Finished buds curing have a dry hay smell?

[Scientific]

I suspect that at some ag school down in tobacco country there is someone who has a pretty good understanding of the curing process, and that there might be a college agronomy textbook for tobacco growers that explains a lot of what happens--starches breaking down into sugars or what have you.

PDF: Harvesting and Curing Flue-Cured Tobacco


Reading this tells me that tobacco leaf is a lot different from cannabis flowers, but there are some kind of interesting bits (specifically, keeping the material alive while starches are being converted to sugars, and too much nitrogen being a bad).

The objectives are to maintain life in the leaf until biological processes are completed (yellowing phase). During this phase starch is converted to sugar. Next, stop biochemical activities by removing leaf moisture (leaf drying). Finally preserve the leaf by drying the stem.​

Excessive nitrogen supply, which prevents proper ripening. Tobacco grown with too much available nitrogen will cure out green or brown.​

 

[Blew Hiller]

PDF: Harvesting and Curing Flue-Cured Tobacco


Reading this tells me that tobacco leaf is a lot different from cannabis flowers, but there are some kind of interesting bits (specifically, keeping the material alive while starches are being converted to sugars, and too much nitrogen being a bad).

The objectives are to maintain life in the leaf until biological processes are completed (yellowing phase). During this phase starch is converted to sugar. Next, stop biochemical activities by removing leaf moisture (leaf drying). Finally preserve the leaf by drying the stem.​

Excessive nitrogen supply, which prevents proper ripening. Tobacco grown with too much available nitrogen will cure out green or brown.​

Definitely different, especially the need to increase curing temps to over 150F. I love how the report is straightforward without overkill of data, more like a family recipe!

There is a forum here Dr. Ziggys Low and Slow where they are raving about drying in refrigerators, which is approximately 40-45F and 40-45% RH.

Personally I like the 66F/65% RH root cellar. No added fuel costs, no moving parts! Btw, buds are looking and smelling great on day 9.