>>> Part 6 of 6...
One other thing to watch for is frost.  Even a mild frost can
damage plants so watching the weather closely in late September and
throughout October is important.  If your plants do get damaged by
frost the erb is still harvestable so don't give up entirely if you
fail to chop before the first frost.  If by some freak chance there
is a frost in early September and the buds are still very small you
may want to allow the damage to occur and then let the buds finish
maturing rather than harvesting a small quantity of premature
buddage.  This type of situation is an on the spot call and you
must consider many factors, such as bud size, weather predictions
for the following weeks, strain of weed, location of site, etc.,
before deciding.  Indica varieties usually mature sooner than
sativa varieties, and the best time to harvest varieties acclimated
to the Northeast is from late September to mid October.  Those
varieties not acclimated to the Northeast, such as Columbian or
Jamaican, are best left to late October or even mid November if the
weather permits.  One other thing you want to avoid is harvesting
in the rain.  Moisture can lead to problems in the drying process
such as molds and fungi.  The dryer the plants at the harvest date
the better.
As mentioned before, it is important to acquire seeds from
strains that can be grown at the latitude you are at, some Mexican
or Colombian varieties may not develop mature buds until November
and by then the weather becomes harsh.  Knowing when your plants
will mature is difficult for beginners or growers using new seeds
for the first season.
Planning and getting to a good drying location quickly is
important so the buddage is not left in bags for longer than a few
hours.  If the freshly harvested bud remains in bags for too long
(12 hours or more), molds and fungus will begin to destroy the erb. 
Once you get to your drying location you need to prepare the erb
for drying.  This entails removing excess fan leaves and other
larger leaves.  However, if the drying spot has a temperature
higher than 85 degrees it may be beneficial to leave a few large
leaves to keep the buds from drying too quickly.  Typical places to
dry are attics,  closets, dresser drawers, and basements.  The best
position for a bud to dry in is hanging upside down in a location
where air can circulate all around it.  If you are fortunate to
have a location that you can do this in, great, otherwise use a
dresser drawer or some other concealed place.  If you dry the buds
in dresser drawers remember not to double stack the buds or the
weight of the upper layer of buds will cause a flat spot on the
buds underneath.  Also remember to rotate the buds every day so the
erb dries uniformly and you can check for any signs of mold or
fungus.  If space permits and you are able to retrieve the whole
plant, roots and all, you can hang them upside down by the roots,
but don't expect this drying procedure to yield higher quality bud. 
THC does not drain from the roots down into the buds, the THC forms
in the resin on the buds.  The entire drying process should take
place over four to six days depending on the size and variety of
bud, the temperature, and the relative humidity of the drying area. 
If the buds are dried too quickly, the flavor of the erb will
become more harsh and the THC level may not reach its potential. 
If the pot is dried too slowly then molds and fungi may develop and
have a similar effect.  With any method of drying, the process must
be monitored on a day-to-day basis.  Room temperature is fine for
drying as long as the humidity is kept low.  If drying must take
place in a cool damp place then a fan and possibly a heater should
be installed to compensate.
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