FLOWER SEED PODS…

With the plants you allow to go to flower, after the flower blooms, then dies and falls off, you have the seed pods left, these seed pods begin to turn brown and dry, this is when you want to pick them. Now you have hundreds and thousands of seeds within the pod for next year!

Once the leaves begin to turn a yellowish color, (chlorophyll breaking down), you may start to pick them for the curing process. The leaves on the bottom of the tobacco stalk will start to yellow first, and work their way up the plant. You should get 3-4 harvests at intervals of 2-3 weeks apart, once again, depending on your growing season and climate

So now you have your leaves picked and ready to be cured. The first thing you need is a dry and warm room to hang the leaves in. I used a room in the house that was not being used. The next thing you need is a roll of wire that you nail from one wall in the room to the other wall. Before you hang the leaves, I suggest cleaning them outside with a garden hose, this way all the bugs, bird business, dirt/mud will be washed off, and now you have a clean leaf to hang.

Now you might want to put a plastic sheet on the floor and under the wire before you hang also, this will catch all the water drippings from the leaves after they have been washed, and protect your floor.

When I hung my leaves to dry and cure, I used a knife to cut into the bottom of the leaf stem and hung them on the wire through the slit in the stem. This was easier for me than piercing the wire through the bottom of the stem one by one because you already have the wire tacked to the walls, and after you wash the leaves they become too heavy for one person to hold the wire while stringing them up.

Make sure when you hang them up to flip the leaves back and forth, this way when the leaves dry, they do not begin to hug each other (intertwine) as they crinkle/fold up during drying.

The room should have a fan to allow good airflow, this will prevent mold from occurring, and allow for good drying and curing to take place. The leaves should be dried and cured in about 2 weeks, provided the temp. is between 70 and 80 degrees.

Once the leaves are dried/cured, they need to be aged. Aging allows the leaf to go through more chemical changes which gives the smooth flavor of the tobacco. If you do not age properly, the tobacco will be harsh. You need about 70 percent humidity and 70-80 degrees for aging to take place properly. This will take time! From 1 year to 5 years.

Unless you make or purchase a kiln to age your leaves, the aging process is long! A kiln is a wooden box with a heat source, and a humidifier. The heat will be controlled with a thermostat of approx. 100 degrees, and the humidity will also be controlled for approx. 70 percent humidity.
You place your leaves in the kiln 24/7 for about a month, and they should be ready to smoke!

Growing your own tobacco in your home garden is cheaper in the long run, and 100 percent natural, with a better flavor then commercial tobacco. No additives!

If you are going to shred your tobacco with a shredder, you must strip the leaves of the stems. To strip the stem from the leaf you start at the top of the leaf and grab the stem with one hand and the leaf with the other, then wrap the stem around your hand as you are holding the leaf with the other hand. Or you could just find your own method to the madness. It's a very unique process once you master the technique.

Now that your tobacco is aged, you can enjoy your very own home grown cigarette!
Either purchase rolling papers or cigarette tubes at your local gas station or tobacco shop, take your aged tobacco leaf and cut into small pieces to roll into a cigarette. Very simple!