[Mule]

Good info Grant. I've yet to see one of those cutesey little brass hygrometers that's even close to right. The one in my big humidor (500 cigars) reads about 10% low so yours may have been well over 80% and this was the cause of your mold. Get a digital (Radio Shack under $30). You can get by with a tiny bit of mold (referred to as bloom). This is actually somewhat desirable in cigars with some age. But it should accumulate over time not take over your box.

In my 30+ years of cigar smoking here's my take on it. In most areas of the USA you don't need much in the line of humidification (if you keep the box fairly full). Here in Tennessee I used my humidification devices for about 3 weeks this year. In CA you will need more, but not as much as you brobably think. I have had every type of device on the maket from the cheesy green plant foam that comes inside the plastic boxes in your humidor to a $75 Diamond Crown unit that is better but still not very good.

I currently use the plastic boxes that come with you humidor. Inside them I have some gel crystals (Wal Mart plant dept, $5 for a lifetime supply for you & everone in LA) inside the toe from a stocking. They hold more water than anything else & dispense it perfectly. When the humidity drops below 63% soak your crystals, let them drain, wipe the plastic & snap them in. Perfection awaits. I soak them in ordiary tap water and have NEVER had a mold problem. IMHO mold comes from too much water and in the presence of too much water, cannot be prevented. In spring when the temp starts to rise, so will your humidity. When it gets above 70 - 72, pull your humidifiers (the lower level will always be a few points higher than the upper).

I also remove my smokes from the cellophane when I put them in the box. I think they age better that way. And since the very best cigars come with no cello, apparently I'm not alone. My experience is that all but the very best cigars (Padron Anniversario, high end Fuentes & Opus, Cuban Cohibas & Montechristos, etc.) will improve markedly in avout 5-6 weeks in a box without the cellophane. To guage the stage of the cure put the cut end up to your nose (touching) and sniff. When you don't smell much amonia, your cigar has reached it's peak. The top notch cigars come in much closer to perfect.

Happy smoking.

PS to prepare a new box I wipe it down with a damp cloth to get the wood dust out of the box then put about 1/4 tsp on the crystals in a small bowl and add 1 to 1.5 cups water. This will get your box ready in about a week.