Drying too quick

[H.A.F.]

I posted this on my page, figured I'd share.

My stuff is drying too quick. It looks great, smells great, but is down to 25% weight in 2-3 days. My rH has been in the 30's and 40's, which is great in flower - sucks for drying weed.

What has worked so far is to pull it as soon as it gets under 30% of the original weight (feels really dry) and get it under vacuum with the rH packs. After the first hour or so they soften up and don't feel crisp.

I air it out every few hours until it starts feeling dry again, then treat it as "dry". I check it with an inkbird a few times a day, and it fluctuates between 65-70% at first between airing out and re-vacuuming

The end result is that instead of being bone-dry in 4 days, it slows the process down to 10 days or so before I feel comfortable leaving it jarred for a day. The stuff also seems perfectly smokable in about 3 weeks rather than a month.

 

[H.A.F.]

Pro-Tip

Do NOT vacuum a rH meter - with batteries - that may not withstand a vacuum - don't ask how I know...

 

[H.A.F.]

I have also debated back and forth about checking the rH with and without the Boveda packs in the jar, and whether leaving it in will give you a false reading.

In the end my choice is to leave it in. I am paying a dollar for that bugger to control the environment, I want to know what environment it is providing

 

[mr_c]

Don't most use a humidifier on a humidistat coupled with humidifier/dehumidifier to dial the RH to desired levels?

Something like this

I dry in a cool dark dank basement and use a dehumidifier to keep humidity right around 60%

 

[H.A.F.]

Don't most use a humidifier on a humidistat coupled with humidifier/dehumidifier to dial the RH to desired levels?

Something like this

I dry in a cool dark dank basement and use a dehumidifier to keep humidity right around 60%

For harvested plants that are drying I'm just hesitant to put water in the air. Dehumidifier if needed? definitely. I have a small humidifier but that seems dangerous to have in the drying room with the plants, and trying to get the rH in my whole house (or even the bedroom I grow in) is a losing battle.

 

[ChronicWonders]

I run a small one in my room during the winter when drying. rH here is around 10-15% without one and flowers ruined in 2-3 days. I hang the whole plant and run it on low. Otherwise I’ll set up a tent, dry in the tent, with the humidifier running outside. Let’s me hit that 10-14 day mark.

 

[H.A.F.]

I run a small one in my room during the winter when drying. rH here is around 10-15% without one and flowers ruined in 2-3 days. I hang the whole plant and run it on low. Otherwise I’ll set up a tent, dry in the tent, with the humidifier running outside. Let’s me hit that 10-14 day mark.

Mine is 35-38% right now, so I guess I don't know "low"

For my last two chops I tried watering the day before I planned to harvest. I don't have room to hang a whole plant, but I left the stems as long as possible on the limbs. Leaving the leaves on to trim after drying helps too, but now I know where all the shake from the 1980's came from LOL

 

[Old ST1R]

It is very dry where I live, at least during the winter. One of the plants from my last harvest was ruined by drying out too quickly. Makes some good hash though!

So to combat the low humidity, I lined a box with a large plastic bag and installed rods across the top where I can hang branches to slow dry.

It’s been working really good so far. Branches are taking over a week to get down to approx. 70% RH.

I don’t close the top all the way. I just leave the flaps rest where they naturally go to leave a vent.


I also installed a hygrometer on the side of the box so I can tell what’s going on in a glance.