drying

[steve.442]

when i dry my smoke, i have it in the dark at between 65 and 75 degrees with a humidity of around 45 to 60 with a small fan blowing but not directly on them. it takes about 4 days to dry and it smokes well, but i want it to taste sweet and it never seems to. i stop feeding 1 week b4 harvest and flushing on the last 3 days, how do you make it sweet tasting like the smoke you buy off people.

[stinkyattic]

Since you posted in the hydroponics section I am going to give you hydro advice.
There are a few reasons that the smoke could taste harsh.
Your drying process- Nowhere did you say you allowed a period for the weed to cure. You should dry it fully, then jar it up in mason jars and open them once or twice a day for a half hour until you don't feel any change in moisture content from the time you close the lid to the next time you open it. This is called CURING and it is a necessity.
Your flushing process- How do you flush? Do you use a clearing solution?
Your fertilizer regime- Is there a significant amount of Nitrogen in the fert you use to flower with? Excess N leads to harshness. You WANT the chlorophyll to start breaking down before harvest.

[klondike_bar]

because stinky is reading this thread, i will voice MY OPINION (ya got that stinky?).

some strains will smoke much differently than other strains, and maybe your strain isnt the same as what youv smoked before.

however, stink is right about the curing. if you havent done so, do so

[oldsanclem]

I have always liked the 7 rule
7 days before harvest normal ph ed water no ferts
7 days of bud hanging in in the dark NO LIGHT
70 degrees f NO LIGHT
70 % rh NO LIGHT
7 days in plastic bags in the dark NO LIGHT mo dark
At least 7000 days of growing still learning
Trust automation you can plan the next few years of growing.

[MVP]

If you are smoking it after 4 days of drying and not curing it will not taste very good. Drying it slowly for 1-2 weeks, then curing for another 3-4 weeks is the best way to get the optimal taste out of the buds.

All of this said, be sure to pay attention to the nutes and flush as mentioned earlier in the thread or all the curing in the world will not make you satisfied...

[steve.442]

i do use a clearing solution on the last 3 days of flushing, but i use full strenth nutes right up till the last week b4 clearing.sensi nutes.
it is darker than weed i want it to be alike so how do you start getting rid of the chlorophyll before you harvest.

[shaun1says]

If you are smoking it after 4 days of drying and not curing it will not taste very good. Drying it slowly for 1-2 weeks, then curing for another 3-4 weeks is the best way to get the optimal taste out of the buds.


what would be the best way to dry for 2 weeks? I am about to crop directly before leaving on a 2 weeks trip home for the holidays and I need to find a slow drying that wont mold with no people's help

Thanks
-Shaun

[missybud]

Has anyone ever stuck a humidity reader-gauge thing into a well cured bag or jar of bud? we have them that read soil and wood. What would be the optimum humidity level of dried bud? it is extremely rainy and cold at my farm, need to do this last phase well. thanks
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