FAQ about Turkish tobaccos

[istanbulin]

I think we can gather together the FAQ about Turkish tobaccos.

I'd like to start with the most but the most FAQ question (to me); which strain to grow ? (1)

There certainly are a lot of different types of Turkish tobaccos. If you could only grow one variety, what would it be and why?

Ray

Ray, I really noticed this one very late because that topic is not busy enough. BTW, this looks like a final examination question at an university, really. I was always the questioner at the university but this is the time for being an answerer

I always recommend Samsun-Maden and Bitlis strains for the first time Turkish tobacco growers. You can smoke them alone with a satisfying aroma and with an enough nicotine. If you want to blend them they're ok for this purpose, go blend them with the others.

For stand alone smoking, Bitlis is a little bit stronger than Samsun-Maden. According to me Samsun-Maden always provides more pleasant aroma than Bitlis. There's no accounting for tastes so you may try both of them and see if they're suitable for your palette.

I must say, as you know, the taste of a tobacco (flavor, nicotine, etc.) generally changes with your growing conditions.

 

[leverhead]

I've been going through your posts about the different regions and varieties to write my wish list. Both of those are on my list for sure. Growing conditions will be luck.

 

[Boboro]

What kind of tobacco is tombac?

 

[Knucklehead]

boboro - Mr. Istanbulin wrote a nice thread on Tombac here: http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthread.php?1445-Tombac

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I agree 100% with Istanbulin! I've only sampled about 10 strains of Turkish and BSS-Maden is my absolute favorite. I smoke it straight in my pipe.

 

[Boboro]

boboro - Mr. Istanbulin wrote a nice thread on Tombac here: http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthread.php?1445-Tombac

Reread that I forgot about it. Still ant found seeds.

 

[leverhead]

Reread that I forgot about it. Still ant found seeds.

Difficult things may take a little time, nearly impossible things take a little longer.

 

[Boboro]

I had quit lookin and forgot all aboutit. Lookin around some more. Some very good shisha is made with Virg. tobacco and i may try some burly for that nic. kick.

 

[istanbulin]

...Still ant found seeds.

I'm waiting for some seeds for a while (I asked some people to find some for me), I hope I'll receive them in this month. I'll let you know when they arrive.

 

[Boboro]

Thanks' If it works out it can be added to the seedbank

 

[istanbulin]

Let's deal the second question. What are the planting densities of Turkish tobaccos ? (2)

Characterisitcs of Turkish tobaccos show really very different variations according to the region where they grow (and of course according to their breed).

Turkish tobaccos are generally classified by their growing regions so planting densities vary from region to region here's a table for different regions and also for different varieties.

Note : Tobacco farmers never use float beds here, they grow the seedlings in high populated beds and plant them directly to soil (with naked root, without any soil). Seedling loss is common so there's not an accurate density. This densities are given according to this method. So you may inspire from this and try to improve your own method.

 

[deluxestogie]

Those numbers are startling. In deeply-dug planting, the "between rows" dimension is ignored, and the "between plants" measurement is used to layout staggered rows without intervening footpaths. When I use 6" between plants, say for Xanthi, then I come up with 0.263 square feet per plant:

This is less than 1/4 the space I allowed for my Xanthi Yaka this past season. I may give the tighter spacing a try, but it seems awfully crowded, even for Xanthi.

Bob

 

[istanbulin]

Bob, why did you ignore the distance between the rows ? This system is based on that distance.

 

[DGBAMA]

new here, but seems that 2-4" between plants would be too close for any of them to reach their growth potential. Would this spacing not tend to result in tall slender plants with minimal leaf size?

Not that I am complaining, if it works well that means I can cram 20-30 Izmir into a space where I thought I would be lucky to fit 6-8 and still have healthy plants.

 

[istanbulin]

I'll try to explain it in a figure like this; (this is for Izmir)

 

[leverhead]

new here, but seems that 2-4" between plants would be too close for any of them to reach their growth potential. Would this spacing not tend to result in tall slender plants with minimal leaf size?

As I understand (haha) it, quality is not a big leaf, but the right size leaf. My Virginia patch is going to be staggered rows with 24" between plants and 48" between the rows. My Turkish patch is going through a redesign to figure out how many of what varieties are going in.

 

[istanbulin]

As I understand (haha) it, quality is not a big leaf, but the right size leaf...

Congratulations ! You got it right

 

[FmGrowit]

I've read where some Orientals are planted so close together, a hay combine is used to harvest the entire plant, stalks, flower heads...the whole plant...just like making hay.

 

[istanbulin]

I've read where some Orientals are planted so close together, a hay combine is used to harvest the entire plant, stalks, flower heads...the whole plant...just like making hay.

Yes Don, it was tried in last decade for lowering the labour costs (not with a hay combine but similar) but it caused lower quality so they gave up stalk harvesting (and also stalk curing) them.

 

[DGBAMA]

Yes Don, it was tried in last decade for lowering the labour costs (not with a hay combine but similar) but it caused lower quality so they gave up stalk harvesting (and also stalk curing) them.

so priming is the preferred way to harvest small Turkish leaves too? Dang I have my work cut out for me.