In Louisiana, planted 12 plants in late august. Been pulling leaves as they yellow (still have lots of green leaves on plants in January). I have had no success color curing without mold. Temps switch daily and can range from 34 to frikin 78 (Louisiana!), lots of rain and humid as hell. I’ve tried greenhouse, in shed, outside in breezeway, and a combination based on conditions. Mold mold mold. Any advise on how i might avoid this is appreciated. Also, should I keep leaves on plant until they start to turn (even the higher ups). Thanks!
swampboy First grow. Mold is killin me!
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GreenDragon
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A few thoughts:
1) Pictures!
2) What variety(s) did you plant?
3) I think your only option is a Kiln at this point.
4) Plant earlier this year (April)
1) Pictures!
2) What variety(s) did you plant?
3) I think your only option is a Kiln at this point.
4) Plant earlier this year (April)
thanks greendragon.
1) attached
2) virginia gold, and our native Perique
3) can i kiln when green? Do i keep tending these plants until each leaf begins to yellow?
4) i hear ya. They were a gift. I got a few leaves smokeable while the greenhouse was still pretty hot. Can’t get a fan back there as of yet. I think that would have helped. I hung some in a breezeway but the fan wasnt enough for the 80% humidity and rain (not direct). Fan in the shed was drying them too quickly.
Attachments
Also, those leaves are after i sprayed them with peroxide last night.
GreenDragon
Moderator
My reasoning behind suggesting a kiln is to reduce the relative humidity by increasing heat. An easier way to go would be to put a small heater in your shed. I'd shoot for around 90F. That should reduce the humidity and increase the enzymatic reaction rate to help the leaf color cure so you can dry it for storage and later manipulation.
Also, please introduce yourself in the "Introduce Yourself" forum. Additionally, there are tons of good information in the Key Forum Threads and Wiki in the navigation bar at the top of the page.
Also, please introduce yourself in the "Introduce Yourself" forum. Additionally, there are tons of good information in the Key Forum Threads and Wiki in the navigation bar at the top of the page.
Welcome to the forum.
My first thought, judging from the green plants in the photo, is that you are harvesting the leaf before it is fully mature. Wait until you see a yellow tip on the leaf, then it is safer to pick.
You can probably get a decent result sun-curing the VA Gold. I'm not sure how Perique variety would do with a sun cure.
Bob
My first thought, judging from the green plants in the photo, is that you are harvesting the leaf before it is fully mature. Wait until you see a yellow tip on the leaf, then it is safer to pick.
You can probably get a decent result sun-curing the VA Gold. I'm not sure how Perique variety would do with a sun cure.
Bob
Thanks for the input. What I’ve noticed so far is that when I hang them in a dry climate (the shed) they tend to dry quickly and green. As soon as I put them outside, they begin to turn. Then Louisiana serves up rain and high levels of humidity, and boom! I’ve been transporting back and forth to regulate it and lost this last batch of leaves after they just couldn’t keep up with the last burst of humidity.
Don't allow green leaves to dry. You end up with trash.
Bob
Bob
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
I fully endorse what @GreenDragon said about heat. Increasing temperature decreases relative humidity. Put a hygrometer in your shed and adjust the temperature based on the reading. Even better, use a controller that will turn up the temperature when too humid. Just probably keep it below 100°F, unless if the leaves are fully yellowed, in which case it doesn't matter.
Also, what Bob said, don't pick until turning visibly yellow. And don't pick in the rain.
Also, the more airflow you have during high humidity, the better.
Also, what Bob said, don't pick until turning visibly yellow. And don't pick in the rain.
Also, the more airflow you have during high humidity, the better.
That is a given. I was referring to leaves that have cured or turned and then they get wet
what's worked for me during cool, wet weather __
- only pick leaves when the leaf surface is dry, and mature.
- cure in a well ventilated space
- a fan circulating air deters mold, but don't blow directly at leaf (will dry the leaf too soon). If the fan-blown air is enough to make the leaf wiggle a bit, that enough air to deter mold.
I've used an organic product called Serenade Disease Control (available at full-service nurseries). It is a fungicide strain of Bacillus subtilis that attacks mold/mildew. I've done a light spray at the mid-rib, both sides, on each leaf. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.
Sometimes nothing seems to work. This summer, I had about 80 leaves of African Red BL, ripened, put straight into the kiln to flue-cure. Overnight, they turned black from mold - total loss. I had to sanitize the whole kiln with bleach, and run hot for a couple days before I trusted another batch.
Yeah, this year has been terrible for curing in the midwest, too wet and too cool all summer, into fall.
Not our normal hot, dry July & August that is so great to ripen & cure leaf.
- only pick leaves when the leaf surface is dry, and mature.
- cure in a well ventilated space
- a fan circulating air deters mold, but don't blow directly at leaf (will dry the leaf too soon). If the fan-blown air is enough to make the leaf wiggle a bit, that enough air to deter mold.
I've used an organic product called Serenade Disease Control (available at full-service nurseries). It is a fungicide strain of Bacillus subtilis that attacks mold/mildew. I've done a light spray at the mid-rib, both sides, on each leaf. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.
Sometimes nothing seems to work. This summer, I had about 80 leaves of African Red BL, ripened, put straight into the kiln to flue-cure. Overnight, they turned black from mold - total loss. I had to sanitize the whole kiln with bleach, and run hot for a couple days before I trusted another batch.
Yeah, this year has been terrible for curing in the midwest, too wet and too cool all summer, into fall.
Not our normal hot, dry July & August that is so great to ripen & cure leaf.
If you want to dry your leaves faster, you can remove the midrib.
But if you do do so, the leaves will be harder to hang, and they might dry too fast, so you might get flash dried green leaves (not a good thing).
When I make rajangan, I always remove the midrib before cutting and drying (because I want them to dry as fast as possible, ONCE the leaves are yellow).
But if you do do so, the leaves will be harder to hang, and they might dry too fast, so you might get flash dried green leaves (not a good thing).
When I make rajangan, I always remove the midrib before cutting and drying (because I want them to dry as fast as possible, ONCE the leaves are yellow).
Thanks, Charly. Due to my drying / humidity / mold issues, I am trying to let them yellow as much as possible on the plant without drying out before harvesting. I may experiment with a few to see if it helps to avoid mold. Thanks.
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