Stem-Drying Burley

[Orson Carte]

Does anyone have expertise on whether or not burley leaf that has been pretty much completely air-dried can be kilned at (the usual flue-cure temperature of 78C) to dry the stems, without affecting/changing the quality?
The reason I ask is because my crop is about six weeks behind normal schedule this year and although the leaf has colour-cured brilliantly in the air some of the stems are still greenish. I'm concerned that there is now not enough warmth in the air to satisfactorily dry them before I run the risk of mould.
I have a reasonably large kiln ( 25 m3 ) and I would like to do my whole crop of 300 plants in one batch - I just wouldn't want to condemn the whole lot in one fell swoop by doing the wrong thing.
Thanks.

 

[Knucklehead]

Can you dial the temp control back down to around 53? That’s hot enough to stem dry and prevent the growth of mold.
I‘m about to get this all screwed up but I mean well and I’m forgetting some things and forgetting all the scientificy reasons so discount everything I say except the temps. At around 60C the heat will destroy some needed enzymes and other stuff necessary for continued aging. Or something like that. I will try to find the Deluxestogie post and add it here if I can.

edit: here is one, but there are at least two others that go more in depth. I will keep looking.

Kiln Air holes, place & size

Kiln 3.2 x 4 x 6 ft with 250 W terrarium lamp and humidifier. I think about two holes size of ice hockey puck sufficient? One above the bottom, the other under the roof both in the middle of the longer wall. Do you think it is sufficient? sorry, I was not able to rotate the picture...

fairtradetobacco.com

I stem dried a lot of leaf on top of seedling heat mats, but you may have a whole lot more leaves than I had at the time. The kiln would be the way to go.

 

[deluxestogie]

Yes. Kiln the burley. If you plan to utilize the stems (e.g. for snus), then you need for them to yellow then turn brown at temps below 104°F. As for just kilning burley at regular kilning temperatures, I do that all the time with all of my burley, since it invariably makes it nicer.

Bob

EDIT: I should add that if your burley is a white stem burley variety, then keep it at the lower temp for a couple of weeks extra, before raising it to kiln temps. This is because the coloring and the clearing of carbohydrates and albuminous proteins are (unlike other tobacco) not synchronized.

Bob

 

[Orson Carte]

The variety is Yellow twist bud.
I have no intention of using the stems. I simply wish to have the whole leaf dry so that I can safely store it.
I was thinking that 48 hours at 78C (as per the standard flu-cure schedule) would quickly dry the stems but are you suggesting that Knucklehead's lower temp. of around 58C will do the trick?

 

[deluxestogie]

53°C is a reasonable kilning temperature.