Krausen89 2020 First Grown (burley)
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Yes, I found that thanks. I see a lot of home remedies for flea beetles online that just call for the dish detergent portion of the recipe and no tobacco/nicotine. I've only been using the full tobacco/detergent/pepper recipe so far but it makes sense to just try the detergent alone and see if that works, one less chemical would be a good thing.
What works is you. For years, I did the soapy water thing, often 3 times a week for 2 months. The larger the grow, the more that chore sucked the joy out of growing. I can't adequately express my elation at the results, the first season I used imidacloprid in my transplant water. By the time the leaf is mature, there is none left in the leaf, and bugs can return. But two months of no hand cramps from spraying a gazillion plants is plenty reward.
Bob
Krausen89
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So I am trying to devise a plan to color cure these under some kind of temp structure. does anyone have any suggestions? i work for a fence company and have access to some used lumber/tarps was also thinking a small curing shed made from pallets.
also, i posted in another thread about harvesting and i believe Bob had mentioned to stalk harvest when the top leaves are mature, how do i know when the top leaves are mature? the book i am reading talks about the stems being full and plump and you usually harvest 2 weeks after topping. what is a good sign to top the plant if i am planning on harvesting 2 weeks after? I have some time but i am excited and have been thinking about it here at work. Thanks in advance guys!
also, i posted in another thread about harvesting and i believe Bob had mentioned to stalk harvest when the top leaves are mature, how do i know when the top leaves are mature? the book i am reading talks about the stems being full and plump and you usually harvest 2 weeks after topping. what is a good sign to top the plant if i am planning on harvesting 2 weeks after? I have some time but i am excited and have been thinking about it here at work. Thanks in advance guys!
Photo of mature leaf. The next post shows a mature to ripe leaf.
docpierce 2020 Tobacco Garden
Here is the next shot. 6/19/20 I seem to have eradicated the grasshoppers for now. The Cucumber Beetle is the next pest in the batter's box. The holes they chews are smaller. I looked and could not detect any hornworms. Although I saw them last year; so I know we have them. The weather is...
The rugose (corrugated) appearance of the upper leaves in the photo below indicate that they are mature. The stalk can now be stalk-cut.
From 2019.
For color-curing, you can erect a simple frame, and cover it with an opaque tarp, with the sides either open or closed.
Bob
From 2019.
For color-curing, you can erect a simple frame, and cover it with an opaque tarp, with the sides either open or closed.
Bob
Krausen89
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A few mud lugs that were turning and one that broke off. Seem to be color curing nice though i feel like they are getting a bit dry.
Im sure that they dont have much nicotine and prob wont be great but its cool to see the process and get some practice in.
Im sure that they dont have much nicotine and prob wont be great but its cool to see the process and get some practice in.
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Oldfella
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Looks like they are heading in the right direction. Might be quiet tasty. Keep an eye out for mold, but, in upper area of the stems rot. I thought they looked a little bit soft and black. You may need to install a fan just to stir the leaves around not blowing to hard.
Cheer's Oldfella
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
Those look like they are drying too quickly to me.
Krausen89
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Yesterday when I got home I decided to move them. I had them in the doorway of my basement but since humidity was much higher outside i moved them and they are now back "in case" (i guess you would call it)
I placed them under my kids old swingset that i was plannin on tearing down but now i am thinking about turning it into my "curing barn" with some modifications to keep the plants out of the elements while curing and aging.
I placed them under my kids old swingset that i was plannin on tearing down but now i am thinking about turning it into my "curing barn" with some modifications to keep the plants out of the elements while curing and aging.
Save the swingset
Those things are useful. I've used mine for hanging/skinning deer (which probably added on a few more years worth of therapy latter in life for the kids...), as a trellis for vegetable vines, and currently as a frame to help support the netting in the chicken pen.I also saved the frame from the lids old trampoline, straightened the metal out somewhat and used it as the frame for the chicken pen. Now I just need to add some duct tape somewhere to make it officially redneck
Oldfella
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Sounds like a good plan. Reuse, Recycle, Reduce. Not to be confused with: Reading, Riteing, Rithmatic. ( We ain't done spelling yet.) Nec year.
Oldfella
Krausen89
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lugs are doing well. Some more i let cure on the plants and then picked when fully brown. I have been placing the the small bunches under the bottom leaves of the plant as this seems to be the ideal conditions. We got a nice storm so i redistributed and hung them up to dry a bit so they didnt mold. In hindsight, prob be easier to just leave on the plant but its been interesting to see the process of them curing.
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Nice looking leaf.
Krausen89
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So the leaves i posted before are all pretty much done color curing, there is 1-2 that are still a little green. They were one of the first ones to come off. it is mostly brown but still a little green. is it possible for the leaves to get "stuck" while color curing or do some just take longer than others? we had pretty low humidity yesterday so i took them and misted them when i moved them around and then placed them in a freezer bag open, but folded closed, and placed in a dark closet. what is the proper way to age these? should i leave them out of case or have them a little in case so they are still workable?
When the cured tobacco is dry (out of case), the aging process stops. No emergency, just spitz with a little water and the aging resumes. The main thing to avoid is mold. I store my leaf in the basement with two dehumidifiers running set at 50%. That setting will dry out the tobacco after a period of time but when I notice they are out of case I just spritz with a little water and the aging resumes. I used to have one dehumidifier running and that dehumidifier went bad at a bad time. Humidity went over 70% and I lost several pounds of leaf to mold. So now I have the two dehumidifiers hoping only one will go bad at a time. I keep the humidity setting at 50% to give me some lee way if something else goes wrong like a power outage. It gives me time to remember I have tobacco in storage.
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Krausen89
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Krausen89
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Storm came through, tornado touched down pretty close and knocked down a bunch of branches from my 100+ year old boxelder. I got most of it cleaned up and managed to salvage the burley! I got a nice pile of leaves that were just laying on the ground. As of now they are stacked face to face and stem to stem until they wilt a little and then i will hang them to cure.
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Weather events can be trying, when you grow tobacco. You handled it like a pro.
Bob
Bob
Damn. Glad you are ok. I hate those things.
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