Mould identifying??

[Deano]

Hey everyone, this is my first post. I've just started hanging some leaves for air curing. They have been hanging for about 3 to 4 days. The humidity is between 65 and 75%. I'm just not sure if what I'm seeing is the process of curing or if it's mould developing. Anyway any help would be appreciated! Like I said this is my first year trying it so I'm very much in the confused state

 

[CobGuy]

Welcome to FTT!

It doesn't really look like mold to me but others will surely chime in soon.
I've seen that coloration when my green leaves were drying to fast but it sounds like you've got good humidity.
How about temperatures? Has it been warm enough?

~Darin

 

[Deano]

Welcome to FTT!

It doesn't really look like mold to me but others will surely chime in soon.
I've seen that coloration when my green leaves were drying to fast but it sounds like you've got good humidity.
How about temperatures? Has it been warm enough?

~Darin

Hi Darin, thanks for getting back to me. Temp is about 22-28 degrees celcious

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum.

If the leaf has never dried crispy, and appears to be alive, then it is unlikely to be mold. The somewhat darker areas in the lamina may represent bruising.

Bob

 

[Charly]

I agree, it does not look like mold.
but it reminds me some of my leaves when they dry green.
Are these leaves mature enough ?

 

[Alpine]

I agree, it does not look like mold.
but it reminds me some of my leaves when they dry green.
Are these leaves mature enough ?

Yep, that’s what I was thinking... those leaves don’t look ripe to me... but sure they aren’t moldy.

Pier

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I also think it is bruising.

 

[Deano]

Yep, that’s what I was thinking... those leaves don’t look ripe to me... but sure they aren’t moldy.

Pier

Hey mate, thank you guys. I think they may have been picked too early. Some of them had started to yellow, but a couple were definitely on the greener side... (got excited to get curing). I'll post a photo in a few to show progress... Fingers crossed

 

[Deano]

Day 3...update. looks mould free8 reckon

 

[MarcL]

It doesn't look like it. Here are some examples to look at.
https://www.google.com/search?q=tob...neAKHX2JB74Q_AUIDygC&biw=1170&bih=785#imgrc=_

 

[JennyLeez]

Hi Deano,
That looks fine to me, looks the same as what I have hanging in my shed. Mould is usually a white/gray colour and kinda fluffy. The same as on food.
I wait until the leaves begin to yellow usually around the ends and then pick. Our temperature is too hot to just hang them up in our shed. For example the high air temp on my weather station today was 34.9°C and thats up a 30ft pole. The shed temp was 33 but where the leaves hang the temp was 38°C Humidity 20% and no wind at all.
If I just hang the leaves in that they dry a bright crispy green

So I pick them. Leave them in the wheel barrows for 1 to 2 days to flatten out. Then I box them up with layers of newspaper to soak up the moisture plus keep them moist. I change the newspaper each day so they do not rot in the heat. In 3 to 4 days they are yellow and then I hang them
Extra work for sure, but I found this trick on this forum last year when I was trying to slow down the curing progress from green to yellow.

Cheers
Jenny

 

[Deano]

Hey mate, thank you for the reply! Temperature isn't too hot at the moment but humidity ranges from 65-80. Leaves seem to be ok, I'll keep an eye out for the fluffy stuff!

 

[Deano]

Hey guys,

Humidity here has spiked to 98% for the last week...and I think Ive developed some mould. I have attached some pictures-some might be salt..but the fluffy stuff looks bad.
My question is can I remove it without destroying the leaf? heeelllpp

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I see no mold on the first photo. The second and third should be wiped and quarantined, but possibly still smokable. The third can be wiped.

You can decrease the humidity by increasing the temperature if possible.


Let's say you are at 95%rh, and 28°
The chart gives you a number of 27. I think it's ppm. Anyways, if you wanted to drop it to 70%, you would find the 27 under the 70% column, which is 33°.
Of course you should take readings, but you can use this chart to estimate how much of a change you need to make in temperature in order to decrease the relative humidity to a desired value.

 

[JennyLeez]

Brush off with a brush. I use a paint brush to clean them before boxing.
Spray with a mixture of water and white vinegar. Someone here gave me that idea. It works
It is still warm over here so I dont have to worry about mould yet.
Last year I replaced my light bulbs with heat lamps. That did the trick. No mould.

Cheers

 

[Deano]

Thanks guys. I tried the vinegar water spray and it looked like has really helped. That chart is really helpful