DangerEd

Hey gang,

I'm planning my first harvest and have a couple of questions. I live in a higher humidity climate. Our daily % varies throughout the day, but I'd say it wouldn't be unusual to have 60-70% or more for days at a time.

Am I going to have to worry about mold while drying? I have access to a dehumidifier that I could stick in the closet where drying will take place. I dont want to end up drying too fast though... Any advice?

DangerEd

I just a read a vague reference that I could use rock salt as a tool to lower humidity. How does this work? If that was the case would it be possible to make filter similar to a carbon filter, only using salt, on the intake to consistantly lower the humidity?

Xgone.

Use the dehumidifer. Also place a fan in your drying room, but don't have the fan blowing directly on the plants, have it blowing away from them or at a wall or something.

At higher humidity mold is a large concern...

don't bother with the cacl, it's a waste of your time

johnny-0

Yo DangerEd-My R/H was 6% yesterday what a difference.

DangerEd

Today humidity is 66 %... I'd say it varies, but is usually 50-75%. Would this fall into the mold problem range?

Xgone.

Mold is always a concern. Even though my climate has a low RH, I still keep an eye out for mold because it happens.

Having good airflow is a good way to decrease the chances of mold. I feel that, with some very large colas it's probably a good idea to trim em wet to decrease the amount of time that it takes to dry; bud size is a huge factor. Small buds dry much faster than larger buds and colas making them much less succeptable to mold.

Try not to let your temps drop below 70F or drying will take a long long time...

afterburner

Dehumidifier is great, but its reduced the quality of my buds in the past (makes them dry & brittle, they seem to shrink more) if I'm not careful with it.

Basically dont overdo it. I run my dehumidifier for only a few hours maybe once to three times (depending on outside rh, & weather, temperature, time of year etc.), to take the edge off the humidity. and then turn it off most of the time. letting them dry as cool and slowly as possible.

And yeah as xenon said, trim the large buds wet.



~ab

DangerEd

I have the dehumidifier now.... That bastard runs HOT in my closet! I had it on for about 4 hour last night and about 3 so far today. I'll try the on and off method like Afterburner said.

Xenon-
What do you mean I should trim the big colas? you mean cut off the leaves or cut up the bud? Right now I just have the two plants cut off at the base hanging upside down. I was considering chopping them up more and drying them on a screen, would that be safer?

I am concerned about a good quality smoke, but not at the expence of losing yeild to mold. This is going to be 100% personal, so it will have plenty of time to soften up in the jars...

About the jars... I found some at the dollar store that say "harvest time" on them... Sweet

Xgone.

just cut the cola off and trim the leaves. you dont have to chop up the cola

DangerEd

I can do that...

should I leave the smaller buds on the stalk of the plant?

edit: right now I'm sitting at around 45% or so, but it's been unusually low today... thank god, it's so uncomfortable outside.