First year grower from Iowa.

[robert stwalley]

Hello to the Tobacco crowd. Been gardening and canning for many years, I can grow about anything, curing is a whole different thing. Also have 17 hives we harvest honey from and about 20+ laying hens. I Started with about 50 plants this year, Burley, Virginia Gold and Yellow twist. Just before the freeze here, plants were sticky but mostly what I think was very green. I have been harvesting lower leaves early with some success but I know there are some that dried green that will likely be tossed. Not to create more dried green waste, I cut whole stocks and are trying to slowly dry in basement. so far I think it is working ok. No sun down here, upper 60*f with one box fan on low that I move around the room once every day or so. Just hoping for some simple cigarette and pipe tobacco, nothing fancy right now. Can anyone recommend a good book on curing tobacco, I do not think I get it yet.

 

[Alpine]

Welcome to FTT. I recommend (besides reading the forum’s FAQ and wiki) the book
“Grow your own cigars” by Robert C. A. Goff (AKA Deluxestogie) who is an authority in home growing tobacco. The book is available through Amazon.

pier

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Your choice to stalk-cure is a good one. If the humidity in the basement remains high, then I would suggest removing the individual leaves from the hanging stalks as they complete coloring (are brown), and dry them for storage.

In general, topping the plants soon after bud stem elongation will trigger earlier maturation out in the field. The Index of Key Forum Threads may have topics that are helpful.

Feel free to start your own grow log in the Grow Blogs section for 2023. (I usually start my tobacco seed germination about 2 months prior to my last frost date.)

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

Welcome. Thank you for joining us.

 

[Old Gasman]

Hello and welcome, all you need to know is here.