DIY Tobacco Growers and Rollers
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Gray4lines
Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,439
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.
Comments
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That's a pretty cool thought!! Growing your own tobacco. Interesting!!
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I'll post up pics as I get going and planting... I grew some in pots 2 summers ago, and it did really well (except aphids got really bad). I know a little more of what to do now, and I think growing in the ground will be a lot better.flowbee:That's a pretty cool thought!! Growing your own tobacco. Interesting!!
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). -
I have aphids on my tomatoes, I imported ladybugs (no joke) no more aphid trouble. That's a deal!! I will try one of em!!
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definitely gonna try rolling this year.
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Would love to try and grow and roll some day. Definitely post pics of your wooden kiln as I would need to make one as well in the future. "air cure in garage"??? How does that work? Is there a certain set up or do you just hang upside down in garage? Any helpful tips for us NEWB's to try their own growing and rolling? Where do you get your seeds from?
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Absolutely, I will post pics of how I do it and what it costs. For everything, I am hoping to come in at about $75.JMartinez10:Would love to try and grow and roll some day. Definitely post pics of your wooden kiln as I would need to make one as well in the future.
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.JMartinez10:"air cure in garage"??? How does that work? Is there a certain set up or do you just hang upside down in garage? Any helpful tips for us NEWB's to try their own growing and rolling? Where do you get your seeds from?
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 have been thinking about trying to grow a few plants just for fun, I have the space and I think the weather here would be okay. I would like to try some home rolled sometime.
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Don't know about growing, I'm way to lazy for all that and then there's the curing. But I know there's a web sit that you can order your favorite tobaccos to roll your own. Already cured and everything. That sounds pretty interesting.
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Depending on how the growing and curing goes, I may try that too.Rhamlin:Don't know about growing, I'm way to lazy for all that and then there's the curing. But I know there's a web sit that you can order your favorite tobaccos to roll your own. Already cured and everything. That sounds pretty interesting. -
Hey Grey, where do we get seeds? I would try to grow, and send em to you for an added N.E. flavor
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gray i dont grow but i have rolled,i have some i rolled 6-8 months ago they are aging well, gonna try one this week, its fun but can a bit frustrating when learning to roll, fermenting is what i'm courious about, post some pics of the progressGray4lines: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. -
You were one of the guys here that I knew rolled em. You and webmost... I think longashes (crap network guy) grows and rolls every year too. I'm glad yours are aging well... I can imagine it takes a lot practice. Do you use a wooden mold?thedjfish@comcast.net:
gray i dont grow but i have rolled,i have some i rolled 6-8 months ago they are aging well, gonna try one this week, its fun but can a bit frustrating when learning to roll, fermenting is what i'm courious about, post some pics of the progressGray4lines: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.
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yeah i have 2 molds i bought, and when i want to roll random sizes i use news paper to help keep them in the shape rolled, practice is key,
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. -
I garden a bit and have some sunny space to work with… do you want some PA broadleaf?
If I can get seed I'd be game to give it a go and send all the leaves to you for processing. -
I got mine from Rodney (RBeckom) 2 years ago. He still has some and will send you some if you ask. Or if you want to buy a particular type, I'm sure any online site would work. Some use seedman.com. That's also where I got the plans for a wooden kiln.flowbee:Hey Grey, where do we get seeds? I would try to grow, and send em to you for an added N.E. flavor -
I'd be glad to process anything you wanna grow. I can't guarantee good results, lol! If you grew it, you could cut it and color cure it, I'd kiln it. Or I could hang it up for ya too.PAtoNH:I garden a bit and have some sunny space to work with… do you want some PA broadleaf? If I can get seed I'd be game to give it a go and send all the leaves to you for processing.
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! -
Didn't see this before. LOL! That's a good idea... when I had aphids, I used Sevin pesticide... it killed the good bugs and some of the aphids, but they came back and had nothing left to keep them in check! No method works once they start to take over.... scary $hit. I know now to act quickly and kill those bastardsflowbee:I have aphids on my tomatoes, I imported ladybugs (no joke) no more aphid trouble. That's a deal!! I will try one of em!! -
Where can I get seed?? This could be fun… no guarantees on the results though!Gray4lines:
I'd be glad to process anything you wanna grow. I can't guarantee good results, lol! If you grew it, you could cut it and color cure it, I'd kiln it. Or I could hang it up for ya too.PAtoNH:I garden a bit and have some sunny space to work with… do you want some PA broadleaf? If I can get seed I'd be game to give it a go and send all the leaves to you for processing.
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! -
Got mine from RBeckom. I may look for some Virginia seeds too so I can grow some pipe tobacco as well. There's a few sites that sell, but I haven't tried any of em yet.PAtoNH:
Where can I get seed?? This could be fun… no guarantees on the results though!Gray4lines:
I'd be glad to process anything you wanna grow. I can't guarantee good results, lol! If you grew it, you could cut it and color cure it, I'd kiln it. Or I could hang it up for ya too.PAtoNH:I garden a bit and have some sunny space to work with… do you want some PA broadleaf? If I can get seed I'd be game to give it a go and send all the leaves to you for processing.
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! -
Just got a couple of parts in for my curing kiln... Maybe will go to Lowe's this weekend to get the rest.
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. -
Sign up at fairtradetobacco.com -- the definitive site for tobacco growers. Good guys, plenty of expert advice.Gray4lines: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.
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?
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Absolutely. Small perfecto like a hemingway short story? I can see that being extremely hard.webmost:
Sign up at fairtradetobacco.com -- the definitive site for tobacco growers. Good guys, plenty of expert advice.Gray4lines: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.
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? -
So PM me your addy then. I'm not shy about sending you some home made, cause I already know they are klunky shaped. What I need is warm enough weather so I can get out in the garage and practice. I tried rolling indoors once, but, boy, it makes a mess.
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Sent. Yeah I cant wait until it warms up... clear out the garage, make room for tobacco, maybe get a workbench to roll.webmost:So PM me your addy then. I'm not shy about sending you some home made, cause I already know they are klunky shaped. What I need is warm enough weather so I can get out in the garage and practice. I tried rolling indoors once, but, boy, it makes a mess.
how do you store the tobacco before you roll it? Boxes, plastic bags, coolers?
