DIY Tobacco Growers and Rollers
Gray4lines
Posts: 4,691 ✭✭✭✭✭
Anyone getting ready to plant this season? I'd love to see or hear what your plan and setup is. And for those of you who don't grow, but roll your own cigars, I always love to see what your're making! I know there's a few guys here who are into it.
This is the first season I plan on growing and curing/fermenting my own. I have a good size back yard, and plan on maybe 12 - 18 plants of a few different varieties. Will air cure in garage probably and I am looking at plans to build a small (about 8 cubic ft) wooden kiln to ferment in.
Then, of course, I want to give rolling a shot. I am excited to give all of this a try.
This is the first season I plan on growing and curing/fermenting my own. I have a good size back yard, and plan on maybe 12 - 18 plants of a few different varieties. Will air cure in garage probably and I am looking at plans to build a small (about 8 cubic ft) wooden kiln to ferment in.
Then, of course, I want to give rolling a shot. I am excited to give all of this a try.
LLA - Lancero Lovers of America
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Tobacco grows like a weed though. Just water it a lot! The plants are beautiful and flower in pink and white when they produce seeds. If growing, curing, and rolling goes well, I'd be glad to share some cigars around here (actually I'd like to to get some different feedback).
Ok, so from what I have read so far the general steps are... Harvest in late Aug or early Sept when the leaves are yellow/brown (can do this in primings or whole stalk). Then the tobacco needs to "air cure." This is where you do exactly as you suspect! Tie it in small hands or join on a rod and let it hang out for a few weeks. Shouldn't be too dry, but does need to air out. I could do this outside under the deck or in garage, I suspect garage is better since it will hold a little more humidity. I will have to wing it and see what works.
After the air cure is the fermentation. Large farmers can throw the tobacco into piles (pilones) in a barn where they will naturally ferment. The pilones maintain heat (from the chemical reactions) and humidity from being in such a large pile.
The kiln is in place of the pile for me. It will maintain the tobacco at 110-120 degrees F, and a 70% or so humidity for another 4 weeks or so. Once this is done, the tobacco should be fermented and can be stored (many people apparently use cardboard boxes just in a closet)
When it is time to roll, you can re hydrate the leaves a little to make them pliable, and then get to rolling! Then there is aging... I know I am taking on a lot, but it is something I'd love to do and get better at... no way to learn, but to do it!
i keep bulk tobbaco i still have like 10lbs in a cooler, some times when i have damaged cigars i'll replace the wrapper with one i have that is as close as possible to the original, then reage, gonna try wet packing this yr.
That'd be interesting to have some from a different climate. I don't remember what strains I got from Rodney, but a PA broadleaf would make a good maduro!
So far, I have a 100w heating pad (for motor oil pans) and an outlet timer. I thought I could use the outlet timer in lieu of a wired in thermostat, but this thing gets hot! I will build the box and see what temps it reaches with 30 min of being constantly on (that's the min timeframe the timer can switch on/off).
Anyone have an idea how to wire in something like a hot water heater thermostat into a regular 2 prong outlet cord?? I am trying to look online for something, but am not quite sure what I'm looking for.
Me, I tried growing last summer, but that only confirmed I have a black thumb. I'm gonna stick to rolling. My ambition is to master the small perfecto. Far from competence at present. I have some home made aging in the coolidor I could shoot you. You up for a swap?
how do you store the tobacco before you roll it? Boxes, plastic bags, coolers?