Anders A Grow Log 2024

[Anders A]

In the workshop, I have tested driving with both a humidifier that comes on if the humidity goes below 60% and a dehumidifier that comes on if the humidity goes above 75%. It has delayed the color-cure so with that bit I am happy. However, it has felt awkward, like balancing on the verge of getting mold I have also had a circulation fan running all the time.

Yesterday when I checked all the Virginia Bright Leafs, I discovered white mold on about half of the large leaves, on the part of the midrib that is against the stem. Thank goodness I caught it early.

I have now removed all the leaves from the stems, brushed away the mold and cut open the midrib, even on those that had no mold.
Now I run with double dehumidifiers and heating fans and then everything will dry quickly, I assume some leaves will dry green, but rather that than mold. Right now the humidity is 40% and the temperature 29 degrees Celsius in the workshop.

 

[Anders A]

My comparison plants, 8 days since harvest.
PY KY171 on the left and KY171 on the right.

 

[johnny108]

My comparison plants, 8 days since harvest.
PY KY171 on the left and KY171 on the right.

View attachment 53243

You don’t have to keep convincing me, I already bought some seeds!

 

[Anders A]

The first batch/variety is starting to approach grinding to tobacco flour.
My 48 Tofta feels completely dry, even the midrib. Have now put them over in cardboard boxes, with the thick part of the midrib up, let them stand like this for a while, maybe until next weekend before I grind them down. I only store whole leaves of the tobacco that I will have for pipe tobacco, I grind the rest (most) into flour as soon as the leaves are really dry.

 

[Anders A]

Then I have grind the leaves from my 48 Tofta plants into flour, which I use to bake snus.
Crumble the crisply dry leaves in the cartons before grinding, then easier to feed into the mill.
36 of the plants have, in addition to regular nitrogen-rich fertilization, also received Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). The flour from these 36 plants weighed 2702g (95 oz), which means 75g/plant (2,65 oz/plant). The other 12 plants received nitrogen-rich nutrition but no Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate, the flour from these 12 plants weighed 744g (26,2 oz), which means 62g/plant (2,19 oz/plant).

So the plants that received Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) gave me a 21% higher yield. .

In total, my 48 plants gave 3446g (121,5 oz) of flour (dry tobacco), which means 72g/plant (2,54 oz/plant).
Haven't taken any second harvest.

 

[deluxestogie]

Have you removed any stems from the leaves, prior to grinding?

Bob

 

[Anders A]

Have you removed any stems from the leaves, prior to grinding?

Bob

No, I grind everything together.

Yesterday I split lamina from stem on tobacco leaves from 2022 and 2023, all together weighed 3.56 kg, after that the lamina weighed 2.78 kg and the stems 0.78 kg. This gave the ratio 78% lamina and 22% stem.

 

[manfisher]

Can't wait to hear how it tastes!

 

[wruk53]

No, I grind everything together.

Yesterday I split lamina from stem on tobacco leaves from 2022 and 2023, all together weighed 3.56 kg, after that the lamina weighed 2.78 kg and the stems 0.78 kg. This gave the ratio 78% lamina and 22% stem.

I'm going to start doing that too. Up till now, I've been throwing the midrib away.

 

[Anders A]

I'm going to start doing that too. Up till now, I've been throwing the midrib away.

I think that the snus is much better with the stem included, above all the texture is better.

 

[Anders A]

Virginia Bright Leaf, 38 plants gave 4934g (174oz) of flour (dry tobacco, incl stems), which means 129,8g/plant (4,58 oz/plant).

 

[Anders A]

First proper frosty morning. It feels good that I have harvested everything, what is left is only a possible second harvest that I did not intend to take care of.
The biggest ones are Virginia Bright Leaf, and if they survive I might keep some of those plants.

 

[Anders A]

Took off the leaves of 38 pcs PY KY171 today.
Transplanted these May 25th, topped them July 25th (day 62), harvested them August 28th (day 96), then hang them in cold storage.
On September 10, I moved the plants from cold storage to the heated workshop, 25-29 degrees Celcius and a humidity of about 32-38%. Cured very nicely to brown and then dried on the plant. Haven't had to cut the midrib, and there is no mold at all on any leaf. Now only the midrib, which is a little damp on some leaves. Will now let them dry up properly, 1-2 weeks before I grind them into flour. I suspect a very high yield, in two weeks I will know

 

[Anders A]

With a heating fan and dehumidifier, the leaves dry very quickly.
Have now put the leaves in cardboard boxes with the thick part of the midrib up, so they dry even faster.
Will probably grind them into flour this weekend.

 

[WillQuantrill]

Virginia Bright Leaf, 38 plants gave 4934g (174oz) of flour (dry tobacco, incl stems), which means 129,8g/plant (4,58 oz/plant).

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Holy Cow that's alot of work!

 

[johnny108]

Anders A-
How much Epsom salt did you give the plants, and, how frequently?

 

[Anders A]

Anders A-
How much Epsom salt did you give the plants, and, how frequently?

I put about a couple of tablespoons in each planting hole when setting out the plants, then I watered the plants 3-4 times during the season with water in which I dissolved epsom salt, I dissolved 1 liter of epsom salt in 200 liters of water. I then distributed these 200 liters to 144 plants. Next year, I will also include Epsom salt in the plug tray as I read that they should reduce the risk of cold stress.

 

[Anders A]

PY KY171 DAC, 40 plants gave 6920g (244oz) of flour (dry tobacco, incl stems), which means 173g/plant (6,1 oz/plant).
I guess I should be happy with that yield, compared to many other varieties it's much higher, but I had (stupidly), expected more


Now I am up to a total of 15.3 kg (540oz) spread over 126 plants which gives an average of 121.4g/plant (4,3oz).
There are now 17 plants left to grind or pack down.

Mine now, 15.3 kg of flour gives me about 38 kg of finished snus, which will last about 2.5 years if I "snusar" a lot and about 5 years if I "snusar" normally.

 

[johnny108]

Wow.
You don’t kiln your leaf or the flour?

 

[Anders A]

Wow.
You don’t kiln your leaf or the flour?
View attachment 53615

No, not when it's going to be snus. When I make snus, I bake the flour together with water and salt, about 36-48 hours in the oven at about 85-95 degrees Celsius. I do it differently when it comes to tobacco for the pipe.