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Washing leaves

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ProfessorPangloss

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Now that harvest approaches, I've read talk regarding washing off the leaves - either for dead aphids or to get the mud from the lugs, etc. Is there a procedure in particular that makes for good curing, or are there practices to avoid? I am almost ready to prime some of my leaves (lugs and assorted lower), and as they ascend the stalk I have differing percentages of mud flecks and dead aphids to contend with.

(interestingly enough, I wonder if the combination of dish soap and lots of rain has helped keep them as clean as they are). I'm installing vents in my shed on the gavel ends to allow some circulation, but I still don't want mold.
 

deluxestogie

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Here's what I usually do with mud lugs that I plan to color-cure. (I trash any of them that are seriously damaged, or otherwise really crummy.) As I prime a nice mud lug that has dried mud on it, I gently scrub it against the cut ends of the dry grass, to brush off the mud. That doesn't get it all, but it keeps the amount of dirt carried into the shed to a minimum. If everything is wet (leaf or grass), I'm usually not harvesting.

Washing leaf, which I've done, requires subsequently drying the leaf in the shade, prior to stringing it. That's a big PITA.

For stalk harvesting, either I have already primed nice mud lugs, or they are trash. Whatever is on the whole plant just goes into the shed.

Dead aphids will fall off eventually. Honeydew doesn't wash off very easily. I usually ignore the honeydew, unless it is so disgusting that I can't stand the thought of ever seeing that leaf again. Those (rare) latter leaves get trashed.

Unlike your dinner salad, you're just going to burn this stuff regardless. So no need to be overly fastidious. I've rolled many a cigar, to afterwards find the rolling board dusted with a fine layer of mud lug dirt. Yay volado!

Bob
 

Knucklehead

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I washed dead aphids by the millions off my leaf last year before hanging. I had a severe infestation due to long periods of rain when I couldn't get into the patch. I used a water hose with no nozzle, one leaf at a time, and used my other hand along with the water as necessary to wipe off any stubborn aphids. Even dead, some of them hang on there for dear life. The leaf drip dried in a few hours, well before curing had actually started or any mold could form from the extra water.
Mud will usually come off through the normal routine of curing, drying, rehydrating and all the handling done by the time the leaf is ready for storage.
 

Jitterbugdude

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Unless your dead aphids are excessive (that's for you to determine) you can just leave them. By the time you cure them for 2 months, then kiln them and shred them almost all of them will have fallen off.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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Thanks for the replies, all. I went down to the patch today (in bright sunlight, I should add) to see the effects of a few days of soap spray. Some of the plants look pretty impressively clean, and some are just pasted with dead aphids. I don't see much in the way of honeydew, but the leaves are pretty sticky in general, so maybe I just can't tell the difference. I don't see the telltale black sooty schmutz yet. Next year I'll consider using a backpack sprayer with a wand so I can do a better job spraying sooner and avoid this problem. Or Admire.
 

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Being a first time grower, i harvested all my sand lugs in order to have some leaves to experiment with. First "harvest" was about 12 leaves that i did not wash, they were piled as they were out of the field and some dried green due to low RH i think... Two days ago i harvested 15 more, washed them (and they were REALLY full of mud, sand and grass clippings) and put it in pile without drying (if they mold instead of turning yellow i don't care, those are not precious upper leaves). After 2 days in pile, all the water is gone and the leaves are yellowing without green dry spots. Maybe they will mold, maybe not, i'll see. Obviously i have turned the leaves once a day.
Pier
 

bonehead

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if i wash any leaves with aphids i wash them a day or few before picking. a gentle shower on the underside and top gets most of them off. all the sand and most of the rest of the aphips fall off when the leaf is in motion when the oscilating fan has them danceing in the shed for a few months. i have a hard time believing how much dirt and debris get on my floor under the hanging leaves.
 

Ben Brand

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Just want to add my few cent`s worth, if I may. I was told years ago to stop irrigating my commercial tobacco with overhead sprinklers ( Center pivot) and only use drip irrigation. The reason was, the water on the leaves washes away the natural oils on the leaves. I was just thinking washing the leaves with soap and water, if it is such a good thing.
 

Chicken

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as stated...in hanging most of any unwanted material will fall off....

my floor usually gets a good ammount of dirt... and caterpillar poop.. on it,,, before its kilning time,

hang it... and let that oscillating fan do the dirty work for you.

and dont mistake '' sand'' for '' mold '' ive done that before.. thought i had mold, to only find out it was dried sand.
 

DGBAMA

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I did not have much luck washing, vs the amount of labor. Brushing works for me if needed. Mid morning harvest, when leaf is dry but not wilted, I brush with the softest 4" paintbrush I can find, using a light touch. This gets about 80% of the trash off the leaf and most of the rest comes off during the curing/aging process.
 

ProfessorPangloss

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The paintbrush sounds like a better plan. My patch is not accessible with a hose, so I've been fortunate to not have had to water since mid June, but also unfortunate in the aphid frenzy. I'll give that a try and see how it cleans up when I get close to doing this thing.
 

DGBAMA

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One caution on brushing, too much force can "bruise" the leaf, resulting in uneven color curing. Emphasize LIGHT touch. You are essentially just knocking off the loose stuff.
 
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