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1991-04-06
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Viewed from Centre of Eternity 615.552.5747
-+- The Merry Pranksters from Menlo Park -+-
10.1990.01.01.30
Marijuana Grower's Handbook - part 30 of 33
by pH Imbalance
"Curing and Manicuring"
from
Marijuana Grower's Handbook
[Indoor/Greenhouse Edition]
Ed Rosenthal
When a bud is picked, many of its metabolic processes continue for a
while. The cells begin to convert carbohydrates back to sugars and break
down some of the pigments. Chlorophyll is one of the pigments affected.
Some of it is metabolized and the bud appears a lighter green than when it
was first picked. Some of the other pigments will show through then, giving
the bud a red, purple, or cream color.
To continue to cure, the leaves need to be dried slowly so that moisture
remains in the cells. They stay alive and continue life processes. On the
other hand, if the curing process takes too long, mold may form on the buds.
Small amounts of marijuana dissipate their water quickly in an open room
because the relative humidity of the air in houses is usually dry. A paper
bag can be used to conserve water. The bag should be opened and aired twice
a day. In areas with high humidity or when it is rainy, there is enough
moisture in the air to let the buds dry in the open air.
Larger amounts are cured in areas with more air circulation - an attic or
basement or a dark room will do. A fan may be needed to increase
circulation. Since all of the vegetation is contributing moisture to the
air, ventilation is needed to remove it. Rooms that are too moist are
conducive to mold. If mold appears, increase the heat in the room to 80
degrees, so that the air can absorb more water.
Whole plants can be hung upside down but it is much easier to hang
branches cut in 1-2 foot lengths. These can be hung along lines, laid on
trays or placed on shelves. It is easy to hang buds using clothespins or
twist-ties.
Some growers don't mind a little more chlorophyll taste and would rather
dry the buds quickly. If the space has low humidity and is warm, the plants
will dry fast. One grower placed buds in a microwave oven for 30 seconds or
more on high power so that some of the moisture was removed, then let them
dry normally. He said it reduced drying time by 50%. Microwaves kill
seeds, so that buds containing desired seed should not be microwaved.
Food dehydrators can come in handy, too. They never get very hot so
little THC is destroyed, yet their warmth promotes quick drying. Some
growers let the plants dry naturally for a few days and then finish them off
in a food dryer.
If plants begin to mold, they should be dried immediately before the
infection can spread. Mold is contained by keeping infected plants
seperated from others. This should always be done because of latent spores.
Drying in an oven is not recommended. Getting the timing wrong or
forgetting the buds for a few minutes can spell disaster. A vegetable
dehydrator serves the purpose much better because it has relatively low
maximum temperatures and will not burn the buds.
While the plants are drying, the large leaves can be removed using
scissors, a knife, fingernails, or a clipper. It is harder and takes longer
to manicure when the plants are wet.
The best time to manicure is when the plants are near dry. When the
plants are wet they are difficult to clip. When they are dry many of the
glands fall off as the bud is handled. When the plants still have some
moisture, the glands are more likely to stay attached to the plant.
Manicuring is easier right after picking because the leaves are still
turgid. Growers sometimes manicure while the plants are still standing.
The plants are in a convenient position and there seems to be less chance of
damage to the bud.
Buds which are too close can be pressed together when they are still wet.
They will dry in the position they hold. Rolling them gently between one's
hands shapes them.
Plenty of light must be used manicuring the buds so that the grower can
see clearly exactly what he is doing. A good overhead light as well as a
table or floor lamp will do as long as it is bright. A directional light
such as an office or typewriter lamp is ideal.
To manicure, the large sun leaves outisde of the bud area are removed.
The smaller multi-fingered leaves are removed next. The buds should now
appear almost naked, except for some single fingered leaves sticking out
from between the flowers. Rather than removing these leaves entirely, they
are clipped down to the circumference of the flowers, so that the ends of
the leaf do not stick out.
Once the bud has dried, it should be packed in an airtight, lighttight
container. Buds which are packed moist are likely to mold. One grower left
some moisture on the buds, packed them in food sealers, and then microwaved
them to kill the mold. A bud should be left undisturbed until it is to be
smoked. Every time it is moved, unpacked, or handled, some of the resin
glands fall off. The glands can be seen cascading through the air whenever a
is handled roughly.
Sun leaves are unsuitable for smoking except through a waterpipe. The
leaves can be prepared for smoking by soaking them in water for several
hours and then rinsing the leaves. The water dissolves many of the pigments
and resins including much of the chlorophyll, but the THC remains on the
leaves. The water is dumped and then the leaves are dried. They smoke much
smoother than they did originally. They can also be used in cooking, in
brewing or the THC they hold canbe removed and concentrated.
The smaller leaves which were trimmed from the buds, including single
finger leaves and trimming, are quite potent but they do not smoke that
smoothly. Trim can also be smoked in a waterpipe or soaked in water.
The buds are usually saved for smoking. The quality of the bud improves
for several weeks after it has dried. The THC acid loses its water molecule
and becomes psychoactive. Once the bud is fairly dry, the evaporation can
be speeded up by keeping the bud in a warm place for a few hours or by using
a microwave oven.