Dry & cure method for those who hate to trim

[Capt C]

I have a new method i have been using the last few times that works rely well. The total time on this is 30 days and it is divided 3 ways. A day or two before harvest cut off all fan leaves that have no tricombs and leave the remaining on the plant. First is hang time usually 5-7 days. Second step is to cut the branches with the buds on them to roughly 6-8" long depending on the size Tupperware container you use. I use like 9"x9"Tupperware container. I lay the pieces in the container about half full or a little better than half way. Leaving the stems on rely slows the drying process. Each container has its on hygrometer laying on the top. You can open them maybe a couple times a day and completely turn the flower over in the container. Depending on your hygrometer reading you will either have the lid on strait or have it partially open to reduce humidity. This just takes a little practice not hard. Okay so the second step is roughly 2 weeks long. It has been 3 weeks since the plant has been cut it is now time to do final trim and into jars for the last week of this method. The rely cool part about this method is most of all the sugar leaves are so dry they practically fall off when trimming. Never had trimming so easy.

 

[Prairiefarmer]

You go thru a bit more work than me,but i can see it has its merits.I'm a big fan of trimming nothing off,maybe fans,and hanging.Dry trimming is the easiest,and the best Imoi.I like that the sugar leaf basically falls off,like you said

 

[Capt C]

You go thru a bit more work than me,but i can see it has its merits.I'm a big fan of trimming nothing off,maybe fans,and hanging.Dry trimming is the easiest,and the best Imoi.I like that the sugar leaf basically falls off,like you said

If you get a chance please share your method. I am always open to doing less work. My hang time was to short this time and the Tupperware did work me some. I am always paranoid of getting it to dry.

 

[Erick31876]

Do the buds get flat from laying in the tupperware containers? I used to use a couple of those mesh drying racks but stopped using them because my buds would get flat from laying on them, i tjink they look better from hanging them. I know lpoks arent that important but you all know how picky some people are

 

[Capt C]

Do the buds get flat from laying in the tupperware containers? I used to use a couple of those mesh drying racks but stopped using them because my buds would get flat from laying on them, i tjink they look better from hanging them. I know lpoks arent that important but you all know how picky some people are

@Eric i put gloves on and just reach in and rotate them 180 once a day or you can use a empty Tupperware container the same size and just do a quick flip. This load was a little hot(wet) i was rotating a few times a day. Finally starting to calm down a little. You are using the lid as a throttle for humidity.

 

[Erick31876]

Ok i see now, i never rotated them since they were on a mesh screen basically,it was enough air to dry it but frpm not turning them they got flat.

 

[Old ST1R]

I see you have a couple different hygrometers. Do you prefer one over the other?

 

[Capt C]

I see you have a couple different hygrometers. Do you prefer one over the other?

No not rely just the cheap Chinese ones. Maybe once or twice a year i wrap them all up in a moist towel then inside a Ziploc bag for a hour or so. They should all be reading pretty close to 99%. Wala all calibrated. Not rely sure how long it lasts but they stay pretty close for a while.

 

[Erick31876]

No not rely just the cheap Chinese ones. Maybe once or twice a year i wrap them all up in a moist towel then inside a Ziploc bag for a hour or so. They should all be reading pretty close to 99%. Wala all calibrated. Not rely sure how long it lasts but they stay pretty close for a while.

I always Wondered if there was a way to calibrate them or check the calibration good idea

 

[Capt C]

I always Wondered if there was a way to calibrate them or check the calibration good idea

I remember reading that in a book. I just don't remember which one. I started doing it out of frustration with them being all over the board in readings.

 

[Erick31876]

I remember reading that in a book. I just don't remember which one. I started doing it out of frustration with them being all over the board in readings.

Im gonna start doing that. Thanks for the info

 

[crimsonecho]

No not rely just the cheap Chinese ones. Maybe once or twice a year i wrap them all up in a moist towel then inside a Ziploc bag for a hour or so. They should all be reading pretty close to 99%. Wala all calibrated. Not rely sure how long it lasts but they stay pretty close for a while.

Thats good i should try that. I got two and one reads 8% off. I don’t know which one

I hang dry. My environment is pretty humid. This harvest took 17 days for me to start trimming. But the branches were not snapping at all. Still bendy all the way. I can probably just hang cure them as they are. And go straight to jars. Without any burping. But needed to prep the tent so i had to bag it. So in the brown bags they went.

I’ve been using this technique for the last two three harvest and its very easy just hang as it is and bag prior to snap to sweat them off. As the plant dries the leaves hug the buds and keep them from drying too fast.

 

[macsnax]

If you get a chance please share your method. I am always open to doing less work. My hang time was to short this time and the Tupperware did work me some. I am always paranoid of getting it to dry.

It is worthy of being paranoid about, once it gets too dry no more cure. How would you say your buds are coming out flavor wise compared to a normal hang/dry?

 

[macsnax]

No not rely just the cheap Chinese ones. Maybe once or twice a year i wrap them all up in a moist towel then inside a Ziploc bag for a hour or so. They should all be reading pretty close to 99%. Wala all calibrated. Not rely sure how long it lasts but they stay pretty close for a while.

That's a handy lil piece of info, did.. not.. know that, lol.

 

[Capt C]

It is worthy of being paranoid about, once it gets too dry no more cure. How would you say your buds are coming out flavor wise compared to a normal hang/dry?

@Mac i have not noticed any difference in smell and taste. I am pretty sure i have slowed the drying process using this method. What i did notice was a huge difference in the ease of trimming. The first time i attempted this method i got the product to dry. I was leaving the lid partially off for to long. Now i just set it on strait and i pull the lid off and fan the contents several times a day.

 

[Capt C]

Thats good i should try that. I got two and one reads 8% off. I don’t know which one

I hang dry. My environment is pretty humid. This harvest took 17 days for me to start trimming. But the branches were not snapping at all. Still bendy all the way. I can probably just hang cure them as they are. And go straight to jars. Without any burping. But needed to prep the tent so i had to bag it. So in the brown bags they went.

I’ve been using this technique for the last two three harvest and its very easy just hang as it is and bag prior to snap to sweat them off. As the plant dries the leaves hug the buds and keep them from drying too fast.

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Hey @Crimson welcome! You are so lucky being able to hang that length of time. I struggle in my environment getting past 5-7 days on the hang. I need to figure some thing out to be able to hang the whole plant. I am sure i could get a much longer hang time if that were the case. Love your avatar Don Quixote

 

[crimsonecho]

Hey @Crimson welcome! You are so lucky being able to hang that length of time. I struggle in my environment getting past 5-7 days on the hang. I need to figure some thing out to be able to hang the whole plant. I am sure i could get a much longer hang time if that were the case. Love your avatar Don Quixote

Thanks

Yeah man. I know i’m lucky and its not suitable for everyone definitely. I’ve seen this technique where people use big trashbags to hang the plants whole in dry climates. I never used it so i don’t know the intricate details but i think the stems that reach outside of the bags act as a wick and the trashbags itself actually breathes a little bit. I mean you can always poke some tiny holes with a needle. Don’t know it may be worth a try.

 

[macsnax]

@Mac i have not noticed any difference in smell and taste. I am pretty sure i have slowed the drying process using this method. What i did notice was a huge difference in the ease of trimming. The first time i attempted this method i got the product to dry. I was leaving the lid partially off for to long. Now i just set it on strait and i pull the lid off and fan the contents several times a day.

Interesting technique anyway man. Anything to make trimming easier, lol. I've been thinking about trying the trimbag, but I can't bring myself to be that rough on my buds.

 

[Capt C]

Interesting technique anyway man. Anything to make trimming easier, lol. I've been thinking about trying the trimbag, but I can't bring myself to be that rough on my buds.

IMO that is one of the the things that separates us from the dispensary buds. Yes trimming is a pain in the ass but at least with this method it sure makes it easier. The real learning curve of this method is using the lid to throttle the humidity. You are trying roughly to keep the product in the Tupperware for 2 weeks. And if your humidity starts getting to low you may have to go to the jars a little early.

 

[macsnax]

IMO that is one of the the things that separates us from the dispensary buds. Yes trimming is a pain in the ass but at least with this method it sure makes it easier. The real learning curve of this method is using the lid to throttle the humidity. You are trying roughly to keep the product in the Tupperware for 2 weeks. And if your humidity starts getting to low you may have to go to the jars a little early.

That's exactly it. Hand trimmed and a good cure will beat most dispo buds just about everytime. I'm always searching for a better way, but it's been like this for a long time for a reason.