AmaxB
Well-Known Member
This is a good thread..
OpenMeaning when the flowers open, or appear?
I'm copying Bob's post from another thread so that it will be here for better searching:if you are planning on aircuring what is the best level of ripeness to harvest?
Deluxestogie said:Too mild has seldom been a problem with my leaf. Harsh and strong is easy. Smooth and flavorful is hard.
With white-stem burleys, I prime the lowest leaf when fully yellow, and continue to do that until most of the plant is ready for stalk harvesting (most of it at least beginning to yellow).
I harvest dark-air varieties (like Little Yellow) when a little yellow. They are intended to be potent.
For flue-curing, I prime mature, light green VA Bright leaf. It will yellow in the flue-cure chamber.
For spicy cigar filler (like Jalapa), I prime between mature (still all green) and ripe (yellowed).
For most leaf that will air-cure--nearly everything else, I prime the leaf when mature (sometimes a tiny tip of yellowing), rather than waiting for it to ripen. The yellowing happens in the shed. If your shed conditions are too dry, you may need to allow more yellowing in the field.
For Orientals, I always prime the leaf at mature, not ripe. It is mostly air-cured, though I have flue-cured some of it with success.
For fire-curing, you can start with green leaf (mature), but it will still need several days in the fire-cure chamber to yellow, which must be accomplished below 104ºF, or the leaf will cook green. If you yellow the leaf in the shed first, then you can safely place it into the fire-curing chamber, which should be kept below 130ºF. I kept mine at about 115ºF more or less.
For Perique (pressure method), the leaf is harvested either at mature or ripe, allowed to color-cure to brown in the shed, then stemmed and started in the Perique press.
Whew!
Bob
Gargynko,tobacco leaf tobacco leaf say that 3 times and you will be gullible tobacco leaf I am not sue on whether to play homeles.