Long time since I last posted, but I have now started processing my last year's crop that I detailed here: https://fairtradetobacco.com/thread...finland-2023-victory-garden-style-mysc.11895/
The leaves air cured nice and have been stored bone-dry over the last year in plastic bags without any issues apart from partial shattering when I had to move them from one apartment to another, and some very minor mold on stems of some leaves but I have read that is to be expected.
Trouble started when I started bringing them back to case for shredding and proper storage for aging a few days ago. Misted them with a spray bottle using tap water (soft water here, mildly chlorinated w/ no odors). Let them sit overnight, de-stemmed, shredded about a gallon's worth, let the shred dry overnight spread on the table and placed it in open glass jars. Two days later, obvious white mold inside the jars. Emptied the jars, tried to pick out the most moldy parts but that was pretty hopeless with shredded stuff. Again spread them out to dry further and disinfected the glass jars again with home brewer's disinfectant. I also checked and noticed the commercial whole leaf stuff I had shredded and stored in glass jars about a year ago had similarly accumulated some white-greenish mold some time during storage. I don't know yet about keeping them or discarding, but the start was discouraging to say the least.
Should I have used distilled/sterile water instead of tap water to prevent the mold growth, like in cigar humidors where tap water is a big no-no or so I've heard? Or does it even matter in this use case that is rehydrating back into case for low-case storage and aging in non-controlled environment? Did I just try to store them in too high case and that's all, nothing to do with water quality?
Distilled water is quite hard to get here, it's either "battery water" in local language that's only demineralized/something done with ions but not really distilled, or "sterile water" sold in pharmacies for a hefty price, over 10 dollars for a gallon so would not use it if it's not really necessary. Should I?
Appreciate any input.
The leaves air cured nice and have been stored bone-dry over the last year in plastic bags without any issues apart from partial shattering when I had to move them from one apartment to another, and some very minor mold on stems of some leaves but I have read that is to be expected.
Trouble started when I started bringing them back to case for shredding and proper storage for aging a few days ago. Misted them with a spray bottle using tap water (soft water here, mildly chlorinated w/ no odors). Let them sit overnight, de-stemmed, shredded about a gallon's worth, let the shred dry overnight spread on the table and placed it in open glass jars. Two days later, obvious white mold inside the jars. Emptied the jars, tried to pick out the most moldy parts but that was pretty hopeless with shredded stuff. Again spread them out to dry further and disinfected the glass jars again with home brewer's disinfectant. I also checked and noticed the commercial whole leaf stuff I had shredded and stored in glass jars about a year ago had similarly accumulated some white-greenish mold some time during storage. I don't know yet about keeping them or discarding, but the start was discouraging to say the least.
Should I have used distilled/sterile water instead of tap water to prevent the mold growth, like in cigar humidors where tap water is a big no-no or so I've heard? Or does it even matter in this use case that is rehydrating back into case for low-case storage and aging in non-controlled environment? Did I just try to store them in too high case and that's all, nothing to do with water quality?
Distilled water is quite hard to get here, it's either "battery water" in local language that's only demineralized/something done with ions but not really distilled, or "sterile water" sold in pharmacies for a hefty price, over 10 dollars for a gallon so would not use it if it's not really necessary. Should I?
Appreciate any input.
