Optimal drying strategy?

VPD relates, but not quite in the same way as it does for a live plant. You could have a low vpd that slows evaporation but with high temps that would still evaporate the more volatile terps. So, ignore VPD for this. This is about a temperature that does not cause the volatile terps to gas off so easily and a matching humidity that gives you a nice slow drying period that isn't so long you grow mold while doing it. Low to mid 70s is the lowest evaporation point of the most volatile terps. So, a temperature safely below that will preserve them better. Are these terps we care about? Maybe, lol.. have to look them up and the guesstimate of their effect on flavor etc. Potency is most damaged by light. So as far as THCa/THC, you want it as dark as possible while drying and curing. If you smoke your yield within a few months, this probably won't matter much, but the longer you store it the more you should care (that goes for just about all these factors but extra for light). I usually dry in 68F and 60% RH. I trim down to nugs and put on a mesh rack. No direct wind, but the humidifier circulates the air just fine. This stakes a very consistent 9 days. some lighter nugs may be done in 8 days and some denser nugs may take 10 days. I'd wager 14 days is about as long as you want to stretch it, but if you can find info that tells you percent risk of mold and such relative to length of dry, that would be the best way to determine maximum length. I've had buds dry in 3-4 days and taste amazing by day 7 from harvest. Others with a 9-day dry have taken 30 days or more to reach their final smoked-flavor. So, i think this is mostly genetics, but if you dry too fast it can definitely make it smoke like shit and no amount of curing will matter much when it is a dumpster fire, but it can mitigate smaller issues. circulation is good, but not direct wind on buds. Whats best temp? good luck finding an answer you can have any confidence in, lol. If you aren'at spending a lot or willing to run your house at odd temps, you do the best you can and call it square. E.g. i'm not running my thermostate below 68F in winter, fuck that, lol. I'll close the vent in that room and get it a degree or two cooler, though. i'm not a fan of burping wet weed - microbe factory. I want some water-weight gassing off in cure buckets, but an amount the boveda packs can handle. burping early is needed, but i don't want to have to remove any wet buds and back onto rack for extra drying. when it feels dry on outside, i wait 12-24 hours longer and that seems to be "enough"... i err on near side, because occasionaly i do have to put a plant's buds back out on the racks. Usually just another hour or 2, though. This way i know it's stil losing a few percent of water mass in cure buckets, but not so much that i'm going to grow a bucket of mold.

Biggest rule is ventilation, and minimal light, patience is key, once buds are touch dry, burp them in mason jars for the final drying stage. If humidity is a concern, try drying as low to the ground with a fan and open windows no direct light. 😶‍🌫️