Hi all,

I'm after some advice on my Mapacho tobacco that I've been growing.

I'm growing 10 or so and they are just starting to flower now.

I'm wondering when is the best time to harvest them and if anyone has a good method for curing they could share or could point me to.

Cheers.

Hey Acu, can't say I have experience growing and harvesting N.rustica but I'd like to put in at least some input which may be of help provided I don't get proven wrong. I do however have some experience growing the more generic tabacum species so I'll quickly describe the process of harvesting and that hopefully this can also be applied to Mapacho as well as tabacum.

I harvested the leaves when they began turning yellow in color and leathery in feel starting from the bottom and working my way up the plant literally snapping the sticky leaves of the main stem using my hands. I also heard that if you want larger leaf growth it may also help to top the flower clusters so that the plants energy gets diverted to the leaves instead of producing seeds, however you may want to skip this part if you actually want the seeds in order to plant another generation of Mapacho crop.

When it came to drying the leaves all I did was attach them to my clothing line outside in the summer and waited about a week (not to sure about the time since it was ~ 4 years back) for them too dry occasionally misting them with water so they didn't become to brittle and crumble up on me. After this I just cut the dried up leaves into small enough pieces so I could blend it into some of my Cannabis joints. I know this method was low effort and definitely not the best but hey, it was my first time doing this and hearing of some people curing the leaves and letting them ferment for years just sounded off putting to me so I just went with the overly simplistic route.

P.S. The smoke was really really rough and really really dry, not at all pleasant to smoke lol.
Anyway best of luck with your tobacco and I'd appreciate it if you kept me posted on your process/progress with this plant, really curious to see how well it turns out for you!

Edit: One more thing I forgot to mention was that those plants you grew there look absolutely fabulous

I'll need those same answers in autumn

The traditional way of making mapacho is to layer fresh leaves together with a sprinkling of tobacco juice in between each leaf, roll the pile up into a large cigar shape and wrap it with twine. This 'mapacho' is then hung in the rafters of the hut to cure in the rising smoke from the ever present fire that's kept going. Once cured, and I don't know how long that takes, perhaps several weeks or more, the mapacho can be used by slicing through it with a sharp knife or machete and shaving off what's needed.

Mapacho prepared this way is incredibly strong and I was unable to even inhale it, despite being a pack a day smoker at the time. But then I don't think you're supposed to actually inhale it anyway. Stuff made me turn green...

Better descriptions can be found in the ethnobotanical literature, but this is pretty much the basics. Adapt to modern circumstances as you will.

I don't know for sure but I don't think being bathed in smoke is the necessary ingredient. More likely the relatively dry, warm environment provided will be sufficient for curing.

I did mine like cannabis. Got em almost fully dry and then jarred em up and gave em the standard burp treament. After a couple years the smoke is quite smooth.

@pinky do they just make a tea of the green tobacco leaves for the tobacco juice used in the traditional method?

I don't recall how the tobacco juice was sourced but what you suggested makes sense. I think the point is to provide a little more moistue so the leaves don't dry out too quickly before they cure.

EDIT: They may use the tobacco juice from previously cured leaves. As you know tobacco juice itself is used in ritual, being snorted through the nostrils for psychoactive effect. I don't know how they make it though.

Hearing the mapacho juice mentioned a few times, i got curious and found something:



Does it look like this is approximately what's used for mapacho curing as well?

I'm inclined to try two ways of making my own:
- make a cold tea using vodka or similar, then let it sit until all alcohol smell is gone.
- make a hot tea using vodka or similar, boil it until all alcohol smell is gone.

If anyone knows how to do it 'correctly', recipe would be greatly appreciated

PS.
i hope it's ok to include that source, all the products it contains seem to be legal almost everywhere, and there's interesting information mapacho, rapé, etc.