MTnTime 2021 grow

[MTnTime]

Here is the garden currently.
6 golden burley
4 Barnett special
6 Virginia bright leaf
4 hickory Pryor
4 Bafra
5 Samsun
5 Pennsylvania red
3 Chinez
2 brownleaf
5 Ahus

I didn't get my seedlings outside until July 7th. I started the seeds in early May, but was out of town from the middle of May to the middle of June and the seedlings didn't get taken care of while I was gone. They were still mostly alive when I got back, but needed sometime before I could get them outside. Here we are 2 months later and I'm on frost watch already. I've primed a handful of golden burley and Barnett special leaves already, got them color cured and drying. Primed some of the Orientals the other day and have them hanging outside under some Clea plastic. The sun gets pretty hot here and the relative humidity is low, so I've been keeping them covered all day, for the most part. Any thoughts on color curing the orientals inside, then putting them out to dry in the sun?

 

[MTnTime]

Here is a picture of the burley with color curing almost complete and one of the Orientals hung up outside.

 

[MTnTime]

Well, the Orientals started to get crispy today. Even under the plastic, with an open container of water. I've brought them in to color cure and will put them back out in the sun.

 

[MTnTime]

Got some burley nice and yellow

 

[MTnTime]

What are your thoughts on this? Wood box covered with some old storm door window glass for sun and flue cured varieties. Its about 100f in there at the moment and quite a bit of ventilation to mess with the temp. I'd decided to sun cure my Virginia's on account of laziness. Thought this might be a good middle ground?

 

[Knucklehead]

What are your thoughts on this? Wood box covered with some old storm door window glass for sun and flue cured varieties. Its about 100f in there at the moment and quite a bit of ventilation to mess with the temp. I'd decided to sun cure my Virginia's on account of laziness. Thought this might be a good middle ground?

I‘ve never done that but it will be interesting to see. Were they green when you put them in there or had they already starting yellowing? I have to wilt/yellow in the shop, then move them out into the sun to avoid drying green.

Your burley from Friday look nice.

 

[MTnTime]

I‘ve never done that but it will be interesting to see. Were they green when you put them in there or had they already starting yellowing? I have to wilt/yellow in the shop, then move them out into the sun to avoid drying green.

Your burley from Friday look nice.

They had already been yellowed inside. I'll keep atbit and seen what happens.

Thanks! The burley seems to be coming along pretty well. Primed a bunch more yesterday.

The weather has been cooperating and it looks like I might get a couple more weeks without a frost.

 

[Oldfella]

They had already been yellowed inside. I'll keep atbit and seen what happens.

Thanks! The burley seems to be coming along pretty well. Primed a bunch more yesterday.

The weather has been cooperating and it looks like I might get a couple more weeks without a frost.

Like Knucklehead I've never done that either. Not sure about the humidity. But I'll watch with interest. Your Burley is looking good, very nice.
Oldfella

 

[MTnTime]

Ok, here are a couple update photos of some leaf out of the box with glass top. Both examples are obviously very small lugs. First picture here is hickory Pryor. Both examples yellowed inside then put out in the box.

 

[MTnTime]

Here are two Virginia bright. The darker red spots occurred during yellowing inside. I've been seeing that quite a bit with the Virginia and the Orientals. Red spots are starting to form before the leaf has fully yellowed.

 

[Oldfella]

They look beautiful, I'm sure that you'll enjoy them.
Oldfella

 

[MTnTime]

They look beautiful, I'm sure that you'll enjoy them.
Oldfella

Thanks, Oldfella! I'm hoping for the best.

 

[MTnTime]

Geez, those stems don't dry easy, huh?

 

[Knucklehead]

Geez, those stems don't dry easy, huh?

No, they sure don’t, but you will want them crispy, crunchy dry then rehydrate them for handling and storage. The stems are prone to mold or rot if you don’t get them dry in the beginning.
Do you plan to build a kiln?

 

[MTnTime]

No, they sure don’t, but you will want them crispy, crunchy dry then rehydrate them for handling and storage. The stems are prone to mold or rot if you don’t get them dry in the beginning.
Do you plan to build a kiln?

Yeah I've seen some white fuzzies on a few stems, but it hasn't spread to lamina and goes away once it's crispy. I do plan to build a kiln.

 

[Oldfella]

If mold is a problem. Just make up a 1% solution of Hydrogen Peroxide. Spray or brush lightly on the affected areas. Mold gone. Just leave it there it doesn't seem to alter the tast of the finished product.
Oldfella

 

[MTnTime]

If mold is a problem. Just make up a 1% solution of Hydrogen Peroxide. Spray or brush lightly on the affected areas. Mold gone. Just leave it there it doesn't seem to alter the tast of the finished product.
Oldfella

Thanks for the tip, Oldfella!

 

[MTnTime]

What do you guys think about these bafra leaves? Primable?

 

[deluxestogie]

They show what might be considered textbook "alligator" texture. They are definitely mature enough to prime.

Bob

 

[wruk53]

They're getting close, but the more yellow they get on the plant, the easier they will be to color cure. I'd say, weather and conditions allowing, wait another week or so. I know that one of my biggest mistakes in the past has been impatience, resulting in leaves drying green.