u/xininoix

Update from a first-year grower in CT. My grandfather and I have been growing tobacco all summer and the Cuban Criollo 98 is just about done.

Been hanging them in the basement with a fan and dehumidifier running. Just checked the readings and I think I've got a problem — humidity has dropped as low as 45%, currently sitting at 64%, and temp is around 80°F. Photo attached.

Went and touched the leaves and they feel really dry and crispy. Definitely not the soft leather feel I've read about.

A few questions:

Should I shut the dehumidifier off? Feels like I've dried them out too fast running it this whole time.
Is there any way to save the ones that already got crispy? Or are they done for? I was thinking about stacking them in a sealed tote with a damp towel inside to try and rehydrate them — anyone tried that?
I'm about to harvest the Connecticut Shade next and the leaves came out really small. Planning to use those as filler and binder instead of wrapper. A lot of them have holes from bugs chewing on them all summer — not many clean ones. Are the ones with holes worth saving, or should I just toss anything that isn't clean?

Any advice appreciated. Learning as we go here.

First year doing this. Growing tobacco with my grandfather up in Waterbury, CT.

We’ve got four rows going in his garden. Two rows of Cuban Criollo 98 for the filler and two rows of Connecticut Shade for the wrapper. 25 plants of each. Trying to hand roll our own cigars.

Criollo went in the ground first week of June. Shade went in about 2 weeks after that. I didn’t know when I was starting seeds that the wrapper should go in first since it takes longer to mature. Won’t do that again next year.

Also had a pretty ugly aphid situation on the undersides of the leaves a few weeks back. Sprayed with insecticidal soap every 3 days for about 2 weeks and looks like we got on top of it.

The main thing I need help with is the harvest and curing.

Leaves are still all green top to bottom right now. Based on the photo, how much longer should I let them go before I start pulling the bottom leaves?

For curing, I’ve read about the whole towel method and honestly it feels like way too much fuss for the amount of leaf we’re gonna have. I was thinking about just hang drying them in the greenhouse and calling it a day.

Anyone doing it that way? Any reason not to?

Any other tips or recommendations are welcome.

First-year grower, dried my Criollo too fast — can I save them?

First year doing this. Growing tobacco with my grandfather up in Waterbury, CT.