Hip's paper bag tek question

[slummunky]

So Hip before I get started on your tek I need to clear something Im not sure of first. Are the buds dried at all before they go in the bags, or do they go in strait away? I know you said its a drying/curing tek so I'm a little confused. Thanks

[boots420]

i dont wanna speak for hip. but in my experience; you get them fairly dry first (hang em up a couple days), but not completely before they go into the bag. they then finish and cure in the bags.

[wendal]

Either way.

If you bag them wet, you will want to change the bag out after the first day.

Maybe even after the second day. (the reason for this being that the bags soak up allot of moisture as the buds start to dry)

After that, you can leave them be for a few days and then move to jars.

[ShroomGuerilla]

Years ago the famous breeder DJ Short (creator of blueberry)
outlined the "paper bag" method.


Here is a basic outline of his process.
If you want a very detailed version
you can buy his book
"Cultivating Exceptional Cannabis: An Expert Breeder Shares His Secrets"
a great read for any aspiring weed-expert.

Curing your buds , By DJ Short


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 for sale or 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.

DJ Short welcomes questions and feedback, especially in the cultivation of the Blueberry and Flo varieties. He can be contacted care of Cannabis Canada.

[AGAMA]

Not being a successful MJ grower(both outdoor attempts were stolen, way before maturity, years ago), you just explained the overall process so that I could easily understand it.
Thanks ShroomGuerilla, for the outline!

[slummunky]

Yeah thank you, how ever that is a little different than Hip's method. Ill keep it in mind but Ill await the Hipsters reply. Ive seen the bud Hip's method produces! Thanks again SG!

[Hippie3]

Originally Posted by slummunky

So Hip before I get started on your tek I need to clear something Im not sure of first. Are the buds dried at all before they go in the bags, or do they go in strait away? I know you said its a drying/curing tek so I'm a little confused. Thanks

straight away, wet if you want it pretty like mine
but like wendal said
gotta change out the wet bag daily for dry ones until quits soaking the paper,
then just fluff the weed to prevent wet spots / mold, etc.

[slummunky]

Thank's, one more question. How deep can you stack the buds in each bag?

[whatchamacallit]

SWIM prefers to let it dry a bit before the bags as it speeds up the process, and SWIM's weed always comes out very pretty, with terrific smell, and perfect cure. SWIM pretty much does it exactly like DJ Short describes. He'd be more worried about mold by placing them directly in the paper bags, but as stated, just make sure to check them, turn them, and change out the bag frequently, if placing them in there right away.

Otherwise SWIM likes to wait until the outside of the buds begin to feel crispy, then he sweats it in the bag, turning it a few times a day and airing them out. He does this until the moisture level is even throughout the buds, and the stems snap when bent. They then are put into jars and aired out as needed until the perfect moisture/crispness is achieved, and then the jar is sealed until ready to smoke.

One can fill a paper bag about half full, especially if they are allowed to dry a bit before placing them in the bag, but if very wet, they should probably be less full. Also, one must be sure to turn the buds in the bag to allow the wetter buds to be exposed to more air, so the moisture dries out slowly and evenly, giving a proper cure. If there is too much moisture in one spot, for too long, mold can occur much easier.

[slummunky]

Thanks Whatcha!!

[slummunky]

Ok its day 4 the bags were pretty wet every day but now just a little damp, does the bag changing continue every day after they stop getting soaked or do I slow down as it gets more dry? Did I just make sense!

[slummunky]

Originally Posted by Hippie3

straight away, wet if you want it pretty like mine
but like wendal said
gotta change out the wet bag daily for dry ones until quits soaking the paper,
then just fluff the weed to prevent wet spots / mold, etc.

Ok Im stoned!! Got it..I think!

[whatchamacallit]

Yes, change them until they stay dry and the buds begin to feel crispy a bit, but not so they're brittle. When you squeeze them, you want to feel a little bit of give, not for them to just crumble, then they can be placed into jars, and left to sweat out the last bit of moisture inside.

You want them to have an even moisture content throughout, but dry enough the stems snap and the nugs can be broken up without needing scissors. There is a delicate balance, but if it one has trouble burning it in a joint or bowl, leave the jar open for a few hours, as needed, to let it dry more. The purpose of the bag is to help absorb moisture, but to let them sweat out some of the moisture inside the buds, so the outside of the buds aren't brittle, while the insides won't burn.

Once they are dry enough in the bags, the jars are used, again to evenly distribute the moisture, or sweat it out from the inside, then cracked open as needed to let them dry until just right. If they get too dry they crumble and get harsher, if they are too moist, they don't smoke right and also don't get you as high or taste as good, so experiment until you find the best cure for you.

BTW, the way SWIM does it, letting it dry out mostly hanging on the line, the bags don't ever even get wet, they are only used to sweat the moisture out from the inside of the buds. It's when they are dry enough to take off the line, but not dry enough to go into jars, due to moisture trapped in the inner buds and stem.

[slummunky]

Ok here is a crappy web cam pic of a few small buds, Ill I can say about this Tek is its fuckin awesome!! The bud turned out as good or better than any KB Ive ever had! Thanks Hip!