Blueb680

[Blueb680]

How many months should buds cure before they are vacuum sealed. Is 4 months long enough for them or should I wait 5 or 6?

[Bluey]

If cured at room temperature and regularly burped fir the first month, moisture levels in the buds are not too high then that is fine.

[9fingerleafs]

Agree. Just remember you shouldn't keep them vacuum sealed for more than a month at a time. If you want to keep them longer you have to open the bag and burp them before vacuum sealing again.

[Gingerbeard]

What about vacuum purging with argon or some other inert gas? Remove the oxygen, stop the oxidation, no need to burp and reseal?

[9fingerleafs]

I think that would just accelerate the anaerobic bacteria growth, the constant burping is mainly to regulate bacteria growth. Once is sealed the aerobic bacteria will grow and brak down complex molecules like chlorophyll while consuming oxygen and releasing water molecules to the air. Once the oxygen runs out the anaerobic bacteria will grow and do the same breaking down but using fermentation and releasing nitrogen compounds like ammonia into the air. So after a while you need to introduce oxygen again so that bacteria dies and the cycle starts again. Otherwise the air will get very funky and the bud turns brownish yellow with that sweet sour smell found in most brick weed.

That's how those "miraculous" curing bags work. They have a patch made for gas exchange letting oxygen in and other gases out but keeping the big smell molecules inside

[Gingerbeard]

9fingerleafs, you are the first person to answer when I ask about this. You got me curious.
Anaerobic bacteria didn't even cross my mind. I was focused on the aerobic. A cure for things like WPM and oxidation prophylaxis. Maybe even stopping at a particular cure for the connoisseurs who taste undertones and notes and such.
What is the point of vacuum sealing if you are not removing all the oxygen? You're talking bags. What about jars?