Tobacco cultivation in Ukraine - 2025: @Sergey Ukraine

[deluxestogie]

Natural pH Indicators: Make a pH indicator using beetroot or cabbage!

Natural pH indicator foods change colors as the pH of the solution changes. From purple to blue, green, even yellow! Learn how to make a pH indicator with beetroot and compare it to the color changes we see in purple cabbage. This is an easy and fun kids chemistry project that you can do with...

rosieresearch.com

Bob

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

Natural pH Indicators: Make a pH indicator using beetroot or cabbage!

Natural pH indicator foods change colors as the pH of the solution changes. From purple to blue, green, even yellow! Learn how to make a pH indicator with beetroot and compare it to the color changes we see in purple cabbage. This is an easy and fun kids chemistry project that you can do with...

rosieresearch.com

Bob

Thank you! Interesting information, I think my younger son will enjoy doing this!

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

Hmm... would those litmus strips sold at the pharmacy work? They have a range from 5 to 9 pH.

 

[deluxestogie]

I believe that they would work. And you could also compare their results with the beet juice test.

Bob

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

I checked the pH. I took soil from a depth of 15-20 cm. I poured water with a pH of 7, stirred it well, let it stand for 30 minutes, and filtered it through a cotton filter. I checked it with the medical tests I posted above. Results:
1. Purified water - pH 7
2. Tap water in the house - pH between 7.5 and 8
3. Tap water on the tobacco plot for irrigation - pH 8
4. Soil near the house - pH 7.5
5. Soil on the tobacco plot - pH 7.5

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

pH 7.5 is the maximum value for tobacco, right? Should I leave it as it is or lower it? If I lower it, which is better—pine bark or peat?
I have also already applied fertilizer to the plot... one with the composition P-19, Ca-20, S-32 and the second composition in the photo. Azote planned to apply nitrogen in the spring, before planting.

 

[StoneCarver]

Looks like your conditions are slightly alkaline. i don't know if its so alkaline that it would benefit you to reduce the pH.
I just know that most plants absorb most nutrients best at around 6.0-6.5 pH give or take.

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

Is it possible to interrupt the firing process in the kiln? How will this affect the taste/aroma? I am considering starting the firing process in the kiln, but there is a possibility of power outages due to attacks on energy facilities. In that case, I will have to interrupt the process for an indefinite period of time. On the other hand, there may not be any power outages, and I will lose time... Is it possible to do it partially and then continue after a while? Or is it better not to interrupt?

 

[StoneCarver]

Is it possible to interrupt the firing process in the kiln? How will this affect the taste/aroma? I am considering starting the firing process in the kiln, but there is a possibility of power outages due to attacks on energy facilities. In that case, I will have to interrupt the process for an indefinite period of time. On the other hand, there may not be any power outages, and I will lose time... Is it possible to do it partially and then continue after a while? Or is it better not to interrupt?

I would say kiln what you can as long as you can. If the power goes out, then be sure to take everything out of the kiln so that it doesn't mold. Its not like kilning needs to be done immediately after color curing. When the power comes back on, you can put everything back in the kiln. It would be like you're aging your tobacco fast slow fast. Meaning fast = in the kiln. Slow = not in the kiln. That's what I'd do. Be safe.

 

[Knucklehead]

Is it possible to interrupt the firing process in the kiln? How will this affect the taste/aroma? I am considering starting the firing process in the kiln, but there is a possibility of power outages due to attacks on energy facilities. In that case, I will have to interrupt the process for an indefinite period of time. On the other hand, there may not be any power outages, and I will lose time... Is it possible to do it partially and then continue after a while? Or is it better not to interrupt?

Kilning is just fast aging. Interrupting that process won't matter because natural aging also occurs in fits and starts. When the natural conditions of temp and humidity intersect, the aging continues. A flue curing interruption can cause a problem and correction may require finishing off the leaf by air curing, which would alter the end result, but those are two different processes.

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

It has already gotten colder here, with temperatures dropping to +4°C at night and no higher than +15°C during the day, with rain. I have about 1500-2000 tobacco leaves left, some of them are still yellow, and some only need to dry the central vein. I have an unheated, uninhabited room, and I am thinking of putting a metal frame in it, covering it with plastic wrap, hanging the leaves in it, and putting a heater in it to maintain a temperature of 25-30°C. Which option is better?
1. Cover completely with film, like a greenhouse, and ventilate 1-2 times a day to reduce humidity.
2. Leave gaps at the bottom and top for natural ventilation?

 

[vktr]

I'm no expert but I store the fully cured leaves in large plastic bags in basement, not air tight at all. If I need them I moisten them and smoke or nowadays ferment and smoke. Today checked my early virginia leaves from last year, the smell was really good. No special treatment is required. You can just store them in cardboard boxes as long as there's no frost or excessive humidity. Please correct me if I'm wrong, learning here on the fly.

 

[Knucklehead]

It has already gotten colder here, with temperatures dropping to +4°C at night and no higher than +15°C during the day, with rain. I have about 1500-2000 tobacco leaves left, some of them are still yellow, and some only need to dry the central vein. I have an unheated, uninhabited room, and I am thinking of putting a metal frame in it, covering it with plastic wrap, hanging the leaves in it, and putting a heater in it to maintain a temperature of 25-30°C. Which option is better?
1. Cover completely with film, like a greenhouse, and ventilate 1-2 times a day to reduce humidity.
2. Leave gaps at the bottom and top for natural ventilation?

In the past I have stacked leaves on a seedling heat mat to dry the stems. Restack them a few times until stems are crispy. My weather turned really humid and I had to bring the leaf inside from my shop so they didn't rot or mold. The leaf was brown but the stem was not dry. The seedling heat mats worked very well and quickly.
For the green and yellow ones I would go with controlling heat and temp with the plastic curtains.

 

[vktr]

By the way I'm a Ukrainian too, though living abroad for the last 30 years. Cheers Serhij, the nightmare will end.

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

When it is completely dry, I remove it. I put the leaves without veins into cardboard boxes and store them in the house at a temperature of 20-24 degrees Celsius and a humidity of about 50%. When almost all the leaves have been removed, I start drying them in the oven. The idea of using mats for seedlings is interesting, but I don't have any, and I have nowhere to spread out 2,000 leaves. In terms of volume, the leaves currently take up about 6-7 cubic meters, not counting the 50 or so stems, on which the leaves also need to be dried.

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

Storage of dry tobacco leaves


Drying seeds

Firing in a kiln


Some of the stems that need to be dried

The frame I plan to use for drying tobacco leaves indoors

Leaves that need to dry out the central vein

Leaves that need to be dried completely

 

[Knucklehead]

Storage of dry tobacco leaves
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Drying seeds
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Firing in a kiln
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Some of the stems that need to be dried
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The frame I plan to use for drying tobacco leaves indoors
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Leaves that need to dry out the central vein
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Leaves that need to be dried completely
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I like your setup and the leaves seem to be curing very well and the color looks great. All you have to do now is change the weather!

 

[Sergey Ukraine]

My father is going to America tomorrow for a two-week visit. His itinerary is Chisinau - Istanbul - Miami - Tampa. My stepbrother lives in Tampa; he moved there from Canada. If my father had told me earlier, I could have given the seeds to you, if someone lives nearby.

 

[green_bean]

If I ever got back to Tampa, I'd want to make plenty of time to visit JC Newman's Museum and factory store. The oldest family owned cigar co. in the USA. https://www.jcnewman.com/
Any of you here ever been there?

 

[StoneCarver]

I'm curious. Is it ok to have the lids on the jars whilst in the kiln?