Good Bright Leaf Variety for Air curing?

[Davo]

I’m just deciding what I will grow this coming season and need some input on which bright leaf could be a good choice. I will most probably air cure the leaf and then kiln it - unless the kilning aspect is a no go. I may try some sun curing, more as an experiment to contrast with the air cured stuff than a chosen curing method.

this is what bright leaf seeds I have to choose from:

Va gold
Cherry Red
Frog Eye Orinoco
Virginia bright leaf
Costello
lemon bright
gold leaf 939

Thoughts?

 

[Knucklehead]

I’ve grown all of those. My three preferences from the list would be Cherry Red, Costello, GL 939. Skychaser has some good descriptions on his website.

A brief post about Costello by Skychaser.

Danny’s Grow Blog 2021

I’ve ordered my seeds for the year. I may order a few more strains next week but if I don’t, I probably won’t miss them. I ordered Perique(I’ll attempt to barrel ferment this) Yenidje(an attempt at Latakia) Habana 608 Habano 2000 Havana 263 Long Red Costello Colombian CT Broadleaf PA Broadleaf...

fairtradetobacco.com

Not only is there good info on his seed site, but if you enter the variety name in the “search“ box and add skychaser where it says “by” you can find more informative posts by him regarding those varieties here on the forum. I think the three I listed are among his top favorites.

 

[deluxestogie]

Despite the "bright" in some of the names, you don't end up with bright tobacco unless you flue-cure it, rather than air-cure it. Sun-curing is something of an alternative, to end up with a bright-ish leaf.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

I just remembered that you are a piper. Cherry Red is excellent for pipe and a heavy producer.

Cherry Red

 

[Davo]

Thanks gents. Yes I’m aware I will end up with a more alkaline and less sweet product, but that is my intention.

I’ll look more into sun curing and maybe I’ll endeavour to cure half of it this way.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

You should sun cure it.

 

[Davo]

You should sun cure it.

Ok boss. Would you prime to sun cure? As opposed to sun curing a stalked plant - that’s how I’ve done some smaller varieties in the past.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I would prime. Get really ripe ones and let them yellow until they're yellow and then hang them in a hot sunny place.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

You could even do rajangan with some to see if you like it. Take fully yellowed leaves, shred, and put them in the sun on a screen. I use a domed 1020 tray with some added moisture so humidity increases with temperature.

 

[Davo]

I would prime. Get really ripe ones and let them yellow until they're yellow and then hang them in a hot sunny place.

I have perfect spot for that actually.

do you normally kiln after sun curing?

 

[santisimo]

Hello, last year i air-cured leaves from Shirey and MD-609. Both with great results, after 8-9 months of curing then processed cavendish style a very good tobacco for pipe smoking.
Virginia Gold turned into "greened" leaves not so satisfying...

 

[skychaser]

I’m just deciding what I will grow this coming season and need some input on which bright leaf could be a good choice. I will most probably air cure the leaf and then kiln it - unless the kilning aspect is a no go. I may try some sun curing, more as an experiment to contrast with the air cured stuff than a chosen curing method.

this is what bright leaf seeds I have to choose from:

Va gold
Cherry Red
Frog Eye Orinoco
Virginia bright leaf
Costello
lemon bright
gold leaf 939

Thoughts?

Gold Leaf 939 is my favorite strain. It always does well in my climate no matter what the variations in weather from year to year. It ripens at the same time each year right on schedule, cures easily and air/sun cures to a bright yellow gold. The plants get about 5' tall to the crows foot, are easy to manage, very little suckering, and hold up well in rain and wind.

Costello is my second favorite. It's a little less productive and a little harder to cure (but not much) but it has a a slight nutty taste and sweetness to it that I love. My cigarette blend is 1/3 Gold Leaf, 1/3 Costello and 1/3 Golden Burley.

I need to grow some more Cherry Red to smoke. It was a very productive plant and had a flavor I really liked too. But it's all gone now. :/ African Red is a good one too.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I have perfect spot for that actually.

do you normally kiln after sun curing?

Yeah, but it doesn't need much.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I don't kiln after sun curing.
So, ChinaVoodoo... Why do you kiln? and for how long?.

 

[Davo]

Ok looks like I’m gonna be growing more than one bright variety. Lol

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I don't kiln after sun curing.
So, ChinaVoodoo... Why do you kiln? and for how long?.

A couple weeks. I find it gets rid of some grassiness and enhances that raisin scent. I don't think it's necessary

 

[Homegrowngoodnes]

Hate to steal the thread but i am pondering growing harrow velvet in place of va bright leaf for cig blending. Thoughts?

 

[Knucklehead]

Hate to steal the thread but i am pondering growing harrow velvet in place of va bright leaf for cig blending. Thoughts?

Harrow Velvet is a burley. What other varieties will be in your blend?

 

[Homegrowngoodnes]

You're right, poo...i will have to work it out. I already have seeds for small stalk black mammoth, tennessee burley 90 and standard burley. The rest is up in the air i guess since i dont have the seeds yet.

 

[Cray Squirrel]

Dont let the fact that you do or dont have the seeds. Keep reading and learning then grow a wide variety of different varieties. Dont worry about being right or wrong or perfect. Just read and learn. You're on the right track and have lots of time to figure out your grow and plan. No rush.
Harrow is an easy smoke and cures smokable quickly. Burleys are a big part of a blend and also burley's are big in dip also.