Who's growing this year?

[Vaporer]

I see there is no hyperlink or it disappeared from my post on How to Grow tobacco and abt anything else concerning it. Curing, drying, preparing........
Ok, I cant edit it? So, I'll try again:

How To Grow Tobacco

My seedlings were doing so well. I'm losing a lot in the last week for some reason/s. Not frequent enough water, needs more direct sunlight? Many seem very spindly.
I decided to add a small amount of Miracle grow as read from another place.
I gently poured it from the top (this is bad) and many just fell over from the top old potting soil getting soaked. Water dripping never hit the sprouts. Have always bottom watered before as recommended.
Started another 4" pot of rustica. It was doing very well.

I used 1/4tsp per 2lts of distilled water. Didnt want to burn them up, just give the depleted potting soil a boost.

 

[Vaporer]

Not much going on here......

I'll update.
I've now started 3 diff sets of 4 types of seed. Here's what I've found:
1. If you cover with saran wrap to start you better not let and condensation drops fall back on the sprouts or they are dead.
2. If they fall over, they are dead.
3. If you use just potting soil, watering from the top or bottom lets them fall over and die. Just the foamyness of the potting soil is to much movement from wet to dry.
4. If left in water , the pot, its to wet and they die. Even with the top off.
5. Sunshine is MUCH better than grow lights! Grow lights seem to keep them alive, but stuck at abt 1 1/2" tall and they dont develop anymore. No new bigger leaf set.
Moved to sunshine, woah...the survivors took off.
6. The main root appears to be a single one with no side feeders, so the soil "movement" when young is deadly. I did save a few by making a toothpick hole carefully putting the single root down in and watered so the soil would colapse in on it. That prettty much saved some.

Ok, starting another set, as late as it is with a 50/50 mix of sandy, yard soil and potting mix. See if it the root is more stable in it from watering.
A 1/4 tsp of Miracle grow seems to help. Spent potting soil from last yr?

More later!

 

[TWISTED VICTOR]

They sure sound delicate. Between the dog howling (Siberian Husky) at the neighbor's cats and the thwack... from the little twisters doing whatever to each other, I'm not sure those little babies would stand a chance at my house.

 

[Vaporer]

I decided to do some more reading.
1. to far away from light, makes them spindly and grow thin long stems, not roots.
They should be 4" from the flouresent lights, not 20".
Thats why the sun perked them up!

2. wind helps strenghten the stalks. Bump them now and then.

3. Miracle grow is good..................

4. Abt 65* is ideal before the go outside after they germinate.

Good strong light seems to be the major key, with moist soil. I thought 20" was fine....nope!

 

[four2109]

Tender little things aren't they! I can't imagine they will get big enough to put outside. Time will tell.
I'm leaving the cap on the second bottle. They can just be house plants at this point.
Where is Werkit? Like to hear how his crop is doiong.

 

[Vaporer]

A week in the sunshine and my oldest one from the 1st try popped and grew 3 sets of leaves in a week!
I hope my changes work for the others.
So far looking better since I moved them closer to the light. The virginia that was stalled and trying to die popped their 2nd set.
I figured a high loss rate being my 1st time, so as I see them drop off I immediately start a new 4" pot which has better conditions as I learn. lol

I picked up some spearmint, peppermint and stevia seeds too.
I love punishing myself. lol

I had spearmint growing all around the house when I moved here many yrs ago, but I've sprayed so much stuff arond the house, I wouldnt consume it if I found any.

I figured I can make small designated plots for them where I dont mow grass. the mints will come back next yr, the stevia wont weather our winters, but its supposed to take to cuttings pretty easily and will make it in the house. Maybe...........lol

Sooooooo much speculation!

Where did WerkIt go????????????

 

[TWISTED VICTOR]

Heck, once ya figure out how to grow teabag material you're all set .

 

[four2109]

I have 2 starts that are holding on. I found another packet with leftovers in it that I may try to start. Better late than never. They are several years old anyway.

I didn't think about stevia seeds. I have only seen the plant for sale locally once and that was several years ago. It did Ok but I didn't dig it up soon enough. It was fun to have around. I have mint that creeps out of the garden. It smells great when I mow over it! It's taking over so I'm moving it up against my neighbors fence.
If I don't get busy tomorrow, there won't be a garden this year... but then, there's that herd of rabbits....

 

[Vaporer]

42109,
I'd start them anyway.
Might get lucky with a long season and being 2yrs old, if you get anything it'll better than nothing.

 

[me who]

I decided to do some more reading.
1. to far away from light, makes them spindly and grow thin long stems, not roots.
They should be 4" from the flouresent lights, not 20".
Thats why the sun perked them up!

2. wind helps strenghten the stalks. Bump them now and then.

3. Miracle grow is good..................

4. Abt 65* is ideal before the go outside after they germinate.

Good strong light seems to be the major key, with moist soil. I thought 20" was fine....nope!

I was wondering if you were using a propagation mat, that's the key. Last season I used the mat along with qty (2) 2 tube 4' shop light fitted with grow bulbs. I had (3) 48 cell flats (more than I could plant) make it. I started them in glass nesting bowls covered with saran rap.

I found the most difficult part of the process to be, gently teasing out the seedling to transplant into the flats as they're very tiny. This years I thought I'd try something different and just start them on the floor in the greenhouse. No luck so far on that one.

 

[four2109]

Still no sign of WerkIt? Hmmmm?

 

[WerkIt]

Still no sign of WerkIt? Hmmmm?

I will post updates soon. Got to take pics and upload them, then I can post. The plants aren't in the ground yet, except for 3 Balikesir I planted at my sister's out of state. I couldn't make it happen prior to leaving town on 5/15. I hope to have them in the ground within the week.

 

[Vaporer]

I took the 6 that did the best and have them in.
Another small 4" pot I put a bunch in and after finding the light issue, one day it was a green bush!
I separated them the other day and transplanted into new pots. They seem to be taking off.

I didnt clear the ground like I wanted to, so I just cleared spots for each plant near the creek.

Gonna check on them now. Tallest is abt 6".

 

[WerkIt]

Sorry I am so late getting back to this thread. I have been traveling, had relatives visit, had a friend visit, plus everyone and their mama is pulling at me.

Anyway, here is what I have. I will let you see the pictures of the carpeted tobacco patch first, then I will explain;

The carpet was not my idea, but was the idea of the owner of the land. I don't know what this carpet is called, but I can tell you what it does and what it is for. This is the same carpet laid down between two railroad tracks. Rain and water drains right through it, but it prevents other plants from taking hold and growing, except where two edges of the carpet meet, as you can see above.

Of the species I planted this year, only the Izmir-Osbas is so far blooming. I only have three of those and one has the proto-bud and here are photos of the other two:

You know I love the Virginia Gold. You can see in this photo it is nowhere near ready, since the bottom leaves are not yet 3 times the size of my size 12 shoe:

The rest of the photos show what you get when you screw up by not tending to the plants for the first month after planting. (I have been VERY busy.) Suckers not only form, but grow into new stems. Here's a plant with one sucker, which leaves the plant with two stems:

This one has two suckers, which leaves it with three stems:

Here's the base of the plant in the above photo:

All of the above photos were taken today.

 

[Vaporer]

Wow, nice. Way bigger than my leaves.
I did see 3 blooming. Need to do pics tomorrow.
Can you let them seed, remove the pods, and still grow the rest of the summer or will they die off?
I never read anything abt that. I did read they will grow if the blooms are terminated before seeding.
There is a lot of season left here. I'd like to let them grow for bulk.

The 1st yr is always so interesting....lol

 

[WerkIt]

Can you let them seed, remove the pods, and still grow the rest of the summer or will they die off?

If they are flowering, that means harvest time is near, if I understand correctly. Check How To Grow Tobacco for more info.

I did read they will grow if the blooms are terminated before seeding.

That's called topping, where you chop off the flowers, to keep energy directed toward leaf production.

The 1st yr is always so interesting....lol

I had major mishaps my first year, which was last year. It taught me what NOT to do.

 

[Vaporer]

This is deff a learning experience. I am going to have some leaf though so I dont feel bad.
I added miracle grow as suggested, but didn't prep the soil like I wanted to.

Mine that we partially shaded and near the creek are doing much better than the ones on the rise in direct sunlight. All that made it were Cuban strains. My Virginia didnt do well. A couple are abt 3' tall. I did expect larger leaves.

65 days....I may try a direct start tonight in a new spot I cleared now that vacation is over. I'll have time to tend them in the beginning and not have to transplant.
One of those take what you can get. I'm sure I'll learn something there too.

The blooming ones now I think I'll let seed for next yr and top the rest.
Yea, I need to reread that page now for sure.

Topping is supposed to increase the leaf and nic if I remember right.

Nothing is a major mishap for me considering year 1. lol
I have enough leaf to carry me over till next yr so anything is a bonus.

 

[WerkIt]

This is deff a learning experience.

It is a learning experience for me as well. I am still screwing up, but at least I am learning from the mistakes.

I added miracle grow as suggested, but didn't prep the soil like I wanted to.

I fertilized yesterday for the first time, using one cap full of fish emulsion plus one cap full of seaweed extract to 44 ounces of water. However, that mix is not even considered to be 1-1-1. I am trying to stay organic.

However, adding 20-20-20 boosts nitrogen, which boosts leaf production, but also boosts nitrosamine (TSNA) levels.

Mine that we partially shaded and near the creek are doing much better than the ones on the rise in direct sunlight.

The cigar wrapper strains are supposed to be grown in shade, to give a finer/thinner leaf, although tobacco is supposed to thrive in full sun as a rule. WIth the extreme heat we have had, I wonder how the plants survive.

My Virginia didnt do well. A couple are abt 3' tall. I did expect larger leaves.

When did you plant the Virginia? I started seeds early, but didn't get them in the ground until around 6/15. If you planted later than that, your Virginia shouldn't be too large as of yet.

The blooming ones now I think I'll let seed for next yr and top the rest.

You need to bag the flowers to prevent your strains from cross pollinating. I ordered ten of these 21x20" organza bags in a moss green color to both prevent cross pollination, but also to preserve the seed heads.

Topping is supposed to increase the leaf and nic if I remember right.

I don't know about nic levels, but topping is supposed to force energy into leaf production instead of flower production.

 

[WerkIt]

I picked the first 6 leaves today. 5 of them had turned completely yellow on the plant, while the 6 had already gone from green to yellow to brown. The Virginia Gold are MONSTERS, although the lower leaves haven't yet started to mottle. The Yellow Orinoco has one lower leaf starting to mottle. The Izmir-Ozbas Turkish has dropped 2-3 seed pods into the bag and has another 25-30 (or more?) seed pods yet to fall.

I will try to get to the pics and get them posted here soon.

 

[Vaporer]

I had a few leaves yellow and I took them. 2 of the Rustica I topped, the rest still have the flower heads. The heads are still green, I expected diff.
It's been 3 weeks since I took pics and fertilized. The Cubans took off. Leaves are much bigger. It's been horribly dry here, heat 95+ many days.
The ones I kinda let go are still there. I've watered all them the same. The unattended are in direct sunlight and arent doing all that well higher elevation and naturally dryer too........living, but short & more bushy. No suckers I can see. They really look pathetic. I cant find the map of them and the strain they are. geesh..I was doing so well too.

I see how the Rustica and Cubans do though. I'm wondering how the rustica would have faired up on the "hill"? Much less natural water, but much more sunlight.

I need to make a run out past them tomorrow. Will take camera so I can have 3 week diff photos to post. I should have a few more leaves to pull.

I would have like to do fish emulsion, but raccoons like it to well by the creek.