cleaning primed leaf
- Thread starter DGBAMA
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Is the sledge hammer for bigger bugs or is it a priming tool? LOL
I did this a couple years ago and determined it wasn't worth the time/effort.
Sticky residue from the green leaf builds up on the brush, hardens, and bruises the leaf while brushing. This leaves marks on the leaf. The 'damaged' cells of the lamina do not cure properly, actually they will rot.
Also, learned that 90% of the dirt, debris, whatever crap, will fall off the leaf as it just hangs, cures, dries. Whatever is left on the leaf can be brushed off much easier, after it is cured, without damaging the leaf.
Sticky residue from the green leaf builds up on the brush, hardens, and bruises the leaf while brushing. This leaves marks on the leaf. The 'damaged' cells of the lamina do not cure properly, actually they will rot.
Also, learned that 90% of the dirt, debris, whatever crap, will fall off the leaf as it just hangs, cures, dries. Whatever is left on the leaf can be brushed off much easier, after it is cured, without damaging the leaf.
DGBAMA, I did that and it gummed up quite a few of my tools. What I do is after the stuff turns brown and is in medium-high case (pretty constantly now, it's so rainy out) I take my air compressor with a air trigger and regulator, and just light air mist the leaves while shaking the hanging stick I have my leaves on. A nice mist of bugs, debris dirt come off the leaves 
I put my cured leaf in bud bags and brought them inside to dry the stems. Every time I picked up one of the bud bags to turn it over, there would be a circle of dirt under it. Eventually, no more dirt came off, even after shaking the bag. This pretty much proved to me that it's going to come off anyway. I'm not sure what to tell you about the aphids. I'm spraying regularly trying to get rid of what turned into an infestation. They just keep coming back.
springheal
Well-Known Member
I read somewhere that when harvesting, the leaves were washed gently immediately, then hung once the water was shaken off.
Haven't tied it myself.
Haven't tied it myself.
marksctm
Well-Known Member
I spent a lot of time cleaning leaf last year, with all the aphids.
Most will come off from handling, hanging and what not, but once color cured, all the aphids are dead and dried up and it's much easier to brush them off then on a rainy day when they rise in case a little.
In my case any way,
Most will come off from handling, hanging and what not, but once color cured, all the aphids are dead and dried up and it's much easier to brush them off then on a rainy day when they rise in case a little.
In my case any way,
Brown Thumb
Well-Known Member
I just pick them hang them derib them shred them and let it sit for a yr.
Tastes the same to me , I would pull any animal carcass out you might find tends to jamb the Shredder
Tastes the same to me , I would pull any animal carcass out you might find tends to jamb the Shredder
I wash my lower leaves, and occasionally others if they're crappy. I can hose off 200 leaves an hour; takes another hour to load onto my slats for drying.
Had some leaf grown by a friend last year, and they were infested with aphids. Didn't have time to wash them in October, and when I got around to boxing the leaves this June for storage, I had to vacuum off the aphids.
My washing setup uses a hose end nozzle, with the leaf placed on an old folding fireplace screen. Pix are posted in the HTGT picture gallery, under my name on page two.
Had some leaf grown by a friend last year, and they were infested with aphids. Didn't have time to wash them in October, and when I got around to boxing the leaves this June for storage, I had to vacuum off the aphids.
My washing setup uses a hose end nozzle, with the leaf placed on an old folding fireplace screen. Pix are posted in the HTGT picture gallery, under my name on page two.
Aaron
Well-Known Member
I tried that last year. The water is ok for a light rinse, but I would also advise against the brush. I used a very soft china bristle brush and had the same result as Lefty. Bruised leaf that didn't cure properly. This year I'm not even washing. I'll brush them off if needed after they are cured.
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
I guess for me I lucked out. Just wanted to share something that worked for me.
When I flue-cured a batch of VA Bright mud lugs, they were fairly dirty. Once they are cured and leathery, the dirt easily wipes off with a microfiber rag.
Most of the time, when stringing leaf, I gently slap the leaf on the cement floor to knock off the major hunks. Otherwise, I pay attention only to bird droppings, which usually will pry off as a dried flake.
On rare occasions (like when I sprayed the mud lugs with my mower clippings), I spread leaves on the grass and hose them off. Then I string the wet leaves, and hang them on the clothes line to dry in the breeze. It's a major bother to do the hosing, and worry about too much sun on the wet leaf.
Bob
Most of the time, when stringing leaf, I gently slap the leaf on the cement floor to knock off the major hunks. Otherwise, I pay attention only to bird droppings, which usually will pry off as a dried flake.
On rare occasions (like when I sprayed the mud lugs with my mower clippings), I spread leaves on the grass and hose them off. Then I string the wet leaves, and hang them on the clothes line to dry in the breeze. It's a major bother to do the hosing, and worry about too much sun on the wet leaf.
Bob
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