Post-Harvest: Drying, Curing & Storage¶
Partially implemented
Harvest recording (HarvestBatch, quality assessment, yield metrics) as well as post-harvest processing with its own stage state machine (drying → curing → storage → released), weight-based drying progress, and automatic mold alerts are implemented — see Post-Harvest. The product-specific detail protocols additionally described on this page (e.g. structured burping schedules, sauerkraut/kimchi fermentation phases, storage-location inventory) remain domain background knowledge without a dedicated interface.
The post-harvest phase begins at cutting and ends when your product is stored or processed. Kamerplanter accompanies this process with protocol templates, quality assessments, and environment monitoring — so you stay in control of quality, aroma, and shelf life.
Prerequisites¶
- A completed or in-progress harvest in Kamerplanter
- No active Integrated Pest Management (IPM) treatment pre-harvest interval (PHI) for the affected plants
Pre-Harvest Interval Gate: System Protection¶
Harvest blocked during active treatments
If a plant protection treatment with a defined pre-harvest interval (PHI) is still active, Kamerplanter automatically blocks harvest creation.
Pre-harvest interval (PHI) is the minimum period between the last treatment and harvest that must be observed according to pesticide registration requirements.
The system shows you the exact date from which harvest is permitted. Consult your horticultural advisor if you have questions about compliance.
Harvest Workflow in Kamerplanter¶
stateDiagram-v2
[*] --> Harvest: PHI elapsed
Harvest --> Drying: Start drying
Drying --> Curing: at 95% drying progress
Curing --> Storage
Storage --> Released
Released --> [*]- Navigate to Harvest Batches (
/ernte/batches) and click Create Harvest Batch. - The system automatically checks all pre-harvest intervals.
- Create the harvest batch (HarvestBatch) with fresh weight, harvest date, and harvest type. You record the quality assessment afterwards, separately, in the Quality tab.
- Navigate to Post-Harvest (
/ernte/nachernte) and click Start drying to take the harvest batch into its own stage state machine (drying → curing → storage → released). - While drying, record the weight regularly — Kamerplanter calculates progress, a recommendation, and estimated days remaining from it, and automatically raises a mold alert when needed.
Details on this workflow: Post-Harvest
API only: structured environmental observations
Regular, structured environmental observations (temperature, humidity, water activity, CO₂, visual and aroma condition) per stage can currently only be recorded via the API — there's no form for them in the interface yet. Mold alerts that have already been raised still appear in the batch detail view regardless.
Drying¶
Cannabis, Hops & Herbs (Slow-Dry Method)¶
The slow-dry method is the most gentle drying technique and best preserves terpenes and aromas.
Optimal conditions:
| Parameter | Target | Critical limits |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 15–21 °C | Above 25 °C: terpene loss |
| Relative humidity | 45–55 % | Above 65 %: mold risk (Botrytis) |
| Duration | 7–14 days | — |
| Air exchange | Light airflow | No direct draft onto the harvest |
Watch the mold threshold
Relative humidity above 65 % dramatically increases mold risk. Botrytis (gray mold) can destroy an entire harvest within a few days. Kamerplanter sends an alert when calibrated sensors exceed this threshold.
Readiness check (snap test): A thin stem should snap when bent but not splinter. Leaves should be dry and crispy, flower stems flexible but not pliable.
Chili & Peppers¶
| Method | Duration | Temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air drying | 2–4 weeks | Room temperature | Slow, best aroma |
| Dehydrator | 6–12 hours | 50–60 °C | Fast, slight aroma loss |
Onions & Garlic (Two-Phase Drying)¶
Phase separation: curing vs. storage
Onions and garlic require two distinct climate phases:
Phase 1 — Skin hardening (curing): 2–3 weeks at 25–30 °C, low humidity. UV exposure is desirable in this phase — it promotes skin hardening and antimicrobial effects. Well-ventilated, sunny location.
Phase 2 — Long-term storage: Dark, 10–15 °C, 60–70 % humidity. No light! Light promotes sprouting and greening.
Curing (Conditioning/Fermentation)¶
Cannabis — Jar Curing¶
Curing is the process that significantly improves the quality of dried cannabis. Chlorophyll breaks down and terpenes continue to develop.
Process:
- Fill dried buds into airtight glass jars (mason jars) — maximum ⅔ full.
- Store jars at 62 % relative humidity (Boveda 62 packs recommended).
- Follow the burping schedule:
| Period | Frequency | Duration per session |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1–2 | 2 x daily | 15 minutes |
| Week 3–4 | 1 x daily | 10 minutes |
| Week 5+ | 1 x weekly | 5 minutes |
- Minimum duration: 4 weeks. Optimal result: 6–8 weeks.
Boveda packs
Boveda 62 % packs regulate humidity in the jar automatically in both directions. They are not a moisture source but a buffer. Replace them when they are fully hardened.
Sauerkraut¶
| Phase | Duration | Temperature | Salt content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 (Leuconostoc) | 1–3 days | 18–22 °C | 2–2.5 % |
| Phase 2 (Lactobacillus) | 4–21 days | 15–18 °C | 2–2.5 % |
The vegetables must be fully submerged under the brine. Ready when pH is below 4.0 and no more gas production.
Kimchi¶
Kimchi has a different profile (higher salt concentration, different temperature pattern):
- Phase 1 (room temperature): 1–3 days at 18–22 °C — initial fermentation
- Phase 2 (cold fermentation): 2–5 °C in the refrigerator, 2–4 weeks
Salt content: 3–5 % (higher due to gochugaru and fish sauce).
Storage¶
Temperature Zones at a Glance¶
| Zone | Temperature | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | 0–5 °C | Root vegetables (in sand), apples, cabbage |
| Cellar | 10–15 °C | Squash, onions, potatoes, cannabis (cured) |
| Room temperature | 18–22 °C | Dried herbs, seeds, dried fruit |
Humidity by Product¶
| Humidity | Products |
|---|---|
| High (80–95 %) | Root vegetables in moist sand |
| Medium (60–70 %) | Squash, onions after hardening |
| Low (40–50 %) | Dried herbs, cannabis, hops |
Ethylene Management for Vegetables and Fruit¶
Keep ethylene producers away from sensitive produce
Ethylene is a plant ripening gas. Ethylene producers (tomato, apple, banana, avocado) dramatically accelerate the ripening of sensitive products:
Ethylene-sensitive products: Lettuce, cucumber, broccoli, carrot, herbs
Never store these together with tomatoes, apples, or bananas — it leads to rapid yellowing, bitterness, and premature spoilage.
Quality Assessment¶
Trichome Check (Cannabis)¶
| Trichome color | Ripeness | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Clear/transparent | Unripe | Do not harvest yet |
| Milky/cloudy | Ripe (peak potency) | Begin harvest |
| Amber | Overripe | Harvest immediately; more sedating effect |
Quality Scoring in Kamerplanter¶
After harvest and at the end of the curing process, record a quality assessment (QualityAssessment) in the Quality tab of the harvest batch:
- Appearance score, aroma score, and colour score: 0–100 points each
- Defects: freely entered keywords (e.g.
mold,pests,hermaphrodite) — recognised keywords feed into the score with a defined penalty - Overall score (0–100) and grade (A+/A/B/C/D): calculated automatically from the three scores and the defects — see the grade thresholds in Harvest Management
Ongoing weight tracking during drying
For ongoing weight tracking with automatic drying progress, recommendations, and estimated days remaining, use Post-Harvest — there you record the weight regularly instead of only entering the actual dry weight once, at the end. As a rule of thumb: cannabis typically loses 75–80 % of its fresh weight during drying; target water activity for storage is 0.55–0.65 (mold risk above a_w > 0.65).
Frequently Asked Questions¶
How do I detect mold early?
Mold (Botrytis, Aspergillus) initially appears as gray or white fuzz and smells musty or earthy-moldy. Check daily — especially dense spots. When in doubt: remove affected material immediately and store it separately.
Can I speed up drying with a dehydrator?
Yes, but with quality trade-offs. Above 40 °C, terpenes begin to evaporate; above 60 °C, enzymatic processes are lost. For cannabis and hops, slow-dry at room temperature is recommended. Culinary mushrooms and vegetables tolerate higher temperatures better.
How long does dried cannabis keep?
With correct storage (14–18 °C, 58–62 % RH, dark, airtight) 12–24 months without significant quality loss. After that, THC and terpene levels measurably decline.
Do I have to manually enter all measurements in Kamerplanter?
You record weight manually during drying via Post-Harvest. Temperature, humidity, water activity, and CO₂ can additionally be submitted via the API — automatic import from linked sensors (e.g. Home Assistant) is not yet wired up for the post-harvest phase.