Translate GreenPassion (powered by Google) | Harvesting, Curing and Processing Cannabis How to get to the end product. | 
01-02-2008, 06:56 PM
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There are many different methods you can try but here I will only talk about a few of them that are more old school and accepted methods then the rest.
First thing its a myth to think hanging a plant upside down will increase THC percentages. That is an old hippy tale. Hanging them upside down is only easy and thats about it. You can cut the plant at the bottom, trim off all the fan leaves (thats if you have not already done so the last week before harvest to increase light and air flow).
I save my fan leaves for making butter at a later date.
Once you have cut down your plant at the base and the fan leaves are gone you can clip your trim leaves as well just store those in a paper grocery bag for drying. The trim leaves are the larger leaves around your flowers (buds) just cut those as close as you can to the flower with out cutting the flower. Those have trichomes on them so keep them also, for your butter making at a later date.
By now you should have just sticks with flowers showing.
Hanging the plant as an easy way to store them for the drying. You keep them in a dry, dark and warm place for about 7-14 day's depending on how big your plant is. If it's too big just cut the branches off and hang them separately. You want air to be able to move around the plant freely to dry evenly but not directly on the flowers.
The next option is to cut the buds off the branches once you have trimmed them. You then use a metal window screen to set the flowers on the dry. You want air movement around in the dry area but you don't want direct air moving across the flowers just passive air. Like a bounce airflow where it bounces off one side and then crosses the flowers works.
Slow drying is preferred but not required (here is where many people will get pissed)
Drying is only part of the process and you can speed up the drying process by about a week or better if you have a cabinet to use. A good dry cabinet is one made with cedar lined walls and door. The cedar will draw out the moisture and keep bugs away. You can use a very small heater and small fan as well just to move the air around. You want to dry the flowers at a temperature around 80-85f that will dry them slowly but faster then if you just hang them in a closet. You get a evenly dry flower ready to cure in about 3-5 day's in a cabinet and if you are drying 5 pounds or more that is fast.
Once you have dry buds (the stems snap) you use glass mason jars like the ones your grandmother used to store preserves when you were a kid. Fill the jars with flowers but don't pack them in you want airflow around them so they cure evenly on all sides.
Check them every day and look for moisture forming on the glass if you see moisture open it up and let them breath for a few hours then close it back up and check it again the next day. Most of the time if they are dry going in you will not have moisture build up but you may so keep an eye on them.
If you have no moisture forming you still need to let the jars breath for about a hour every 3-5 day?s so the gas escapes.
The idea at this point is to get rid of the ammonia odor. That is the chlorophyll being used by the flower, one last-ditch stand to keep alive. You need to rid the flower of the chlorophyll to improve the taste.
(You can substitute brown paper bags instead of the mason jars)
Curing takes anywhere from 10 day's to 30 day's or more depending on several factors and you can't speed up this process at this point. If you stopped feeding them (N) the last 10-day's before flushed this process should not take as long.
If you over dry them you can just add a fresh picked leaf from one of your other plants and that will bring just a small bit of moisture back into them and that's all you want, is a small amount.
I like using fresh parsley, to refreshen my weed, when it is necessary to do so.
Thats about it for trimming and harvesting the real hard part is the waiting for them to cure, you can smoke some after it is dry but it improves with age.
I hope you all find this helpful.
Peace
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01-02-2008, 08:36 PM
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thanks video i will be following this guide line in a couple weeks when i am finally ready for my first harvest. do you suggest using a space heater at about 75 or 80 degree's to help the process along? and no direct air on the drying buds correcT? so no fan blowing on them while they dry
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01-02-2008, 08:42 PM
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Actually jollygreengiant has an interesting thread about a fast cure, that I've personally seen at work, and it's pretty damn good too.
If you use his design, or anything simular, you could add a simple lightbulb for heat.
You'll find it here: http://www.greenpassion.org/f39/bud-drying-box-2660/
Peace
Last edited by jangel; 09-12-2008 at 10:58 AM.
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01-02-2008, 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by IceIceBaBy thanks video i will be following this guide line in a couple weeks when i am finally ready for my first harvest. do you suggest using a space heater at about 75 or 80 degree's to help the process along? and no direct air on the drying buds correcT? so no fan blowing on them while they dry | don't use a blow dryer or your weed will be roasted to hack.importent is no direct light at the buds and some air movement so no mold starts - and of course low humidity is helpful too
either hang it on strings or cut it up and dry it on a net rack or something similar. i found this handy one at ikea some time ago and won't put it away any more IKEA | Organizers | Children's small storage | IKEA PS FÅNGST | Hanging storage/ 6 compartments - 5 bucks well spend
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01-02-2008, 09:54 PM
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Green, I remember you sharing with me some time back, about that net rack you scored from ikea, that is such a great idea too, love it!
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01-02-2008, 10:48 PM
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Originally Posted by green_nobody | too bad theres no ikea anywhere near me and there not available online...gonna check ebay now
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01-02-2008, 10:48 PM
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Hey Green thats a great idea. How much weed can that net rack hold?
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01-02-2008, 10:49 PM
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ebay has them but they cost more but still worth it
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01-03-2008, 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Oleander Hey Green thats a great idea. How much weed can that net rack hold? | a bit more then two pound wet buds if you use the big one - but then you have to use either more fans or you have to shift em over a few times a day.
2 days here and they so dry that you almost have to moisten em for curing. so watch out, that rack is quick.
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01-03-2008, 11:59 PM
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Cool, Thanx man. Found them on Ebay. More expensive but I have a couple on the way. What a great find.
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01-04-2008, 11:44 AM
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sweet..im going to attempt to use the rack. ill put a couple small fans around it and my dehumidifier. just have to remember to rotate buds periodically during the day. i cant wait! its killing me
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01-06-2008, 01:51 PM
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Great information Video, I found this post of yours super helpful.
I have a giant cedar chest and maybe I will use that to dry the buds in
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01-10-2008, 03:53 AM
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niiice, good post, ive been reading up alot on this recently cause its about time for me soon.
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07-11-2008, 10:25 PM
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Originally Posted by videoman Actually jollygreengiant has an interesting thread about a fast cure, that I've personally seen at work, and it's pretty damn good too.
If you use his design, or anything simular, you could add a simple lightbulb for heat.
You'll find it here: http://www.greenpassion.org/f39/bud-drying-box-2660/
Peace | Could not find this link or info. is it gone?
Last edited by jangel; 09-12-2008 at 10:59 AM.
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09-12-2008, 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Newfriend Could not find this link or info. is it gone? | Hi Newfriend. I have fixed the link. You can try it now. There is another one as well in the DIY section HERE. Hope it helps you.
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09-12-2008, 01:32 PM
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i started making a tray and right before stapling the screen on, I went to Ikea and.....
3 1/2 hours after going in, I came out with one of these. What a mess that place is.
Anyhow, I used it to dry an oz and it worked well. 3 days then into paper bags for 2 days then into jars.
Thanks for sharing this great tool at a cheap cost.
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09-25-2009, 03:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Merton i started making a tray and right before stapling the screen on, I went to Ikea and.....
3 1/2 hours after going in, I came out with one of these. What a mess that place is.
Anyhow, I used it to dry an oz and it worked well. 3 days then into paper bags for 2 days then into jars.
Thanks for sharing this great tool at a cheap cost. | awesome post!! jus chopped an tripped 1 of myoutdoor beasts,, hanging in my cab until my sprouts pop.. thanks again..
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10-05-2009, 04:16 PM
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Great information here and simple to follow,, thank you
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11-11-2009, 11:49 AM
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OK so harvested like a QP five days ago... they WERE at optimum microscopically. NOW I THINK I might have the start of some bud mold.... and I am heartbroken. Any tips? Didn't harvest the whole girl though, thank goodness. I had been drying in a wooden box after hanging in dark for 18 hours and yesterday we had the first signs... I will be so SUPER p-o'ed if I have lost it all here....
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11-11-2009, 01:35 PM
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I do not hang in a dark place but in my flower room on lines tacked to the underside of my shelves...I also have a fan pointing away from the buds as this sucks the air away from them and not onto them. I know it should be dark they say, but they are not in the sun, nor under lights, it is just residual light and that is the only place I have room to do it. You MUST have air flowing around them well. Go in and pick any mould off them and hang either on hangers or somehow up so all sides are in the air. and maybe a fan in that area as well.....sorry about that sweetie. I hope it is not all like that, and just a small bit.
One lesson you will learn well, my dear.
Peace
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