What is up DGC! I just finished this cycle and I had one GSC plant that was an absolute beast to grow with thick dense buds. I chopped her down and let her dry at 55-60% RH for 10 days then another 3 days at 40% RH. I have now jarred it and my hygrometer is saying RH in jar is only 45%. But almost immediately after jarring the bud began to have a chemically ammonia smell but the bud is VERY dry. It was the only plant that smells like this(only grew one of this strain). I have never experienced mold in cannabis before so I don’t know if that’s what I’m smelling, but with the jar staying at 45% and no sign of mold I don’t think that’s what it is. Any help is much appreciated!
Strange Smell During Curing
by Sandero | Jan 2, 2020 | Grower Questions | 4 comments
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You were doing great until your dropped the humidity. Very doubtful you’re smelling mold, you just rapidly dried them out in those 3 days at 40%.
Possibly terpene from the strain. Possibly anaerobic bacteria starting to flourish and produce that smell. Be sure to burp to get some fresh air in there. 45 sounds low but depending on your room’s rh low might be beneficial. Colorado crunch RH you might want it 55.
Burp the jar twice a day. Give it a week and dump it out and check up closely for mold. Sometimes the smell will change during the cure for the good with certain fruity strains. Good luck
Yeah sounds like maybe you overdried a bit.
That 45% at the end is too low. Typically you wanna jar them up when the moisture is more like 60-65%
To get a good cure you need to burp the buds for a few weeks once they are jarred up, but if you over dry before jaring, then there’s nothing to “burp” out during the curing process. This can kinda lock in that hay/ammonia smell and make it tough to get rid of.
Might be worth adding a few moist fan leaves or a boveda pack to your jar to try to reintroduce some moisture. Unfortunately the flavor is often already compromised at this point tho, so not sure how much it will improve. really gotta avoid letting things get that dry, because once the terps are gone they aren’t coming back.
Here’s my guide to drying, there’s a few tips in there that might help you avoid this next time.
https://growerslove.com/blogs/grow-tip-of-the-week/ideal-drying-conditions?_pos=1&_sid=825e48fd5&_ss=r