Plastic Bag Color Curing?

[ProZachJ]

In his book "Tobacco" Ian Gately offers an appendix on growing tobacco, in the section on harvesting and curing he states that a "rudimentary curing method" is to "stack the leaves on top of one another, wrap in a double layer of plastic bags, and place in the sunshine...should take 4-5 days"

Seems similar to the box pile curing method but he doesn't mention anything about restacking or airing out. Anyone tried this? Thoughts?

 

[GreenDragon]

Sounds like a recipe for mold and rot to me.

 

[furryfreek]

Yeah, I was going to say it sounds like a great way of composting your tobacco. Also, plastic and UV don't get on too well; I'd be worried about nasty stuff leaching out of the plastic.

 

[johnny108]

DON’T DO IT!
It ruins the leaf. Kills all flavor and aroma, plus makes it as thin as tissue paper and it won’t burn.
I got the same results on a car dashboard and on a table in the sun: failure.

Carjangan (?)

Fresh leaf Bagged on the dashboard One work day later….

fairtradetobacco.com

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Ditto.
I'm glad everyone came down hard. Gately clearly doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

[deluxestogie]

Gately wrote over two decades ago, prior to the expansion of knowledge about home-growing (e.g. HTGT and FTT forums), and likely relied on some content of books from the 19th century. Most of the 20th century publications were fairly specific to multi-acre tobacco farming, and did not really address what to do with the leaf after it came out of the barn, and was sold to the industry buyers.

Bob

 

[ProZachJ]

Thanks all...don't worry I'm not planning to try this... right now my tentative plan is to hang in my spare greenhouse after covering the roof with 70% shadecloth. The greenhouse only gets about 3-4 hours of direct sun in the morning due to a large oak to the west having extended a branch over it in the last 7 years since I put it up.

I might try box curing a small amount too. Right now I've got some of my caterpillar casualties (I've had a handfull of plants bitten through the stem) doing both ways and both seem to be working fine.

I was more curious why I couldn't find any other info on Gately's supposed method. Probably because as this thread has pointed out it's not a viable method.

 

[johnny108]

I stalk harvest everything I can- it colors up nicely without as much work.
For Orientals, I boxy cure. A few big Amazon boxes with some brown paper to fill in the empty space works great.
You just have to re-shuffle the leaves every day to prevent mold.
And- don't forget to check for caterpillars, etc. when you harvest- they will chew up your leaves after you harvest them, too!

 

[Ellis003]

I stalk harvest everything I can- it colors up nicely without as much work.
For Orientals, I boxy cure. A few big Amazon boxes with some brown paper to fill in the empty space works great.
You just have to re-shuffle the leaves every day to prevent mold.
And- don't forget to check for caterpillars, etc. when you harvest- they will chew up your leaves after you harvest them, too!

Hi mate for box curing would it work in a plastic box? But not in the sun. I

 

[johnny108]

Hi mate for box curing would it work in a plastic box? But not in the sun. I

It should work- I’ve never tried it.
I would pack around the leaves with old newspapers, packing paper, or paper towels, so condensation doesn’t form on the walls and cause the leaves to rot, or to get moldy. Cardboard is used because it breathes and wicks away water.
Just not very organized or good looking.
(Always label them- so your wife doesn’t try to break them down with your first priming of burley!)

 

[Juxtaposer-]

For the purpose of sun curing as to not lose moisture too quickly. ???
I am in a location with very little humidity. The idea of sun curing in a container is something that I do think about. I have considered glass as a better option over plastic. Is this a thing? How much concern is there for leaf case in sun curing?

 

[Ellis003]

It should work- I’ve never tried it.
I would pack around the leaves with old newspapers, packing paper, or paper towels, so condensation doesn’t form on the walls and cause the leaves to rot, or to get moldy. Cardboard is used because it breathes and wicks away water.
Just not very organized or good looking.
(Always label them- so your wife doesn’t try to break them down with your first priming of burley!)

Cheers mate. As I'm in Europe hoping the plastic box might keep the heat