Pre-harvest dehydration

  • Pre-harvest dehydration

    Posted by neuronic on July 21, 2025 at 9:05 pm

    Has anyone had any experience with cutting watering for a specific time just before harvest? Does it speed the drying time? decrease potency? Just rolling the idea around in the grey matter

    electricword replied 1 week, 1 day ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • jmystro

    Moderator
    July 21, 2025 at 9:59 pm
    AdministratorDGC Executive ProducerFree Membership

    I always recommend not watering the last 4-5 days before harvest to prevent guttation (sap) inside buds causing mold as a result. Guttation occurs when stomata on the leaves are closed (early morning) and roots are sitting in water. Osmosis allows water in, creating too much pressure in the xylem, which causes guttation as a way of the internal plumbing preventing over-pressure. You do not want the plant’s internal plumbing pumping at harvest. Harvest during the middle of a dark cycle to also prevent any possible guttation.

    • neuronic

      Member
      July 21, 2025 at 10:22 pm
      Free Membership

      Interesting, mold prevention is certainly a welcome revelation. I wonder if guttation has some measurable affect on the harshness of the smoke? Have you noticed that it cuts a bit of time hang drying?

      • jmystro

        Moderator
        July 22, 2025 at 12:39 am
        AdministratorDGC Executive ProducerFree Membership

        Proper dry takes a month as there are no shortcuts to quality. Relative humidity determines how much moisture a flower can hold. Temperature determines how fast it can get to that moisture level. This is why we want it cold, to slow down the drying process to allow the breakdown of chlorophyll and other complex compounds that make smoke harsh, like starches. Slowly lowering RH from around 60% over several weeks to between 55-50% RH will ensure the smoothest smoke. This is not a process you want to rush.

  • electricword

    Member
    July 22, 2025 at 12:19 pm
    Free Membership

    I like that you’re thinking about it, but the goal of harvest is to preserve your stash for storage by curing it and curing is all about controlling dehydration not speeding it up, the goal is to stop chlorophyll production and cure out the chlorophyll left in the leaves.

    You will find no shortage of information on the perfect cure out there. In fact, the best cured product I’ve ever had in my entire life, (the way more than three decades of smoking) Is from a super high-end boutique (made for kings, not rappers) supplier that cuts each branch down one by one then puts them in an aeroponic bubbler, changing out the pH’d lab pure water twice daily for up to an extra 15 days before starting the dry process. It’s 100% worth it if you have the time and patience, the end product is a true head stash of the variety that’s probably best not ever experienced, only for the fact that ignorance is bliss, when you realize you can’t have it all the time..

    The secret sauce is patience, that is the best thing you can do to bring out the best in your cure.

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