Curing cigarette tobacco

[Bramleyjordan]

Hello all, I am Jordan and from Reading UK! I am currently growing my own tobacco indoors as a hobbie (only two plants), this is my first grow! The tobacco plants have been growing for 4.5 months and now the bottom leaves are turning yellow. The humidity in the grow tent is 60-70% and temp is 25-27c, 2 small fans for circulation. I am hanging leaves that are turning yellow in the grow tent until they are around 95% yellow (takes around 4 days for each leaf). Once the leaves are 95% yellow, I hang them in the room (taken out of the grow tent) where humidity and temp is a lot lower. They hang in the room until they go dry and then I am placing them in a box to age - does this sound like the correct method to cure and age them? They seem very dry and brittle at the moment but I tested one by spraying with water which made it much pliable.
Thanks!

 

[Alpine]

Welcome to FTT.
Yes, you are curing your leaves the right way. After curing, tobacco leaves need to be aged for a few months (or kilned for a month or so) in order to improve their taste. Growing indoors is interesting and fun, but usually the tobacco is of inferior quality (I.e. less taste and aroma, and less nicotine) compared to tobacco grown outdoor.
Feel free to introduction yourself in the appropriate forum section and take a look at the FAQ section for tips on curing tobacco.

pier

 

[Bramleyjordan]

Welcome to FTT.
Yes, you are curing your leaves the right way. After curing, tobacco leaves need to be aged for a few months (or kilned for a month or so) in order to improve their taste. Growing indoors is interesting and fun, but usually the tobacco is of inferior quality (I.e. less taste and aroma, and less nicotine) compared to tobacco grown outdoor.
Feel free to introduction yourself in the appropriate forum section and take a look at the FAQ section for tips on curing tobacco.

pier

Thank you for your reply and confirmation i am doing it correctly! I decided to start the hobbie approaching winter (UK) so decided to start indoors last year... ill be trying it outdoors and indoors this year so will hopefully see the difference you mention .. thanks!!

 

[Knucklehead]

Welcome. Thank you for joining us.

Aging stops when the leaf is completely dry. It starts back with the introduction of a little moisture. Avoid too much moisture as that can cause mold. Growing is a wonderful hobby. What varieties are you growing?

 

[Bramleyjordan]

Welcome. Thank you for joining us.

Aging stops when the leaf is completely dry. It starts back with the introduction of a little moisture. Avoid too much moisture as that can cause mold. Growing is a wonderful hobby. What varieties are you growing?

No problem! Best information anywhere on the net!!!

So my leaves are completely dry that they are brittle... would it be better to leave them hanging in my grow tent where the humidity it higher for 3 months rather than in a box?

I am very new to this, I usually smoke Amber Leaf branded tobacco so got that seed.

Thanks!

 

[Jb00]

I recall seeing in another thread that the sweet spot for aging cured leaf is anything below 70% RH, but more ideally 50-60%RH that would be in the range of 18-22% moisture content.

 

[Bramleyjordan]

I recall seeing in another thread that the sweet spot for aging cured leaf is anything below 70% but more ideally 50-60% that would be in the range of 18-22% moisture.

Thanks for your reply!
So my room where they are hanging now, is probably around 30-40% hence why they dry within a week of hanging there. I guess based on this, it would be ideal to leave them hanging in the grow tent for 3 months instead (which is around 60-70% humidity)?

Thanks

 

[Jb00]

Thanks for your reply!
So my room where they are hanging now, is probably around 30-40% hence why they dry within a week of hanging there. I guess based on this, it would be ideal to leave them hanging in the grow tent for 3 months instead (which is around 60-70% humidity)?

Thanks

There are more experienced growers that can probably answer that with more reliability, but that would my guess as to the answer.

 

[Knucklehead]

Thanks for your reply!
So my room where they are hanging now, is probably around 30-40% hence why they dry within a week of hanging there. I guess based on this, it would be ideal to leave them hanging in the grow tent for 3 months instead (which is around 60-70% humidity)?

Thanks

I store my leaf in a poly nylon bag in cardboard boxes. Others have other methods that work for them. I spritz the leaf with water using a spray bottle so that they don’t dry out, but enough to allow handling without shattering. Too much moisture and the leaf can mold, too little and the leaf become brittle dry and the aging stops. Give it a little moisture and aging resumes. I try to spritz the inside of the bag which allows the air inside to take up the moisture and then migrates to the leaf. I fold over the top of the bag about three times and keep it closed with wooden clothes pins for easy access.

 

[Bramleyjordan]

I store my leaf in a poly nylon bag in cardboard boxes. Others have other methods that work for them. I spritz the leaf with water using a spray bottle so that they don’t dry out, but enough to allow handling without shattering. Too much moisture and the leaf can mold, too little and the leaf become brittle dry and the aging stops. Give it a little moisture and aging resumes. I try to spritz the inside of the bag which allows the air inside to take up the moisture and then migrates to the leaf. I fold over the top of the bag about three times and keep it closed with wooden clothes pins for easy access.

Thank you so much for the reply, I think i will try that method as its seems my leaves are too dry to age. Can I ask what are Poly Nylon bags please?

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Do feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum.

Poly-Nylon bags are laminated polyethylene and Nylon bags that are often used for vacuum sealing foods. Unlike polyethylene bags, they are vapor-proof. Very thick polyethylene bags work fairly well. If you use a thin polyethylene bag, then you will simply need to refresh the moisture more frequently.

Bob

 

[Bramleyjordan]

Welcome to the forum. Do feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum.

Poly-Nylon bags are laminated polyethylene and Nylon bags that are often used for vacuum sealing foods. Unlike polyethylene bags, they are vapor-proof. Very thick polyethylene bags work fairly well. If you use a thin polyethylene bag, then you will simply need to refresh the moisture more frequently.

Bob

Great! Thank you. I will look at getting these and will follow the advise above

 

[Bramleyjordan]

Welcome to the forum. Do feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum.

Poly-Nylon bags are laminated polyethylene and Nylon bags that are often used for vacuum sealing foods. Unlike polyethylene bags, they are vapor-proof. Very thick polyethylene bags work fairly well. If you use a thin polyethylene bag, then you will simply need to refresh the moisture more frequently.

Bob

Just one further question on this topic, Should the leaves be wet (e.g when using a spray bottle, they are not soaking but very moist) when going into the bag? If so, how often should the bag be opened and the leaves shuffled around (If this even needs to happen)?

 

[deluxestogie]

Not wet. Mist lightly. Wait 24 hours. If they are not flexible, then lightly mist again. Wait 24 hours. Moist leaf will invariably mold.

Bob

 

[Bramleyjordan]

Not wet. Mist lightly. Wait 24 hours. If they are not flexible, then lightly mist again. Wait 24 hours. Moist leaf will invariably mold.

Bob

Okay great. So at the moment, I purchased a vacuum bag and they are now in there. They are flexible now and not wet at all. I guess at this stage, they can just sit in there for 3 months to age? I also plan to add leaves to the bag as they become ready and then once all the leaves have been placed into the bag, ill start the 3 month age timer.

 

[Knucklehead]

Just one further question on this topic, Should the leaves be wet (e.g when using a spray bottle, they are not soaking but very moist) when going into the bag? If so, how often should the bag be opened and the leaves shuffled around (If this even needs to happen)?

For storage I keep the leaf in low case. In prep for shredding I mist two to three days in advance and feel it the following day. If it’s in low case about two mists with my particular sprayer and check it the next day. If it’s still dry I will give it another dose. If it’s crumbly dry I will give it three mists, feel next day, mist again. Sprayers vary so err on the side of caution. This post describes the term “case”:

Storing shredded tobacco

Hi ! What is the best way to store shredded tobacco ? Is mason jars an option ?

fairtradetobacco.com

 

[Yultanman]

Okay great. So at the moment, I purchased a vacuum bag and they are now in there. They are flexible now and not wet at all. I guess at this stage, they can just sit in there for 3 months to age? I also plan to add leaves to the bag as they become ready and then once all the leaves have been placed into the bag, ill start the 3 month age timer.

Keep a few separate bags. Easier to test plus as you go up the plant flavor and nicotine content change. A few separate bags gives you blending options. Just food for thought. Also be wary growing other plants in your tent with tobacco due to pests and viruses. I know tomatos are susceptible to mosaic virus.

 

[Bramleyjordan]

For storage I keep the leaf in low case. In prep for shredding I mist two to three days in advance and feel it the following day. If it’s in low case about two mists with my particular sprayer and check it the next day. If it’s still dry I will give it another dose. If it’s crumbly dry I will give it three mists, feel next day, mist again. Sprayers vary so err on the side of caution. This post describes the term “case”:

Storing shredded tobacco

Hi ! What is the best way to store shredded tobacco ? Is mason jars an option ?

fairtradetobacco.com

Thanks! So i would say mine are Low to Medium case. If the bag is sealed, will they stay in this case or should I be worried about mold?

 

[Bramleyjordan]

Keep a few separate bags. Easier to test plus as you go up the plant flavor and nicotine content change. A few separate bags gives you blending options. Just food for thought. Also be wary growing other plants in your tent with tobacco due to pests and viruses. I know tomatos are susceptible to mosaic virus.

Okay, good point! Also, I only grow tobacco plants in my tent.

 

[deluxestogie]

For long term storage, the tobacco should be either:

• bone dry (easily crumbles to dust, and won't age at all)
• low case (just barely flexible, will slowly age at temp above 60°F)

The duration needed to adequately age, under natural conditions, varies with the variety of tobacco and priming level. It can range from several months to several years. That's why a tobacco kiln is helpful--to dramatically shorten the aging process. For Virginia type tobaccos, you can go the primitive route, though the product from flue-curing is dramatically better.

Bob