John Smith
23-06-09, 07:03 PM
Marijuana
Manicuring, Drying, And Curing Marijuana
Right after all the plants have been harvested, it is time to manicure them.
Manicuring is simply cutting off the leaves that were growing from the buds. Cut
off all the leaves surrounding the bud, so that just the bud remains.
Work over a glass table or some kind of smooth flat surface. This will make it
easy to collect all the material that has been cut away from the buds. It is lower
in THC than the buds, but rather than throw it away, you can use it to make
hash oil.
When manicuring the buds, use a pair of scissors with small blades (to reach
hard to get leaves) that is comfortable on your hands, and wear powder free latex
gloves.
The latex gloves will collect trichome resin in a similar manner to the way live
marijuana plants are rubbed to make hashish. The latex gloves have to be
powder free or the powder will get mixed into the resin.
Do not touch anything other than the plants once you have put the gloves on. If
you have to do something, remove the gloves you are wearing and put them in a
plastic bag, prior to doing whatever it is that has to be done.
When finished, put on a pair of new gloves. Material on the first pair can be
collected later. When you are finished manicuring all the plants, remove the
gloves and place them in a plastic bag (to catch resin that drops off).
Put the plastic bag with the gloves in a freezer for 2-3 hours. The trichome resin
can easily be peeled from the frozen latex gloves and consumed the same way
you would use hashish.
If absolutely necessary, you can wait to manicure the buds. However, the job will
take more time if you wait. Manicuring right after the plants are harvested will
also speed the drying process.
Instead smoking marijuana directly after it is harvested and manicured, it is
best to dry and cure it. Some new growers might be in such a rush to try the
marijuana that they don't want to dry the crop, or they might be tempted to put
buds in a microwave oven to dry them out.
Drying Marijuana After Harvest
You probably don't want to smoke marijuana that is harsh and bad tasting. If
you do not take time to dry the bud, you will not get the best possible smell and
taste your crop is capable of producing.
Proper drying and curing will also ensure maximum potency of the marijuana
you have grown. Marijuana is not potent just after harvest. Some of the THC is
in a non-psychoactive acidic form. Drying marijuana the right way will convert
the non-psychoactive acidic compounds into psychoactive THC.
The area where the drying is done should be dark. Light and high temperatures
(higher than about 80 degrees) will cause THC to break down into less desirable
chemicals, this will lower the potency of the finished product.
A good way to dry the crop is to hang the buds upside-down by the stem, from
some string or wire. The drying marijuana must have some circulation blowing
over it at all times. A gentle breeze that circulates over all the plants is
necessary.
A fan or two will circulate air within the drying room. Fans will aid in drying the
plants evenly, and reducing the chances of mold. If mold starts and is allowed to
grow, it might ruin all of your crop. Mold looks like white fuzz and has an odor
that is unpleasant.
You will have to keep the temperature and humidity within a certain range for
optimal results. Conditions should remain constantly somewhere within the
following ranges, temperature should be between 65-75 degrees F, relative
humidity should be between 45%-55%.
At temperatures lower than 65 degrees, drying time will be lengthened. At
temperatures higher than 75 degrees, the heat will cause the outer portion of the
bud to dry quicker than the inner part, and the taste will suffer.
At humidity levels lower than 45%, the marijuana will dry too fast and the taste
will suffer. At humidity levels higher than 55%, the marijuana will take a long
time to dry, and it will be prone to mold.
Keep a hygrometer and a thermometer in the drying area, close to the plants. A
hygrometer will allow you to keep an eye on the relative humidity level in the
room and a thermometer will display the temperature. Some hygrometers have
built in thermometers so you can measure the temperature and humidity
together.
Depending on the time of year and your location, a heater or an air conditioner
may be necessary to adjust the temperature. To control humidity, a dehumidifier
can lower humidity and a humidifier can be used to raise humidity. There are
warm mist humidifiers and cool mist humidifiers.
A warm mist humidifier will raise the temperature while a cool mist humidifier
will not affect the temperature. There are also humidifiers that allow you to
switch between warm or cool mist. If you are going to purchase a humidifier for
this purpose, take your climate into consideration and buy an appropriate
humidifier.
Warm mist models will actually heat the water and release warm humidity. Cool
mist water isn't cooled, it just means that water is not heated. In most cases a
cool mist will work best. To be safe you can get a humidifier that lets you switch
between warm and cool mist.
Curing Marijuana
It will take at least a week or two to dry the crop with temperatures between 65-
75 degrees F and relative humidity between 45%-55%. You will know when the
marijuana is dry if the stems snap or break (rather than fold) when they are
bent. Try smoking a small bud (1/2 gram or less) in a joint to be sure it is dry
enough.
At this time, small buds will be dry enough to smoke. But larger buds should be
cured (slow dried) to ensure that the marijuana is as potent and tasty as
possible. If necessary, you can set aside buds that are less than 1/2 gram for
smoking, while larger buds cure.
The cure lasts a week or two. The aim of what you are doing is evenly finishing
the slow dry process, so that mold will not grow when the buds are stored long
term. Also, by the end of the cure, any remaining inactive THC will be converted
to active THC (that increases potency).
To cure the crop, you will need one or more containers made out of glass or
plastic. Some people say plastic can impart a taste to the marijuana. Personally,
plastic containers that some types of roll your own tobacco are sold in, have no
negative effect on the taste.
Containers that have a rubber seal work best, but any type of container with a
tight fitting lid will do. One quart canning jars do a very good job if you are
curing a few pounds or less. They have a rubber seal and hold 2 or more ounces
of marijuana per one quart jar.
When curing quantities in excess of a few pounds, large plastic rubbermaid
storage containers are recommended. They are not air tight, but will do the job
when smaller rubber seal containers are not practical.
Gently place your marijuana in the containers (cut buds to size if the are too big
to fit in the container) and put the top on. Store the containers in a dark area
where the temperature is between 50-65 degrees and the humidity is between
40%-60%.
You will have to open the containers for a few minutes to allow moisture to
escape by fanning with your hand. If any moisture builds up on the inside of the
cap on your container, wipe it off. Do this preferably 2-6 times daily, at regular 4-
12 hour intervals.
You should also re-arrange the buds by giving them a quarter-turn once a day.
This will ensure that different parts of the buds are exposed to the air in the
container. Keep up this routine for 7-10 days. When properly dried, marijuana
will burn evenly when smoked in a joint (if stems are removed).
The taste will be as good as it can be, and the THC will have reached a point
where it is ready to be ingested or stored. You can keep any marijuana that will
be consumed within a few months (1 year maximum) in the same containers
used for curing, without having to keep opening them to release moisture.
If the marijuana is to be stored for more than a few months, you can use a
vacuum sealer (designed for storing food) to seal the marijuana in an airtight
environment. If stored in a dark area that is between 40-55 degrees F, the
marijuana in vacuum sealed plastic will remain potent for up to 5 years.
Dry marijuana can be stored in a frost-free freezer, but some of the THC on the
outer part of the buds may be damaged when frozen. A refrigerator is in the right
temperature range but they tend to be humid (unless you can control the
humidity).
If stored in an area of high humidity for months or years, even vacuum sealed
marijuana can eventually become as humid as the surrounding air. This will
necessitate drying it again before smoking. But, unless mold develops, humidity
itself will not degrade the THC or make the marijuana any less potent.
Light will degrade some of the THC, so dark containers can be used for storage.
If you place the marijuana in a see through container, it will have to be located in
a dark area that is not exposed to light or high temperatures.
Always make sure to properly dry your marijuana prior to storage, if you grow
your own or if the stuff you have is very moist. And remember that to preserve
marijuana potency at a maximum level, keep any exposure to air, heat, and light
at a minimum.
copyright © www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/ (http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manicuring, Drying, And Curing Marijuana
Right after all the plants have been harvested, it is time to manicure them.
Manicuring is simply cutting off the leaves that were growing from the buds. Cut
off all the leaves surrounding the bud, so that just the bud remains.
Work over a glass table or some kind of smooth flat surface. This will make it
easy to collect all the material that has been cut away from the buds. It is lower
in THC than the buds, but rather than throw it away, you can use it to make
hash oil.
When manicuring the buds, use a pair of scissors with small blades (to reach
hard to get leaves) that is comfortable on your hands, and wear powder free latex
gloves.
The latex gloves will collect trichome resin in a similar manner to the way live
marijuana plants are rubbed to make hashish. The latex gloves have to be
powder free or the powder will get mixed into the resin.
Do not touch anything other than the plants once you have put the gloves on. If
you have to do something, remove the gloves you are wearing and put them in a
plastic bag, prior to doing whatever it is that has to be done.
When finished, put on a pair of new gloves. Material on the first pair can be
collected later. When you are finished manicuring all the plants, remove the
gloves and place them in a plastic bag (to catch resin that drops off).
Put the plastic bag with the gloves in a freezer for 2-3 hours. The trichome resin
can easily be peeled from the frozen latex gloves and consumed the same way
you would use hashish.
If absolutely necessary, you can wait to manicure the buds. However, the job will
take more time if you wait. Manicuring right after the plants are harvested will
also speed the drying process.
Instead smoking marijuana directly after it is harvested and manicured, it is
best to dry and cure it. Some new growers might be in such a rush to try the
marijuana that they don't want to dry the crop, or they might be tempted to put
buds in a microwave oven to dry them out.
Drying Marijuana After Harvest
You probably don't want to smoke marijuana that is harsh and bad tasting. If
you do not take time to dry the bud, you will not get the best possible smell and
taste your crop is capable of producing.
Proper drying and curing will also ensure maximum potency of the marijuana
you have grown. Marijuana is not potent just after harvest. Some of the THC is
in a non-psychoactive acidic form. Drying marijuana the right way will convert
the non-psychoactive acidic compounds into psychoactive THC.
The area where the drying is done should be dark. Light and high temperatures
(higher than about 80 degrees) will cause THC to break down into less desirable
chemicals, this will lower the potency of the finished product.
A good way to dry the crop is to hang the buds upside-down by the stem, from
some string or wire. The drying marijuana must have some circulation blowing
over it at all times. A gentle breeze that circulates over all the plants is
necessary.
A fan or two will circulate air within the drying room. Fans will aid in drying the
plants evenly, and reducing the chances of mold. If mold starts and is allowed to
grow, it might ruin all of your crop. Mold looks like white fuzz and has an odor
that is unpleasant.
You will have to keep the temperature and humidity within a certain range for
optimal results. Conditions should remain constantly somewhere within the
following ranges, temperature should be between 65-75 degrees F, relative
humidity should be between 45%-55%.
At temperatures lower than 65 degrees, drying time will be lengthened. At
temperatures higher than 75 degrees, the heat will cause the outer portion of the
bud to dry quicker than the inner part, and the taste will suffer.
At humidity levels lower than 45%, the marijuana will dry too fast and the taste
will suffer. At humidity levels higher than 55%, the marijuana will take a long
time to dry, and it will be prone to mold.
Keep a hygrometer and a thermometer in the drying area, close to the plants. A
hygrometer will allow you to keep an eye on the relative humidity level in the
room and a thermometer will display the temperature. Some hygrometers have
built in thermometers so you can measure the temperature and humidity
together.
Depending on the time of year and your location, a heater or an air conditioner
may be necessary to adjust the temperature. To control humidity, a dehumidifier
can lower humidity and a humidifier can be used to raise humidity. There are
warm mist humidifiers and cool mist humidifiers.
A warm mist humidifier will raise the temperature while a cool mist humidifier
will not affect the temperature. There are also humidifiers that allow you to
switch between warm or cool mist. If you are going to purchase a humidifier for
this purpose, take your climate into consideration and buy an appropriate
humidifier.
Warm mist models will actually heat the water and release warm humidity. Cool
mist water isn't cooled, it just means that water is not heated. In most cases a
cool mist will work best. To be safe you can get a humidifier that lets you switch
between warm and cool mist.
Curing Marijuana
It will take at least a week or two to dry the crop with temperatures between 65-
75 degrees F and relative humidity between 45%-55%. You will know when the
marijuana is dry if the stems snap or break (rather than fold) when they are
bent. Try smoking a small bud (1/2 gram or less) in a joint to be sure it is dry
enough.
At this time, small buds will be dry enough to smoke. But larger buds should be
cured (slow dried) to ensure that the marijuana is as potent and tasty as
possible. If necessary, you can set aside buds that are less than 1/2 gram for
smoking, while larger buds cure.
The cure lasts a week or two. The aim of what you are doing is evenly finishing
the slow dry process, so that mold will not grow when the buds are stored long
term. Also, by the end of the cure, any remaining inactive THC will be converted
to active THC (that increases potency).
To cure the crop, you will need one or more containers made out of glass or
plastic. Some people say plastic can impart a taste to the marijuana. Personally,
plastic containers that some types of roll your own tobacco are sold in, have no
negative effect on the taste.
Containers that have a rubber seal work best, but any type of container with a
tight fitting lid will do. One quart canning jars do a very good job if you are
curing a few pounds or less. They have a rubber seal and hold 2 or more ounces
of marijuana per one quart jar.
When curing quantities in excess of a few pounds, large plastic rubbermaid
storage containers are recommended. They are not air tight, but will do the job
when smaller rubber seal containers are not practical.
Gently place your marijuana in the containers (cut buds to size if the are too big
to fit in the container) and put the top on. Store the containers in a dark area
where the temperature is between 50-65 degrees and the humidity is between
40%-60%.
You will have to open the containers for a few minutes to allow moisture to
escape by fanning with your hand. If any moisture builds up on the inside of the
cap on your container, wipe it off. Do this preferably 2-6 times daily, at regular 4-
12 hour intervals.
You should also re-arrange the buds by giving them a quarter-turn once a day.
This will ensure that different parts of the buds are exposed to the air in the
container. Keep up this routine for 7-10 days. When properly dried, marijuana
will burn evenly when smoked in a joint (if stems are removed).
The taste will be as good as it can be, and the THC will have reached a point
where it is ready to be ingested or stored. You can keep any marijuana that will
be consumed within a few months (1 year maximum) in the same containers
used for curing, without having to keep opening them to release moisture.
If the marijuana is to be stored for more than a few months, you can use a
vacuum sealer (designed for storing food) to seal the marijuana in an airtight
environment. If stored in a dark area that is between 40-55 degrees F, the
marijuana in vacuum sealed plastic will remain potent for up to 5 years.
Dry marijuana can be stored in a frost-free freezer, but some of the THC on the
outer part of the buds may be damaged when frozen. A refrigerator is in the right
temperature range but they tend to be humid (unless you can control the
humidity).
If stored in an area of high humidity for months or years, even vacuum sealed
marijuana can eventually become as humid as the surrounding air. This will
necessitate drying it again before smoking. But, unless mold develops, humidity
itself will not degrade the THC or make the marijuana any less potent.
Light will degrade some of the THC, so dark containers can be used for storage.
If you place the marijuana in a see through container, it will have to be located in
a dark area that is not exposed to light or high temperatures.
Always make sure to properly dry your marijuana prior to storage, if you grow
your own or if the stuff you have is very moist. And remember that to preserve
marijuana potency at a maximum level, keep any exposure to air, heat, and light
at a minimum.
copyright © www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/ (http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------