Drying in a cardboard box ok?

MangoBud

New Member
I dried my plants in a cardboard box this year. Hung them on wooden bamboo sticks. Don't open the box too much at first, let the moisture and humidity stay in the box to slow dry. Don't make too many holes.
Then start opening the box up.
I've just done exactly the same, tall box. Two rows with bamboo sticks. I have two PC fans blowing on each row from one end.

The fans usually run on 12v but the usb supply is putting 5v shared between the two so they are running super slow. I reckon I should be ok as it just keeps the air moving round in the box and letting it naturally vent out the loosely closed top.

Currently at 67% and 22c after just setting up. Hoping this drops... If not any advice?
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
I use a cardboard box ever time.
Takes about 12 to 14 days to dry never had a mold issue this way.
20200922_154253.jpg20200922_154247.jpg20200922_154213.jpg

The bag has 2 ozs that got prematurely jarred.
 

Mcdoolit

Well-Known Member
Ok, this is how I want to dry my autoflower, because my tent is still being used to finish a grow.
Questions:
Do I put holes in the box or just leave the top of the box cracked?
If the box is in a room w a window unit and ceiling fan, will it be enough circulation for the box?
Do I check them or leave it be? If I leave it be, about how long before I check it?
Could I put the little pieces on a makeshift rack instead of a bag?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

I use a cardboard box ever time.
Takes about 12 to 14 days to dry never had a mold issue this way.
View attachment 4691851View attachment 4691852View attachment 4691853

The bag has 2 ozs that got prematurely jarred.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Ok, this is how I want to dry my autoflower, because my tent is still being used to finish a grow.
Questions:
Do I put holes in the box or just leave the top of the box cracked? No holes. You want it dark as possible.

If the box is in a room w a window unit and ceiling fan, will it be enough circulation for the box? No. Probably not. I bought a tiny fan from ace hardware. Really small. I put that in the box to move air. Make sure it does not blow directly on the buds.

Do I check them or leave it be? I check daily to make sure there is no mold.

If I leave it be, about how long before I check it? Daily

Could I put the little pieces on a makeshift rack instead of a bag? Yes absolutely. In fact that would be a better option than the paper bag. It will dry similar to hanging.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
I responded inside of the quote to each answer. Just easier that way.
 

Merkn4aSquirtn

Well-Known Member
Putting this here for ideas.

Smell proof-carbon filter box


Maintaining 66f and 62% humidity.
Small clip fan at the bottom of the box.
5 rows to hang from. (Can hang 10oz packed)
Two small holes at the bottom for intake (black filter material over the holes)
Carbon filter and fan for exhaust.
(4inch 200cfms)
Costs: 2 boxes- 2.50$ ea =5.00
Wood poles 1.00$ ea = 5.00
Tape 3.50$
Total was around 15.00$
Everything else I had laying around
71146B3B-31B9-48C4-93FA-94B909A833CA.jpeg7F12B5C4-C2BA-417D-8353-07596F2A8903.jpeg
If you had space to store it, that’d be great.
In my case I don’t
So I just remake each harvest.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Putting this here for ideas.

Smell proof-carbon filter box


Maintaining 66f and 62% humidity.
Small clip fan at the bottom of the box.
5 rows to hang from. (Can hang 10oz packed)
Two small holes at the bottom for intake (black filter material over the holes)
Carbon filter and fan for exhaust.
(4inch 200cfms)
Costs: 2 boxes- 2.50$ ea =5.00
Wood poles 1.00$ ea = 5.00
Tape 3.50$
Total was around 15.00$
Everything else I had laying around
View attachment 4709044View attachment 4709045
If you had space to store it, that’d be great.
In my case I don’t
So I just remake each harvest.
Box looks fairly wide.

I'd turn that suckered on its side and put a couple of racks or wire hangers going from one side to the other. All the way down from end to end.

Which is exactly what I did with this box.
20201009_121508.jpg
 

SlurmsMck

Member
I actually incorporate a box in my drying process.

Step 1 - Cut and wet trim (leave long stems on each bud), lay in drying rack in closet(in grow room) with door closed. 65-70F & 55-65% RH. After 4-5 days, Then I put them into a small cardboard box 10" By 10" and 6" high. I close the top as much as I can, if they sit open a crack thats fine.

Anyways I find that this slows down that second crucial stage of drying where I can keep it in this box and check them once per day and toss em around a bit and after 3-4 days they go into jars. They are kind of like the bags system, but I prefer this as there is more room and space, and the cardboard can absorb more humidity so i acts as a buffer holding on to it. and the buds aren't so squished together in the box if you have stems on all the buds still, and you just open and shake the box and go bigger or smaller as needed.The carboard box slows down and evens out the dry so that when they go into the jars now they settle into a nice 60-65% RH range and I don't need to burpbbb jars. As where before after the first 4-5 days I would put them in jars, humidity would spike to 70-80 RH and then when I would take it out of the jars. I would forget about it overnight and the next day it overdried I go back in the jar and it is in the 55 RH range. So it dried to fast overall, had a spike in RH, then ended up too low. Versus a nice slow gradual dry in the second half after most of the moisture is gone where I mold isn't a concern.
Great advice
 

Coodyscoops

Member
Putting this here for ideas.

Smell proof-carbon filter box


Maintaining 66f and 62% humidity.
Small clip fan at the bottom of the box.
5 rows to hang from. (Can hang 10oz packed)
Two small holes at the bottom for intake (black filter material over the holes)
Carbon filter and fan for exhaust.
(4inch 200cfms)
Costs: 2 boxes- 2.50$ ea =5.00
Wood poles 1.00$ ea = 5.00
Tape 3.50$
Total was around 15.00$
Everything else I had laying around
View attachment 4709044View attachment 4709045
If you had space to store it, that’d be great.
In my case I don’t
So I just remake each harvest.
Be careful your genius is showing:blsmoke:

i want to try this out as well
 
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