HELP! Bud feel soft in curing jars

[Redtomato]

Help for a newbie please -
I harvested and dried ok
Bud has been curing and burping daily for 2 weeks, but feels soft. Definitely not wet, but too soft to grind or even to crumble for decarbing.
Is this normal?
What should I do?

[CaptainWiese91]

Yea it’s normal. You need to cure it longer.
2 weeks it’s really not enough...
and also if you putt the Buds in the jar too soon, then yea of course it will take longer than two weeks

[sgiacomo]

I’d leave the jars open or preferably empty them and let the buds dry a little more. I have a batch that is that way and it has been curing for two months. Next time I’ll know.

[Redtomato]

Thanks for that
I’m assuming it should be a much drier consistency, as it would be impossible to grind/crumble at the moment
Do you think it does actually need drying out more? Or just curing for longer?

[sgiacomo]

I think drying more just from looks and sound of it

[lalaland]

On my first cure, I dried until I thought it was about right, then put it in jars. After a few days, I got paranoid and ordered some of those mini hygrometers from Amazon. Turns out the stuff I thought I had over dried was good-58%, and some of the other jars were running as high as 68%, and might have moulded on me. The 68% felt soft.
They’re worth the 20$, until you get a feel for what 55-62% feels like.
they should feel dry(scratchy) not soft, but not crumbly either

[Redtomato]

Thanks for that - Strangely enough I’d just ordered one!
Just to clarify - 55-62% is what I should be aiming for inside the cure jars?

[lalaland]

I’ve read that some people will go as low as 50, but generally yeah. I believe it takes longer to cure if the humidity is lower. I’m trying to keep mine closer to 60.

[CaptainWiese91]

It doesnt take longer to cure if the humidity is low. Quite the oppesite. I have 30% RH and 2-3 days om the drying rack they are dry enough to go in the jar. Higher the humidity the longer cure and dry you have..

[lalaland]

I was referring to once it was dried already, and curing in jars. I thought that the bud would cure lower at 50% rh in the jars than the optimal 62%. Sorry if this was wrong red tomato

[CaptainWiese91]

This was just what I was thinking about the curing process and the humidity. No need to be sorry though 🤔

green tomato

[lalaland]

Fried green tomato

[UndergroundFarmer]

I dried my last batch for ten days hanging in the basement with an air conditioner blowing towards them and didn't put them into jars until small stems snapped when bent. RH in the room stayed around 45-50%. The bud I've tried won't burn my throat and burns down to white ash. I can't remember the name of those little humidity buffering packets but I'd definitely get some of those and let the jars stay open longer than a few minutes and maybe up to a half-hour to burp every day until they get right.

[quirk]

58-62% inside the jar is the sweet spot. If they're too moist to grind, the moisture content of the flower is to high, as is the risk of mold. A Boveda pack will
reduce RH in the jar but you'll be better off placing in a paper bag or spreading out on a tray with light air circulation to remove excess moisture before
jarring with your packs. Lids with built in hygrometers are useful as are hygrometers you can place in the jar. I treat my bud like my women and horses and never put 'em up wet. Organic soil auto grower.

[HobbitGDF]

Yeah I use the boost 62 that way takes the guessing game out of it. If they seem soft just leave the jar lid off for an hour or so each burp. That works for me.

[grouchyoldman]

Yeah I use the boost 62 that way takes the guessing game out of it. If they seem soft just leave the jar lid off for an hour or so each burp. That works for me.

Yep, Bovida 62 for my buds. They cure to perfection at 60-62%, too dry to mold but ready for the Vape. Put two packets in the jar when you start the cure, burp em daily for a week or two then they'll settle into a perfect long term storage 60%.

They cost about $15 for ten packets. Worth every penny.