Harvesting, Drying and Curing Tobacco

In short: Harvest tobacco leaves gradually in 3 to 5 rounds, 3 to 6 leaves at a time from the bottom of the plant, as soon as they start losing their deep green colour and before the seeds dry. Hang them by the stem in a dark attic or dry cellar for 40 to 80 days, until they are brown, crispy and fragrant.

The original homeland of tobacco is North and South America, as well as Australia. In our territory, tobacco began to be cultivated as early as the 17th century. Here in the Czech Republic, tobacco has not been commercially grown since the 1990s, however, more and more people are growing it at home or in their gardens due to its undemanding nature.

Not All Tobacco Is the Same

We can use the tobacco plant either entirely, without any waste, or just its leaves. This depends mainly on the variety of tobacco we are growing. The main reason tobacco is grown all over the world is, of course, the production of tobacco products. However, other products are also made from it, such as citric acid or folic acid.

The plant stem can be used in cellulose production, and we can extract oil from the seeds for making soaps, varnishes, and paint resins. We know of two types of tobacco that can be grown for the production of cigars or cigarette tobacco. The most famous and highest quality is Virginia tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), and the second is common tobacco, also known as machorka (Nicotiana rustica). However, among growers, classification according to the conditions in which it grows is more common.

Tobacco by Climate

• Oriental tobacco - accounts for about 1/6 of world production. It is a low-leaf variety that is harvested by hand and dried directly in the sun, not in drying facilities. Growing areas with oriental tobacco are found primarily in the Balkans.

• Virginia type - is the most widely grown tobacco and accounts for almost half of world production. The tobacco produces large leaves that are harvested individually and usually dried artificially.

• Burley tobacco - accounts for only about 10 percent of total world production. With this type, both leaves and stems are harvested. It is usually dried either naturally in the sun or artificially in drying facilities.

• Kentucky - dark tobacco, very rarely grown.

• Cigar tobacco - includes approximately 3 subtypes: wrapper tobacco, cover leaf, and filler tobacco for the cigar core.

• Local tobacco varieties - only locally distributed tobacco varieties that were created through breeding by individual growers.

How to Grow Tobacco?

Tobacco is usually planted in the form of seedlings, so it's good to pre-cultivate it first. We plant the seedlings at the end of April, with the ideal period considered to be May 10th to 25th (depending on temperature, we plant as soon as temperatures don't drop below freezing), so planting is possible earlier or later. Plants that are planted after May 25th usually give smaller yields, but the quality of the tobacco is not affected. A phenomenon in tobacco cultivation is so-called topping, a process where during flowering the top part of the stem with the inflorescence is removed along with several leaves (the smallest and greenest ones). This essentially rejuvenates the entire plant and improves tobacco quality! This deepens root growth and increases alkaloid production.

When to Harvest Tobacco?

Leaf harvest takes place before the seeds dry! We harvest leaves according to color, as soon as they start to lose their deep green color. However, we cannot pick all the leaves at once because tobacco doesn't grow evenly. Harvesting is usually spread over 3-5 times, with leaves being harvested gradually from the bottom of the plant. We always pick 3-6 leaves at a time.

Drying Tobacco

During drying, biochemical processes and physical changes occur in the leaves. The most important is water loss and chlorophyll breakdown. With artificial drying, the breakdown of substances is faster and the leaves retain their yellow color and high carbohydrate - sugar content. In the opposite case, when drying naturally in direct sunlight, the leaves darken and drying is prolonged. Therefore, we dry tobacco better in dark attic rooms or in dry cellars.

During drying, tobacco leaves are hung by the stem on a thread. However, we must watch out for mold throughout the entire process - as soon as signs of mold appear, remove the leaf immediately so it doesn't spoil the entire harvest. For this reason, it's also good to choose longer gaps between leaves.

Drying under such conditions is very individual and can take 40 - 80 days. Generally, longer is better. Leaves are dry when they acquire a nice brown color, are crispy and fragrant.