tobaccotalk.myfastforum.org

Dan · Last edited by Dan on Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:25 pm; edited 4 times in total

This is a great old book about tobacco. I hope the link works. If you do successfully bring up the book here's how to read it: The upper right of the site will have the standard forward indicator. You click this to turn a page. Then you have to push it to stop if you want to read that page. If you don't stop it the pages will keep turning. Then when you want to read the page you go up to the upper left hand side of the site and click the + sign to zoom in. You'll get the hang of it, probably better than I did but this will get you started.
It's a darn good read.

http://www.archive.org/stream/tob...fitscu00killiala#page/n9/mode/2up

The subject of the first link is curing. The second link is about curing and fermentation. Both deal with the subjects on a large scale but some insight can be gleaned from them that may help you to understand what the goal of the processes are.

http://www.cpes.peachnet.edu/toba...Curing%20Flue-Cured%20Tobacco.pdf

http://www.archive.org/stream/curingandfermen00loewgoog

Dan · Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 6:46 pm Post subject: Here's what I do

On my site I say that the safest thing to do is to put the moist tobacco in an open plastic bag. Let it dry out completely and then close the bag and put it away carefully. When you want some tobacco, again carefully, take some out of the bag and put it in another plastic bag and spray it with water. Close the bag and in a few hours it will be pliable again. This is not a cast in iron strict way or the professional way of handling tobacco but it is the safest way until you get to know the leaf. After handling the leaf for a while you will find other ways to keep it. All I know is that if someone has never seen or handled or even heard of tobacco they can’t go wrong doing it this way. It is impossible to mold up on you and it will keep forever. Just a little side note here; I sent some tobacco to Afghanistan recently and told the Airman to dunk the whole lot of the dried tobacco in a bucket of water and spread out the leaf to dry to a leathery (workable) condition. He wrote me and said it worked out fine. This was the best way I could have instructed him because I knew the leaf was going to be crispy dry by the time it got to him. I told him, “Don’t handle it just let it gently slide out of the box and drench it.“ Sounds crazy but it worked.
Now, these are the ways I handle it myself. I either put the pliable leaf in a bag and mist it every so often, maybe once a week maybe less. It depends on the humidity in the air. Bottom line I keep it pliable not wet. I keep the bag partially open to the air for circulation. I keep an eye on it and I sniff it every couple of days just to see if I pick up any slight musty smell. If not, I leave it alone. If I don’t get that mellow aroma of aging tobacco I open that bag wide and fluff the leaf around to let the air circulate real good and I keep it open till the leaf almost dries completely. Another thing I have done is to spray the leaf with a 50-50 or better mix of some kind of drinking alcohol and water. Any kind of whiskey, scotch whisky, rum or rye. Vodka if you don’t want any flavors added. The more alcohol the better the chances that the leaf won’t mold. I’ve sprayed leaf with straight 86 proof Segrams and closed the bag up tight and it never molded on me. But everything I am saying here comes after many a failure.
All I can say is to try experimenting with a small amounts of leaf. And if you find a good way of storing it . . . Post it. Let us all know and we’ll build on that.

Dan · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 10:00 am Post subject:

They have to ripen. If they aren't ripe it doesn't work. It's like eating a green banana or something similar.
I have picked tobacco that hasn't ripened and tried to make it ripen or go brown on the stalk. I tried misting it to keep it alive. It didn't work. It dried green and it tasted green.

bob_kemp · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject: russ --

Hi --

I found a page where Dan put pictures in the forum, but now I can't find it! I'm going to put two more pics here as of this date, so you can see how big they are. The marlboro box is 100's.

Russ, I meant I think they need to stay moist for the first week or two after transplanting out into the field. The roots haven't grown much and usually they aren't used to the full sun unless you've had them out in it. If not, then you will want to harden them off by gradually adding more hours of full light a day over at least 5 days, maybe a week, before transplanting.

Here they are, this is Silk Leaf, a cigarette tobacco....

and

Dan, do you think they are ready to set out? And I posted other pics at the top of the forum but looks to me like people are only using this. It's labelled -- Bob's Update. If you want, I could repost or maybe you could move to here if it will stay in chronological order.

Thanks,

Bob

Dan · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 9:16 pm Post subject:

They're ready to go Bob. I know that you aren't going to like this so just try it with a couple of them. Break off the lower leaves. Some of them are yellowing. Some not. Then plant your sprouts up to the next set of leaves. Plant them deep. Make note of the ones you plant like this versus the ones you plant regular. I think you'll find that the ones you plant deep will grow better and be sturdier.
Also, when you plant any of your plants don't be surprised if they wilt and look like they are dying with the leaves turning yellow or brown and dying off. The plant isn't dying. They'll come back.
As for the picture forum; go to the bottom right of this or any page and click the "Jump to: Select a forum" arrow and click the pictures field. Start a new topic and post away. Good luck.

bob_kemp · Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 5:57 am Post subject: ready to plant out!

Dan,

Thanks! Yes, I saw you suggest we plant tobacco like tomatoes, deep. And I expect a little wiltage in the ground and will reserve many plants to replace any which fail. I upgrade leftovers and sell them as houseplants anyhow, lol.

Bob

russ · Joined: 02 May 2009 Posts: 29 Location: n.mi

yes i saw your update nice i am jealous of there size compared to mine lol i dont feel like a beginner with yours and dans help many thanks to this web site russ

bob_kemp · Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 9:43 am Post subject: rain rain rain

Well...I went out and dug trenches yesterday with the tractor to put the transplants in and overnight we got over 1-1/2 inches of rain! It's a muddy pit out there now. I'm too old to play in the mud, maybe I'll get to plant them out come next week after a couple of sunny days......

Bob

russ · Joined: 02 May 2009 Posts: 29 Location: n.mi

wheres dan?

Dan · Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 9:54 am Post subject:

Yo Russ, Dan here. Had a righteous game of pinochle last night.
What's up?