# Curing Question



## Gadhooka (Nov 22, 2007)

Hey everyone,

I've been curing for 16 day's now and I'm starting to see really tiny grey spots on a very few of the buds. 

Should I just open my jars for 3hrs a day for a week or should I leave them open for a day.....? 

How can I know when my buds are at 10 - 15% moisture content?

Thanks


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## Lil Elvis (Nov 22, 2007)

Hello,
Almost sounds like mold but hard to say without pictures.
Well this is what I do, but we all do the same things differently 

When I harvest, I cut and trim the branches and hang to dry.  They dry till they feel crispy crunchy on the outer leaves.  I then trim off the buds into jars.  One point is to only fill the jar 1/2 to 3/4 full, leaving an air pocket.  You should be able to shake the buds around in the jars with room to move.  Then everyday I empty the jars and air out the buds for 30 to 60 minutes.  Then I put them back again.  I do this till I get the feel I like.  Sometimes as much as three weeks.

I personally like mine a little on the damper side but that's just me.  

Here is a expert of DJ Shorts Curing methods.  Hope it helps:


_________________________________________________________
[FONT=&quot]Cure Your Medicine by DJ Short

Proper curing can exponentially increase the quality and desirability of your harvest. The key word to remember is "slow". 

*Dark & Dry *

After cutting the plant or branch, hang it upside down in a cool, dry, and most importantly dark place. Light must be avoided from this point on. Leave the larger shade leaves on and they will gently droop and wrap around the plant, protecting the buds. 

The time to the next step depends on how dry your hanging area is. This requires regular checking to determine when to proceed. When the larger shade leaves become dry and brittle to the touch it is time to gently clip them off. 

Re-hang the branches in the drying room and regularly check them until the smaller leaves and bud tips become dry and brittle to the touch. It is then time to remove the buds from the branch and remove the rest of the leaf material as best as possible. This is what is referred to as "manicuring". 

Now you have a few choices as to what to do with your manicured buds. The buds should still be a little wet at this point, especially on the inside, but the outer part of the buds should be starting to feel dry. Some of the buds, the smaller ones in particular, might even be smokable at this point. 

If you are in a more humid area, or if the buds are still feeling heavy with moisture, you may want to try placing them on a suspended screen for a little while. This will help to hasten the drying process. Once again, regular checking to decide when they are ready for the next stage is crucial. This is also a skill that is developed more with time and experience, so practice! 

*Brown Bagging It *

Once the buds are crisp on the outside but still moist on the inside it is time for the next step in the process: the paper bag. I like to use brown paper shopping bags due to their not being bleached, an unwanted chemical. 

Simply fill a paper bag a few inches deep with the manicured buds. Don't pack the buds down and do not fold the bag too tight. A few small folds at the top of the bag, like a lunch bag, should suffice. 

If the buds are a tad wet or if humid conditions dominate, you might want to consider cutting a few small holes in the bag, above the level of the buds, for ventilation. 

As with proper manicuring, regular checking is key. The bags should be gently shaken, ever-so-carefully turning the buds, at least once a day. As the buds dry they will naturally compact into the self-preserving state that we all know and love. It is at this time that the buds can be more compacted together and the bag folded down tighter. They should now be fully smokable, though perhaps still slightly damp at the core. 

The entire process, from harvest to these first smokable products, should take anywhere from two to four weeks, depending on your climate. Extremes in climate, such as very arid deserts or tropical humid areas, may take more or less time. There is no substitute for consistent, hands-on checking. 

*The Final Stage *

A final curing stage, preferred by most connoisseurs, involves sealable jars. The nearly ready buds are transferred from the bag to the jar, packed in very loosely, and the jar is sealed. It is very important in the early jar-stage to check the buds at least once a day. 

I like to dump them all out of the jar and gently fluff them up at least once a day at first, then less often as time progresses, usually for a week to ten days. It is important to be as gentle as possible so as not to damage too many of the resin glands. After a week or so all I do is simply open the jar and check the buds on a daily basis. 

*Watch for Mold *

The main thing to watch (and smell) for throughout all of the curing process is mold. Whenever mold is found it must be dealt with immediately. The moldy bud needs to be removed, and the rest of the product needs to be exposed to a drier environment for a while. 

The simplest solution is to go back one step. For example, if the mold was detected in the jar stage simply put the rest of the product back to the bag stage for awhile (after removing the contaminated product from the batch). If the mold is detected in the bag stage, go back to the screen. The screen is the driest process that I know of. If problems with the mold occur prior to this, a dehumidifier in the drying room may be the answer. Aside from watching and smelling for mold, always remember to keep the product in the dark. 

*Ready to go! *

A bud is completely dry, cured, and ready consumption when the stem in the middle of the bud snaps when the bud is cracked with the fingers. The snap is easy to detect with practice. It is at this stage that the product can safely be sealed and stored for an indefinite period of time. 

The longer you can stretch out this process, while also avoiding mold, the better. I like when it takes six to eight weeks from harvest to the finished product. You will be able to detect the fragrance of the product becoming more and more desirable as time progresses. [/FONT]

(Sorry man, I had to remove the words "Or for sale". We don't even discuss that aspect of weed here on this site. Thanks man, - Stoney)


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## Ekoostik_Hookah (Nov 22, 2007)

if you put it in jars, your not really supposed to leave an air pocket, you want to fill it with buds, and apply light pressure to push them all down.
   when you dry, you want to dry the buds untill the stems snap; when you bend them.
   Then cure, and sweat out the buds, and open it every day, and dump them out, then put back into jar.


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## Growdude (Nov 22, 2007)

Ive allways left air in the jars, packing then too tight is good way to get mold.


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## Stoney Bud (Nov 22, 2007)

Lil Elvis, I only see one problem with your description. Shaking or dumping out your buds every day is way too much handling. The trichs get knocked off easy. You should always try to handle your weed as little as possible and never shake it up.

Just open the jars or baggies and let the air circulate for a half hour.

Close it back up and do it again the next time.

Your bud will love you for it.


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## Lil Elvis (Nov 23, 2007)

LOL!  Well...I didn't mean to imply that you shake them like salt shakers!  Was more of a way to help visualize what I was saying about an air pocket.  

I agree that it helps prevent mold.  I also feel that you need to move them around for a more even and faster cure.  There will be more trichomes that break off but that seems a minimal concern compared to possible mold or bud rot; I don't like smoking mold.

We all achieve the same goals...just in different ways.  Its cool to hear how others do things.

Lil Elvis


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## Gadhooka (Nov 23, 2007)

Alright, thanks for all the responses.....I do have some air space in the jars.....I'm not taking them out of the jars everyday because, like Stoney says, too much handling.  I just roll them around in the jars until they seperate from eachother.

I'll probably just open them up as much as I can (between 1 and 4 hours/day or so) until the stems snap again, and nip this mold in the bud....literally! hopefully!

Really there is so little mold that most people wouldn't have even seen it yet.  So if I'm proactive, I think I will be fine.  Unfortunately situation factors prohibit me from laying the bud out anywhere for any extended period anymore.

On another note, this curing is tricky....trying to find that fine line between not letting it mold and not letting it dry out too much is TOUGH for a novice.  It's really an art!

I'll update this thread in a couple of weeks or so and let ya know if I manage to save it   or not:hairpull: 

Thanks again all


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## Growdude (Nov 23, 2007)

Gadhooka said:
			
		

> Alright, thanks for all the responses.....I do have some air space in the jars.....I'm not taking them out of the jars everyday because, like Stoney says, too much handling. I just roll them around in the jars until they seperate from eachother.
> 
> I'll probably just open them up as much as I can (between 1 and 4 hours/day or so) until the stems snap again, and nip this mold in the bud....literally! hopefully!
> 
> ...


 
Just remove the mold and dry them a bit more agressive, mold will spread.


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## Ekoostik_Hookah (Nov 23, 2007)

i still think you should fill the jar, and just let it air out a good bit.


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## Stoney Bud (Nov 23, 2007)

Lil Elvis said:
			
		

> LOL! Well...I didn't mean to imply that you shake them like salt shakers! Was more of a way to help visualize what I was saying about an air pocket.
> 
> I agree that it helps prevent mold. I also feel that you need to move them around for a more even and faster cure. There will be more trichomes that break off but that seems a minimal concern compared to possible mold or bud rot; I don't like smoking mold.
> 
> ...


 
hehe, salt shakers...

What I've always done is used one gallon baggies and aired the half filled baggies by gently flexing the baggie to cause a rapid exchange of air within the bag without hardly moving the weed. Like a bellows, but gently.

It's just the way I do things. Same goals, etc...

I keep the baggies in a cardboard box with a tight lid.


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## Pot Belly (Nov 23, 2007)

Hey Gadhookah - just saw your thread.  Here's a thread I started that shows what I do to eliminate molding of my buds in cure.

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19928

PB


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## Gadhooka (Nov 26, 2007)

So, I just got this baby 

http://image.bizrate.com/resize?sq=400&uid=301494389
and things are worse than I thought, now I'm going WAY Proactive....I stuck it into the BIG jar with the Big buds and the humidity shot to 67%...... At least the jars have been open for, since the thread started.

Still, I'm surprised they aren't totally rotten......The lid was sealed for a good 3 days (newbie mistake).

So, the mold spread a little, but I'll still smoke it!:hubba:  'cuz you can barely even see it yet except on a few of the buds.


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## Pot Belly (Nov 27, 2007)

Hey Gadhookah!  Glad to see you got one of those.  It's great that you'll be able to see your humidity in there while you're drying/curing.  It's the cheapest and best insurance you can get to protect your weed while curing.

Now the fun part after you solve your mold problem - the cure.  At what slightly elevated humidity and temperature is the best curing method?  That is the skill that is developed and handed down through generations of fine wine making.

Good luck with your new toy.  Have fun and don't be afraid to experiment around with curing your bud.

PB


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## Gadhooka (Nov 27, 2007)

Thanks again Pot Belly.  Your advice probably saved most of the fruits of my labor.

last night I took out most of the buds to air out and wadda-ya-know, they started smelling like weed instead of grass!  Just like that!  I was wondering if that was ever gonna happen.

I have one more question for ya.....When your jarred buds stop going above 50% RH, do you stop opening your jars then? Or, is there a certain percentage below 50% you shoot for before you stop burping?

Have a nice day!


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## LLCoolBud (Nov 27, 2007)

Your buds must be almost completely dry or else it the weed will not store for long periods of time. If you like your weed with a bit of moisture try adding some orange peels or lime peels ect in a bar with some buds you like to smoke and they will absorb some of the moisture so the buds aren't completely dry anymore if that matters to you. Me personally i like my weed to break up easily so i dry mine out completely, but to cure you do need some amount of mositure or else nothing really takes place.


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## MrPuffAlot (Nov 27, 2007)

Heck..

after a buddy whined about the bud being to DRY and smooth..

I soaked a paper towl, rung it out and put it in with some bud in a ziploc
for about 2 days.. and Whaaalaaaaaa..  BUD not so dry any more..

I got paranoid about mold, so I took the wet paper towel out and buds
back into jars..

GOODLUCK


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## Pot Belly (Nov 27, 2007)

Gadhooka said:
			
		

> I have one more question for ya.....When your jarred buds stop going above 50% RH, do you stop opening your jars then? Or, is there a certain percentage below 50% you shoot for before you stop burping?


 
I would continue to burp them until your environment inside does not increase beyond 45% when stabilzed at 70 degrees. You'll be amazed at how much moisture your buds have and how many days it takes to get the RH to stabilize. "Dry" buds will quickly bring inside to 75% or 80% RH. I like to open the jars for 12 hrs, and close them for 12, until I stabilize at 65% or so. Then 6 hours burp, 18 hrs cure, etc....... Until I work it down to 45% at 70 degrees. Then I seal and maintain. Good smoke with no mold. Expect 2 to 3 weeks minimum to stabilize before "final cure".

I don't like to dry bud with elevated temperatures for fear of cooking off vital THC. 70 degrees F is fine if your RH is 50 or below. I prefer slowly removing the moisture.

Once your buds can maintain a stable humidity in the jar without having to burp, you can cure them as long as you like in the jar at room temperature. The longer, the better.


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