Project Broiler

Placing a dehumidifier or humidifier in the grow box turned out to be ineffective when both devices have their own automated settings. For instance, a humidifier set to 55% humidity works within a ±5% range, meaning it waits until the humidity drops below 50% to turn on and runs until it hits 60%. Since its sensor refreshes every 30 seconds, it might show 54% one moment and jump to 61% the next—not exactly stable at 55%. The dehumidifier behaves similarly. To achieve more consistent results, it’s better to rely on a hygrometer inside the grow box and use “dumb” devices that simply turn on when powered. Connecting these devices to smart outlets provides more precise control. For manual control, I maintained around 55% humidity by turning the humidifier and exhaust fan on and off via phone. Most moisture and aroma are released during the first three days, then taper off. The common rule of “when thin branches snap, it’s dry” led me to overdry my buds. A more reliable method is to monitor the hygrometer. When humidity stabilizes after the initial rise, wait one more day and then jar the buds. Rehydrating Overdried Buds: Overdried buds can be revived with a small piece of mandarin (or orange) peel, about 2.5x2.5 cm. Thoroughly wash the peel (even sanitize it if needed), cut a square, and place it on top of the buds in the jar. In my experience, this brought the humidity from 46% to 62% within 4 hours. Afterward, burp the jars for 15 minutes and monitor the hygrometer. If the humidity drops below 55%, return the peel for a few more hours. Once stable at 60-62%, remove the peel and continue curing, burping the jars twice daily for 15 minutes. As for humidity packs like Integra Boost or Boveda, I used them because I had some lying around. These packs are designed for 12 grams of product, so they don’t make a big difference in larger jars. If you burp jars daily and gently rotate the buds, they’re not really necessary. Trimming and Results: After 7 days of drying, I decided to trim dry this time. It turned out to be somewhat more convenient—everything gets covered in resin anyway, but the remaining leaves easily fall off, speeding up the process. I went for a tight trim, removing as much as possible. During the process, I felt disappointed seeing how little remained on the branches. The buds turned out airy and small, and I started cursing American genetics halfway through the trim. However, when it came to weighing, the results were surprisingly decent. Considering the buds' poor appearance, they’re not going to impress anyone visually, so it might have been easier to shred everything and use it for extraction. I don’t have extraction equipment, so I’ll make cannabutter from the trim, and the buds can rest in jars for now. Takeaways: Use a proper hygrometer for humidity control, not built-in sensors on humidifiers or dehumidifiers. Overdried buds can be easily rehydrated with citrus peel. Daily burping and rotation are sufficient for curing without humidity packs. Dry trimming can be faster and more convenient but may highlight issues with bud density. Despite underwhelming appearance, high resin content makes the strain great for extraction.