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Silver River ... just won't dry out completely!

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squeezyjohn

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Here's a funny thing ... when I take my fully cured and brown Silver River leaves and attempt to dry them out completely in preparation for grinding in to tobacco flour for snus ... they won't go out of case. If I leave them in exactly the same conditions as another variety - they are noticeably pliable and sticky even when the other type of tobacco has almost no moisture content and will shatter readily.

I suspect it is the sticky plant tar/oil/wax which covers the Silver River leaves when they are growing that is causing this phenomenon ... but as somebody who is trying to make snus from this variety it is something of a problem!

Does anyone have tips on how I could treat the leaves so that they can dry completely and behave as normal tobacco does?
 

Rickey60

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I don't know if this will help but you might try it.
I flue cure my silver river and at stim dry temps of 165 they will be crumble dry, you could crush to grind for snus at this point. When in case they will be sticky. I think you will like silver river for snus.
 

squeezyjohn

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Maybe I just have to work a bit harder at getting them dry then ... seems it takes a little more than other varieties such as Yellow Twist Bud.

The only concern I have with Silver River for snus is that by testing with chewing and tasting - I get a fair bit of bitterness ... presumably from all that resinous material on the leaf. I'm praying that it does work though ... it's such a good plant in every respect - it would be a real shame if the leaf was not what I wanted.
 

Knucklehead

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Here's a funny thing ... when I take my fully cured and brown Silver River leaves and attempt to dry them out completely in preparation for grinding in to tobacco flour for snus ... they won't go out of case. If I leave them in exactly the same conditions as another variety - they are noticeably pliable and sticky even when the other type of tobacco has almost no moisture content and will shatter readily.

I suspect it is the sticky plant tar/oil/wax which covers the Silver River leaves when they are growing that is causing this phenomenon ... but as somebody who is trying to make snus from this variety it is something of a problem!

Does anyone have tips on how I could treat the leaves so that they can dry completely and behave as normal tobacco does?

I don't have a kiln and the humidity around here can get quite high, so I use my seedling propagation mats to dry the stems. The leaf will get so dry it shatters so it should work just fine for your Silver River. I get mine at http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/seedling-propagation-mat/s. I use the double mats that work with two 1020 trays and use them under my seedlings in the spring. They work great for seedlings and final drying of your leaf.
 

DGBAMA

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The River definitely holds case more than others, especially the upper leaves. A short time in the oven on low, like toasting, will leave it dry enough to turn to dust.
 

Markw

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Squeezy take the stem out if you can and dry it on top of a rad or in the oven, the rest of the leaf should dry out in a warn sunny place. they just seam to go back into case very easily. I have never had any problems with mould even when the case is up.
 

rustycase

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You might try hanging in a large cardboard box with an incandescent light bulb inside for X days to get a full dry... It IS a very resinous plant!
rc
 

ArizonaDave

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I guarantee it will FULLY DRY in Arizona! Ok, one of these grows I will add Silver River. Mad Oshea has generously shared seed for my spring grow (and my current fall grow).
 

squeezyjohn

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They don't call it a desert for nothing then!

Tell you what ... I'll supply the water and you supply the heat and we'll be on to a winner ;-)
 

ArizonaDave

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They don't call it a desert for nothing then!

Tell you what ... I'll supply the water and you supply the heat and we'll be on to a winner ;-)

Haha, sounds good!!!

I have to say though, our winters are so pleasant that this place transforms into a flowered paradise for half of the year. It's just the summer that is brutal.....um and Sept.-Oct.
 
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