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Ripe tobacco leaf

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DonH

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if you are planning on aircuring what is the best level of ripeness to harvest?
I'm copying Bob's post from another thread so that it will be here for better searching:

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
 

Hanzy4200

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My Virginia Brightleaf plants have started to get the alligator look and are speckled yellow, but do not look nearly this pale. I'm torn as to if I should start priming or give it another week.
 

deluxestogie

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Hanzy,
A couple of photos would be a big help. If you're just planning to air-cure, then speckled yellow is probably fine for priming. Another week won't hurt anything, unless the leaf is subjected to weather damage (wind, etc.) while you're waiting. The yellower it is, the more easily it will color-cure in the shed.

Bob
 

Knucklehead

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It's hard to tell. In the sunshine pictures, the light is too bright. In the shade pictures, the light is too dim. Have you topped the plants, and if so, how long has it been? Is there yellow in the leaf? Do you like your cigarettes strong or mild, nicotine high or low? For cigarettes, I tend to prime my leaf when it is as yellow and as textured as the leaf in Post #1.
 

deluxestogie

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In the final photo (in the enlarged view), on the stalk to the right, there is one leaf mid-way up the stalk that shows yellowed bumps. This is a mature leaf, but still not yet ripe. If you wait to see a tiny yellow tip to a leaf, then you can begin to decide how much longer to wait. If harvested with a slight yellow tip, it will cure to perfectly fine tobacco. For cigarette tobacco, many members wait for the leaf to become mostly or fully yellow, before harvesting.

Bob
 

DGBAMA

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As a flue cure, I would say they need longer. How much, will depend on your weather the next 1-3 weeks.
 

gargynko

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According to my diary the first topping was 10/7/2014 and I topped every plant on 20/7/2014 (I was topping as buds were opening so not all at once). Only yellow I can see are just pale spots also visible on my leaves photos. I have really no clue of how I like my cigarettes because I ve never tasted a home made one. I just can tell you the only tobacco I can really enjoy is DRUM original. I smoke only hand rolled ciggies because I hate commercial cigarettes...horrible artificial taste after couple months I have had been smoking hand rolled. This is my first growing season so I think if I could produce non harsh, tasty tobacco I would be satisfied a lot. Next years I will adjust "settings" according my experiences gained this year.

As a curing rookie I think yellower in the field easier in the shed.
 

BarG

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tobacco leaf tobacco leaf say that 3 times and you will be gullible tobacco leaf I am not sue on whether to play homeles.
 

squeezyjohn

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Gargynko, I'd also advise waiting longer ... I think the yellowing can be quicker if the time after topping has been dry weather - where I am last year it was very wet and the plants refused to yellow after topping.

If you're looking to make tobacco like Drum - it's a halfzware shag - meaning it's 50% Burley and 50% bright leaf ... So the only way you can achieve the flavour would be by blending.
 

deluxestogie

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tobacco leaf tobacco leaf say that 3 times and you will be gullible tobacco leaf I am not sue on whether to play homeles.
Gargynko,
Could you do me a favor, and translate BarG's statement from Slovakian into English, so the rest of us can understand it? I think it's Slovakian.

Bob
 

gargynko

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That is not even word in Slovak lenguage :D. I though it is some kind of US rhyme I dont understand :D.

Squeezyjohn: I know the only way to achieve DRUMs taste would by blending but I am not concerned about achieving that taste...only concern this year is to achieve smokeable, chemical free and cheap tobacco whatever it tastes :) as this is first year growing I can not do much experimenting.

I ve just done de-suckering and find some leaves to have yellow tips. I think one more week and I can start picking some of them. Alligator skin is remarkable and they are twisting like crazy and turning pale.

What I dont understand is why they are getting uniformly mature/ripe. Doesnt matter if middle or upper leaves, all of them seem to be in equal stage of maturity. I though they will ripen from bottom upwards.
Another thing is mud lugs. Why they are finer and smoother than other leaves? Other leaves which are mature and getting ripe are wrinkle and twisty but mud lugs arent...should I pick them or leave die? How do I know they are ripe?
 

DGBAMA

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The lugs are naturally thinner, and without much texture. They can be picked as soon as they yellow. I cure mine, others don't bother. They cure easily and are both milder and lower in nicotine; requiring no or minimal aging. Ones that dry completely on the plant can even be stuffed straight in a pipe for a nice smoke.
 

gargynko

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I cured a few lugs and I am not sure why but they were a bit harshy and smoking weak. Dont know why because they cured to wonderfull colour.
 
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