enzymes are still functioning. They break down some chlorophyll and other molecules, free nitrogen is reduced. Enzymes convert xanthophyll pigments to rose ketones (terpenes). The smoke is smooth, not harsh. These chemical reactions are part of modern tobacco curing.

Hang freshly trimmed buds in the dark. Relative humidity about 100%, 70F to 80F. A little continuous air exchange and circulation to remove ethylene gas. Sample daily. After 3 to 5 days, the buds should look and weigh about the same as they started. Dry until almost ready to smoke. Trim buds off stems. Age about 1 week at room temp, airtight. Check daily, burp as needed. Leave open to finish drying. Store airtight and cold to slow chemical reactions that degrade THC. (Or store airtight in the deep freezer right after aging. That little bit of extra moisture keeps the buds intact. Defrost sealed, open, smell, ahhhhhh, just like fresh bud. Frost free freezer is sort of ok, insulate buds to reduce temp cycling.)

Healthy buds don’t mould while curing. Don’t cure buds that have mould. more about mould later.

That should be RH about 90% and temp about 80F.

I get all my weed tested, not just because I have to, but to test theories and old wives tales.
Results show that time of harvest (time of day, lights on or off) has no effect on terpenes or thc content.

ANC said:

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Love that movie haha

So my drying tent should be rh 80%+?

always read it was around 60%
Just hung mine yesterday, now im worried.. Hate that so much conflicting information is out there on growing..

JackStraw74 said:

So my drying tent should be rh 80%+?

always read it was around 60%
Just hung mine yesterday, now im worried.. Hate that so much conflicting information is out there on growing..

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See my sig below. Welcome to RIU lol

I accidently ran into a high temp high humidity situation during drying and ruined my whole crop. It was tried and true Diesel that i've grown for many years. The heat and humidity (89 degrees 90% humidity) killed the smell and thc. I'm still trying to absorb the logic of the high heat high humidity theory. My usual 68 degrees 55% humidity has always worked in the past.

70's natureboy said:

See my sig below. Welcome to RIU lol

I accidently ran into a high temp high humidity situation during drying and ruined my whole crop. It was tried and true Diesel that i've grown for many years. The heat and humidity (89 degrees 90% humidity) killed the smell and thc. I'm still trying to absorb the logic of the high heat high humidity theory. My usual 68 degrees 55% humidity has always worked in the past.

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Your temps/RH are more in line with what works well, 80-90%RH is way too high. Not sure where op got those numbers. High RH and high temps like that are a recipe for questionable end product imo.

I dry at 65-70F, 60-65%RH, nice slow dry over 7-10 days, into a burping tin when it still has some decent moisture in it. Finish final drying through the cure = dank weed every time.

I dry at about 65-70 degrees @ 65 rh i like it to take 10 days or longer sometimes shorter

If possible i like to dry cold but at 65 humidity

Perfect post for my day 1 of drying


Glad i was on the right path originally.
My tent is 76f & 70% rh now, small fan for indirect airflow & my exhaust with scrubber on timer
Going to let rh drop a bit, 65 range..

JackStraw74 said:

Perfect post for my day 1 of drying


Glad i was on the right path originally.
My tent is 76f & 70% rh now, small fan for indirect airflow & my exhaust with scrubber on timer
Going to let rh drop a bit, 65 range..

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Yep youll be happier
Can you drop the temp a bit?

How do you ever get your weed dry enough to cure at anything over 60%?

Bugeye said:

How do you ever get your weed dry enough to cure at anything over 60%?

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It works better going into the cure more like 65% and let them the final couple of % dry off during a couple of weeks of burping. Retains more terps imo. I burp them in large coffee tins, then when they're ready/dry enough to store I transfer them to their final mason jars. Burns better and retains more terps using this method ime.

GroErr said:

It works better going into the cure more like 65% and let them the final couple of % dry off during a couple of weeks of burping. Retains more terps imo. I burp them in large coffee tins, then when they're ready/dry enough to store I transfer them to their final mason jars. Burns better and retains more terps using this method ime.

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I'm still experimenting with tweaking things a little so I'm all ears bro. Do you wet trim or dry trim? I'm a dry trimmer; it seems easier for my sativas.

GroErr said:

It works better going into the cure more like 65% and let them the final couple of % dry off during a couple of weeks of burping. Retains more terps imo. I burp them in large coffee tins, then when they're ready/dry enough to store I transfer them to their final mason jars. Burns better and retains more terps using this method ime.

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Sorry, I was speaking rh in the dry room being higher than 60%.

Bugeye said:

Sorry, I was speaking rh in the dry room being higher than 60%.

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Yeah that's kind of what I was trying to say, if you keep the room higher it takes longer and doesn't get as dry on the vine. You don't want them too dry going into curing. I try and pull them so they have more moisture going into curing, then finish them during the cure. That way you can burp longer until they're in the sweet spot and there's less chance of over drying them.

70's natureboy said:

I'm still experimenting with tweaking things a little so I'm all ears bro. Do you wet trim or dry trim? I'm a dry trimmer; it seems easier for my sativas.

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I've done both wet/dry, not a lot of difference. I tend to leave the smaller sugar leaves, remove the fans, dry, then finish the trim dry before going into curing. Leaving the sugar leaves tends to slow the dry as bit as well. That final trim is the gold for sift and edibles

Bugeye said:

Sorry, I was speaking rh in the dry room being higher than 60%.

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I use a dehumidifier set to 65

Circs the air everyonce and a while and lets them dry slow also i usually dry in a panda film box
So i have to dehumidify as all that wet bud would be bad lol

I usually do it in my unheated basment that stays around 65 works well and the plastic keeps the stink in (for the most part it still stinks though)

GroErr said:

I've done both wet/dry, not a lot of difference. I tend to leave the smaller sugar leaves, remove the fans, dry, then finish the trim dry before going into curing. Leaving the sugar leaves tends to slow the dry as bit as well. That final trim is the gold for sift and edibles

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Agree if they are super dense buds i trim close if they are airy ill trim but leave the sugars to help keep it wet