Buy Tobacco Leaf Online | Whole Leaf Tobacco

prepping air cured leaf for storage

Status
Not open for further replies.

DGBAMA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4,418
Points
63
Location
NORTH ALABAMA
Don't know if this is a good idea or not but it makes sense, so here goes.....

54 strings of leaf, crammed in the chamber. Going to bring to 130 or so and vent like hell until rh drops below 10%, which should ensure stems are absolutely dry and any spores that might even think about growing are killed. When it comes back into low case, it will be boxed for storage.

14096171701330.jpg
14096172306541.jpg
 

Brown Thumb

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2012
Messages
4,057
Points
113
Location
Pa
As long as them Stems are Crispy Dry at the top You should be good to go. I went straight into ziplocks last yr. lost one bag to mold. GrFinny found it.
I use the horse method and instead of untying the string I just snap all three stems off below the string.
If one stem gives me a hard time I set it aside too wet. It has Only has happened a few times.
That is a chamber full of leaf. I thought I packed mine tight.
I hope it turned out good.
 

DGBAMA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4,418
Points
63
Location
NORTH ALABAMA
The air curing has gone well. Once cooked dry and brought back to low case, it will go in plastic totes for kilning then storage.

We had rain today so leaf was medium case. Had to shove the door closed to fit it all in. Humidity gets crazy around here, so I figure a short cycle to ensure 100% dry is good insurance before storage.
 

DGBAMA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4,418
Points
63
Location
NORTH ALABAMA
I am really liking the aluminum wire, fast to string and it is a once and done until time to process the leaf. No need to string, cure, tie to hands, etc.
 

DGBAMA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4,418
Points
63
Location
NORTH ALABAMA
The carpet under the leaf in the first pic is 6.5ft square, so yes, a bunch of leaf.
 

deluxestogie

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
23,929
Points
113
Location
near Blacksburg, VA
Although kiln temps inhibit vegetative growth of mold, it doesn't come close to killing the spores. They're everywhere anyway, so it's all about conditions.

If the stems are completely dried, they absorb moisture much more slowly than the lamina. So you can bring the leaf back into case enough to handle and pack it, without the stems becoming damp again.

Bob
 

BarG

Founding Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
4,997
Points
113
Location
Texas, Brazos Vally
I have never had a problem hanging cured leaf in a shed comepletely enclosed with a window kept cracked open year round, or boxes and bags in a low humidity environment. No bugs , no mold just aging leaf. That leaf you have hanging looks real good, your system worked for you.
 

DGBAMA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4,418
Points
63
Location
NORTH ALABAMA
I have never had a problem hanging cured leaf in a shed comepletely enclosed with a window kept cracked open year round, or boxes and bags in a low humidity environment. No bugs , no mold just aging leaf. That leaf you have hanging looks real good, your system worked for you.

A few questionable spots had shown up at the stem bases, figured a quick dry cycle in the kiln was cheap insurance before storing.
 

BarG

Founding Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Messages
4,997
Points
113
Location
Texas, Brazos Vally
If you tie into hands and the stems aren't comepletly dry you could get some mold there in that area. I haven]t tied any of mine this year yet. I have all my bezuki and dixie shade in the kiln for a while yet and have been putting everything else in bags an boxes till I clear out my shed from last years grow. I like to leave them hanging for a year, convienience for me.
 

Gmac

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
200
Points
18
Location
Central Mississippi
I use a double string and 4 inch by 1/2 inch diamater stick to hang tobacco. It's the fastest method I've found.
Just insert the stick between the paralell strings and fold over once, when it gets too tight over a long span just reverse the fold over direction. I have a video, could email a link to anyone interested.
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
I use a double string and 4 inch by 1/2 inch diamater stick to hang tobacco. It's the fastest method I've found.
Just insert the stick between the paralell strings and fold over once, when it gets too tight over a long span just reverse the fold over direction. I have a video, could email a link to anyone interested.

Can you post some pictures or the video? Click the film icon at the top of the Post Box to post a video, click the framed picture icon to post pictures.

Welcome to the forum Gmac.
 

Michibacy

Northern tobacco grower
Joined
May 10, 2012
Messages
1,560
Points
63
Location
Michigan
I too am interested in that process Knucks. I found a way that works just fine, but I'm still always looking to learn more.
 

vinconco

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
63
Points
8
Location
West Virginia Potomac Highlands
Electric fence wire is much faster. Just pierce the leaf and slide it onto the wire. I strung about 5000 leaves this way this year and trying to futz around twisting them between two strings would have taken FOREVER. If you only have about 5 plants then ..... maybe.

when this pic was taken I had about 30 strings with 150 leaves per string.

 

Matty

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2012
Messages
698
Points
28
Location
Sherbrooke, Quebec
.045" stainless welding wire for me. I get leftover lengths from work. Doesn't rust and I can reuse it. I keep my homegrown hung like this till I'm ready for it. The rack in the picture is in my bathroom where the washer and dryer would go. Leaf goes in and out of case with every shower.
 

Attachments

  • 2014-11-18 00.50.29.jpg
    2014-11-18 00.50.29.jpg
    79.9 KB · Views: 29

Jitterbugdude

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
4,266
Points
113
Location
Northeast Maryland
I stalk cure most of my tobacco but when I prime I use wire. However; the absolute quickest way to string is with a stringing horse. The only problem is the stringing horse method is best for flue curing because of the tight spacing. I've used my stringing horse several times but have always feared mold due to the close spacing of the leaves. So far, so good.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top