Harvesting

Tobacco leaves usually start ripening from the bottom up (pictured). The bottom leaves, also known as sand leaves, start to change colour from lucious green to a pale yellow. This is the time to start harvesting.

• Pick the ripe leaves. Leave green ones on the plant as they are hard to work with and will ripen in time.
• Once you have gathered ripe leaves, separate any that are starting to brown so you can process them separately
• If you plan to tie your leaves into fingers, leave the unblemished leaves in wheel burrow or container away from direct sunlight for two to three days. This will allow some moisture to leave the leaves making them more pliable and less likely for string to cut through them when tying them.
• If you are going to hang using pegs or similar you can simply peg them together after they have been picked. 
• For large leaves, bind only two leaves together back to back
• for small and medium leaves, bind three leaves per finger