Newbie Looking for Air Cure Options

[Northern Light Up]

Hello Everyone,
Thanks for letting me join your forum. Lots of great stuff here.

I grew about 150 plants this year. Havana, Monte Calme Brun, Canadian Virginia.

I primed 25% earlier in the season. Weather was perfect for air curing, and it turned out really well. It's bagged and aging, already pretty smooth and smokable.

For a few reasons, I've cut the plants whole and have them hanging. Nice healthy about 4-5 feet on average, some with gigantic leaves.

My weather has turned too damp and cold and I know it will mold, it's only been a couple days and I want to get on top of it right away.

I'm looking for options.

Thanks again.

 

[Knucklehead]

If the humidity averages above 80% for several days in a row you will need to add a fan to increase airflow, or introduce heat. If humidity is high at night and low during the day, leave the doors or windows open during the day and close them at night to trap the lower humidity air inside the building. It's the average humidity over a period of days that matters.

Check out this thread: http://fairtradetobacco.com/forums/48-Curing-arrangements

Welcome to the forum. If you'll put a general location in your profile, we can better answer your questions, especially concerning curing. Folks in your area can weigh in with their experiences.

 

[Rickey60]

Welcome. Curing during times of damp and cool or dry and hot can be problematic, but like Knicks said, a fan to keep the air moving and found what you can to keep the humidity lower will help.
What is you location? This into will help everyone with their response.

 

[POGreen]

Welcome to Fair Trade Tobacco !

Make a grand introduction of yourself in a new thread right here : http://fairtradetobacco.com/forums/5-Introduce-yourself

 

[Northern Light Up]

Hello,
Thanks for the responses.
I'm on the west coast of Canada. Think, same weather as Seattle.
Outside, humidity is going to be between 80% and 95%. Temperature will average 10 celcius or 50 farenheit.
The tobacco is outside, under a patio roof. there is plenty of airflow. I'm convinced there will be mold.

I don't have room to bring it inside while attached to the stalk. My working plan right now is to prime all of it and stack it in carboard boxes. I know I would have to unstack the piles everyday and restack to fight mold issues. A lot of work, but, not sure if there is anything else to do.

I have a spare bathroom that has humidity control. I can keep the room at 70 degrees and 70% humidity.

I'm wondering about putting newspaper in between leaves to pull some moisture out in the first few days to fight mold.

I'll be happy to do introductions in the appropriate section, just have zero time at this point. This is even pushing my schedule to the point of breaking.

Thanks again.

 

[DonH]

Hello,
Thanks for the responses.
I'm on the west coast of Canada. Think, same weather as Seattle.
Outside, humidity is going to be between 80% and 95%. Temperature will average 10 celcius or 50 farenheit.
The tobacco is outside, under a patio roof. there is plenty of airflow. I'm convinced there will be mold.

I don't have room to bring it inside while attached to the stalk. My working plan right now is to prime all of it and stack it in carboard boxes. I know I would have to unstack the piles everyday and restack to fight mold issues. A lot of work, but, not sure if there is anything else to do.

I have a spare bathroom that has humidity control. I can keep the room at 70 degrees and 70% humidity.

I'm wondering about putting newspaper in between leaves to pull some moisture out in the first few days to fight mold.

I'll be happy to do introductions in the appropriate section, just have zero time at this point. This is even pushing my schedule to the point of breaking.

Thanks again.

If you're in the pacific northwest and you have them outdoors under a patio, they will either mold or never dry! More heat, airflow and less humidity is the answer, maybe add a space heater to the spare bathroom.

 

[Northern Light Up]

I have electric baseboard heating in the bathroom. I can get the temperature up to 95 if I need to. I'm a newbie and have the idea that 70 degrees and 70% is ideal.

Should I crank up the temperature and humidity until it cures some and then start to reduce humidity?

Will green leaf mold easy? Or does it mold once the colour starts to change?

Maybe I should leave it on the patio until it is almost all brown and then prime the brownish leaves and move them to the bathroom for humidity and heat control.

 

[deluxestogie]

Green leaf that has never dried out completely is still alive. It won't mold. It's still alive when it yellows. Once the leaf begins to brown (die), mold is most prone to develop along the first few inches at the base of the stem, especially if leaf has folded over that area, since that part of the leaf is often the last to fully dry.

Brown leaf can mold anywhere on the surface, if the humidity is persistently too high. But brown leaf can be dried rapidly, without having much impact on the quality of the leaf. For that matter, once the leaf has fairly well yellowed, then you can take measures to dry it.

Ideal yellowing occurs at ~93ºF in relatively high humidity.

Bob

 

[Northern Light Up]

Exactly what I needed to hear.

So, my plan is to prime the leaves when they are green to yellow, just a bit of brown, watching very closely for mold. Prime the leaves and move them to the heat/humidity/airflow controlled room.

Thanks!