Harvesting turkish/oriental tobacco

[chillardbee]

We all know that these tobaccos are generally sun cured and FTT has a lot of info on that, the set ups and methods for sun curing. However, there is not to much on the harvesting of the leaf.

So I'm asking the question, What is the proper maturity/ripeness to harvest? What colour are the leaves at harvest? Will priming leaves green or yellow make a difference in the final cured colour and will it make a difference in nicotine content? Do different varieties of Turkish/Oriental have different harvesting times (leaf green or yellow when primed)?

This is my first year with orientals and all of you who have experience in this I would welcome your experience and knowledge. Thank you.

Will.

PS: I'm certian I've not asked all the questions i wanted to so I'll probably post more.

 

[DGBAMA]

There is a great curing chart posted in another thread in the last few weeks showing leaf maturity a at harvest vs. How it cures. Can't remember the thread.

Edit, here it is:
http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/1799-FAQ-about-Turkish-tobaccos/page4?highlight=oriental

 

[deluxestogie]

Yellow tip seemed to be the best point for harvest.

Bob

 

[leverhead]

There is a great curing chart posted in another thread in the last few weeks showing leaf maturity a at harvest vs. How it cures. Can't remember the thread.

Edit, here it is:
http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/1799-FAQ-about-Turkish-tobaccos/page4?highlight=oriental

For me, that link missed the post. Try this one. http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/1799-FAQ-about-Turkish-tobaccos?p=77382&viewfull=1#post77382

 

[Knucklehead]

I had good luck sun curing the small leaves inside bud bags last year. I got them to yellow inside the shop, then moved them to the sun. Just stack the leaf inside the bag and flip the bag over once a day. Every two or three days restack the stack inside out. No stringing of the tiny leaves.

 

[chillardbee]

That was a great link, thank you.

Now, what would be the minumum amount of daylight hours per day that you'd need to sun cure?

I also noticed in that diagram that there were different colored leaf for the end result, does that change the flavour of the baccy?

 

[istanbulin]

Final leaf color is an indicator which gives an idea about the flavour. Late harvest (over ripe) leaves tend to cure darker and may taste more strong with less distinct flavor. Additionally, if leaves are harvested on time but cured darker because of climatic conditions, this also affects the taste. It's really hard to control humidity or temperature in sun curing. I started a thread about sun curing last year. It's still half done but you may get the general idea of final leaf color. http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/2242-Sun-Curing

Last year, I tried both air cured and sun cured Balıkesir leaves, while air cured (reddish brown) leaves tasted really neutral, sun cured (yellow) leaves tasted better, more sweet.

Sunshine duration is never less than 10 hours a day during the summer in most of the regions where Orientals are grown, it's generally up to 12-13 hours a day in Southern regions. Tobacco racks are always kept under the sun until leaves get cured and bone dried. Actually, sunshine intensity is another important factor. These factor are impossible to control so do your best and show us some BC grown and cured Orientals.

Probably I missed your grow blog, I'd like to know which Oriental varieties you're growing now.