Stringing tobacco
- Thread starter Fisherman
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I have a 10'x12' garden shed, that is my air-curing barn. Leaf is strung on 17 gauge galv wire between the rafters, about 8-inches between strings. Mostly the burley strains, as they are generally ready to prime first.
Turkish strains are stung on wire, on a smaller wood frame, outside for sun-curing. This frame is small enough that it can be moved inside the shed on rainy days. I keep thinking it would be nice if I had a plastic cover that I could place over this turkish stringing frame, but never seem to get to it. Some day......
The bright leaf strains always seem to late-ripening, and the shed rafters are full of burley. Then, I use the stringing method, with cheap baling cord on 8 ft long wood 2x2's hung from the rafters.
I tried hanging in my attached garage one year. Temp and humidity was too low, and everything dried green.
Even though there are extremes in temperature and humidity throughout the summer months, the outside shed works best for me. Always seem to get a good cure. But, I do keep an ocsillating fan running on slow speed 24/7. My assumption, the fan deters mold, and the circulating air helps with the curing process, as sometimes, the green leaf is packed fairly tight.
Turkish strains are stung on wire, on a smaller wood frame, outside for sun-curing. This frame is small enough that it can be moved inside the shed on rainy days. I keep thinking it would be nice if I had a plastic cover that I could place over this turkish stringing frame, but never seem to get to it. Some day......
The bright leaf strains always seem to late-ripening, and the shed rafters are full of burley. Then, I use the stringing method, with cheap baling cord on 8 ft long wood 2x2's hung from the rafters.
I tried hanging in my attached garage one year. Temp and humidity was too low, and everything dried green.
Even though there are extremes in temperature and humidity throughout the summer months, the outside shed works best for me. Always seem to get a good cure. But, I do keep an ocsillating fan running on slow speed 24/7. My assumption, the fan deters mold, and the circulating air helps with the curing process, as sometimes, the green leaf is packed fairly tight.
With whatever stringing method anyone uses, the spacing between leaves needs to be close if your 2-3 day average humidity tends to be low during the time you're curing, wider if the humidity tends to be high. A fan helps to eliminate pockets of trapped air (with higher humidity) between the leaves.
I use a continuous box fan (on low) propped at an angle on the floor of the shed. If the average humidity stays too high for more than a couple of days, the fan will not prevent mold. Despite leaving hanging leaf in the shed throughout the winter (bringing it inside to hang in the enclosed back porch as soon as it looks good), I have seldom had much of a mold problem--luck of the draw with ambient conditions. Late this June, with the monsoons, I had to toss two small strings of slow-curing leaf that were still in the shed from 2012.
I inspect the hanging leaf in the shed for mold daily, when the humidity stays high.
Bob
I use a continuous box fan (on low) propped at an angle on the floor of the shed. If the average humidity stays too high for more than a couple of days, the fan will not prevent mold. Despite leaving hanging leaf in the shed throughout the winter (bringing it inside to hang in the enclosed back porch as soon as it looks good), I have seldom had much of a mold problem--luck of the draw with ambient conditions. Late this June, with the monsoons, I had to toss two small strings of slow-curing leaf that were still in the shed from 2012.
I inspect the hanging leaf in the shed for mold daily, when the humidity stays high.
Bob
Lefty-Righty - Can you mount a sun curing rack to the inside of your shed door? Close it when raining, open for sun?
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I could mount it on the shed door, but prefer not to - want to keep door closed most of the time, to keep humidity higher during the hot summer day.
Also, am down to just using one frame for the turkish - leaf strings are closer together, and frame is mounted horizontally.
My proceedure for air/sun-cure of turkish is to pick ripe leaf, string and hang in shed until 90+% of leaf lamina is yellowed, then move to the outside frame to finish sun-curing and drying.
Also, am down to just using one frame for the turkish - leaf strings are closer together, and frame is mounted horizontally.
My proceedure for air/sun-cure of turkish is to pick ripe leaf, string and hang in shed until 90+% of leaf lamina is yellowed, then move to the outside frame to finish sun-curing and drying.
I'm really wanting to sun cure. Have you done a side by side taste test with any imported sun cured Turkish?
DonH
Well-Known Member
Thanks! Looks like I have several options.
Knuck.....No, don't buy any tobacco, just GYO.
but I have to let my turkish age about a year after curing/fermenting, otherwise raw & wild.
but I have to let my turkish age about a year after curing/fermenting, otherwise raw & wild.
romanko
Active Member
I prime and air cure in my garage. I ran rows of wire underneath each truss length, and I use Christmas Tree Ornament Hooks to hang each leaf individually - I've found that if I alternate each leaf so that the front of Leaf1 faces the front of Leaf2, and likewise backs facing backs, when they curl they don't get bound up together. Once colour-cured and dry, I move them closer to make room for new primings. Labour intensive yes, but I only grew 70 plants this past year.
That's explains why I couldn't get any hooks this year for my Christmas tree.. they were all sold out
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