Virginia tobacco
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workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
Sky, It sounds to me like a grow out for the African Red would be good for me to do down here in Ga. where I have triple the growing season.
...."Extremely Rare. Very Limited Supply This Year."....
Yeah, that's cos I am the only one growing it and they bought all I had. lol It has a pretty long time to maturity at 70-80 days and needs even longer than most varieties do to finish filling out the seed heads. I have a somewhat difficult time getting any quantities of good seed from it. Last year frost hit hard and early here and the heads had a lot of immature seed in them. The germ test came back pretty low, so I pulled it from my seed list and didn't sell any of the 2012 seed. This year I started the plants earlier, and planted it in a less frost prone spot. And it's at a different location by itself where it can open pollinate. Out of 120 plants, I will save seed only from the earliest maturing plants which are otherwise true to form. Hopefully by doing this, in 4-5 years I can shave 10 days off its time to maturity and make African Red a little more friendly to us northern tier growers.
NZGirl
Well-Known Member
African Red has a nicotine content of 2.9%. It's more than double what most Virgina Golds have, but less nicotine than Rusticas have. It has a flavor similar to VG and is mild to smoke. The plant has a tall columnar form with closely spaced light green leaves and takes about 70 days to mature. It air cures to a light yellow / brown with a touch of red to it. African Red is one of my favorite tobaccos. The first year I grew it I had 36 plants. Last year I had 70. This year I have 120 of them.
Delgold has a nic content of between 3-4%. It is one of the highest nicotine content bright leafs. It is a good producer of large light green leaf and matures in 70 days, and does well in northern latitudes. It air cures to a light brown and makes a very mild smoke. It is a very good cigarette tobacco. Some folks like it alone, but I prefer it mixed with a little Burley for a bit more flavor.
Another one I really like a lot is a bright leaf called Costello Negro, or just Costello. It originated in Columbia and was brought to the US in the 60's. It grows to 5'-6' in height in an inverted cone form, and has densely packed leaves up the stalk. The leaves are a darker green color than most bright leafs and air cure to a very light reddish brown. It matures in around 65 days and can take a bit of frost in the fall without much harm. It has a nic content of 2.4% and is mild to smoke. It's flavor is similar to other bright leafs but with perhaps a bit of nuttiness to it. I really like it, on its own or in a blend. It cures easily when primed or when cut and hung whole. It's one of the few bright leafs I have found that does cure well when hung whole, even late in the season. I have 120 Costellos growing this year.
wow - great info - thanx
skychaser
Well-Known Member
Dixie Bright 27
Here's another Bright Leaf variety I really like that I grew last season for the first time.
I got a string of Dixie Bright 27 out of the barn over the weekend that was air cured last fall and has been hanging for about 9 months now. I've been smoking it all week, alone and in blends. The flavor is very much like a Virginia Gold but slightly stronger, and with a little less throat hit. It goes down smooth and has a very nice light taste on the way out. Usually I need to add a little Burley to VG's to get enough flavor to satisfy me, and also to up the nic content. But I find this DB 27 to be quite satisfying on it's own. I don't know the exact nicotine content but I am guessing it to be somewhere between 2.5 and 3%. If you like a relatively mild smoke and the flavor of a Virginia Gold but need more kick than VG's have, then this might be a good one to grow.
Dixie Bright 27 was developed in the 1960's and produces a light colored leaf with good yield and weight. It grows to 6-7 feet in height and matures in about 65 days. The leaves air cure to a light yellow or yellow/ brown.
http://nwtseeds.com/Img_1503_copy.jpg
(you may need to paste the link into your browser for it to work)
...or just look at it here
FmGrowit
Here's another Bright Leaf variety I really like that I grew last season for the first time.
I got a string of Dixie Bright 27 out of the barn over the weekend that was air cured last fall and has been hanging for about 9 months now. I've been smoking it all week, alone and in blends. The flavor is very much like a Virginia Gold but slightly stronger, and with a little less throat hit. It goes down smooth and has a very nice light taste on the way out. Usually I need to add a little Burley to VG's to get enough flavor to satisfy me, and also to up the nic content. But I find this DB 27 to be quite satisfying on it's own. I don't know the exact nicotine content but I am guessing it to be somewhere between 2.5 and 3%. If you like a relatively mild smoke and the flavor of a Virginia Gold but need more kick than VG's have, then this might be a good one to grow.
Dixie Bright 27 was developed in the 1960's and produces a light colored leaf with good yield and weight. It grows to 6-7 feet in height and matures in about 65 days. The leaves air cure to a light yellow or yellow/ brown.
http://nwtseeds.com/Img_1503_copy.jpg
(you may need to paste the link into your browser for it to work)
...or just look at it here
FmGrowit
Last edited by a moderator:
Sky- the white paint worked out great.
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
Hi skychaser the African Red is this the same as the Red Tobacco at ARS-Grin? TI 1609African Red has a nicotine content of 2.9%. It's more than double what most Virgina Golds have, but less nicotine than Rusticas have. It has a flavor similar to VG and is mild to smoke. The plant has a tall columnar form with closely spaced light green leaves and takes about 70 days to mature. It air cures to a light yellow / brown with a touch of red to it. African Red is one of my favorite tobaccos. The first year I grew it I had 36 plants. Last year I had 70. This year I have 120 of them.
Delgold has a nic content of between 3-4%. It is one of the highest nicotine content bright leafs. It is a good producer of large light green leaf and matures in 70 days, and does well in northern latitudes. It air cures to a light brown and makes a very mild smoke. It is a very good cigarette tobacco. Some folks like it alone, but I prefer it mixed with a little Burley for a bit more flavor.
Another one I really like a lot is a bright leaf called Costello Negro, or just Costello. It originated in Columbia and was brought to the US in the 60's. It grows to 5'-6' in height in an inverted cone form, and has densely packed leaves up the stalk. The leaves are a darker green color than most bright leafs and air cure to a very light reddish brown. It matures in around 65 days and can take a bit of frost in the fall without much harm. It has a nic content of 2.4% and is mild to smoke. It's flavor is similar to other bright leafs but with perhaps a bit of nuttiness to it. I really like it, on its own or in a blend. It cures easily when primed or when cut and hung whole. It's one of the few bright leafs I have found that does cure well when hung whole, even late in the season. I have 120 Costellos growing this year.
skychaser
Well-Known Member
Yup that's it. This is the plant identifier number. PI 420191
It didn't really have a name when I first got the seed. All it had was the word "red" and the plant identifier number written on the seed pack. I got the seed from an HTGT member who got it from ars-grin seed bank about 3 years ago and split it with me. That is exactly how he received it. The original seed was donated to the USDA from Transvaal, South Africa in 1975. So I just called it African Red. Had to call it something.
I have 120 of them growing this year in a separate plot where they can open pollinate. With a little luck I will have lots of high quality seed available in the fall. And a big pile of leaf to smoke.
skychaser
Well-Known Member
" ...or just look at it here
FmGrowit
Last edited by FmGrowit; 06-20-2013 at 11:29 AM. Reason: add pic ..... "
lol Yeah, I guess I could have posted the pict here. It's not like I don't know how to do it. But the thing is.....I'm just to lazy to do it.
And someday I will log into my server and give this site full permissions so that links I post will work correctly too. But again...well....see the excuse above
FmGrowit
Last edited by FmGrowit; 06-20-2013 at 11:29 AM. Reason: add pic ..... "
lol Yeah, I guess I could have posted the pict here. It's not like I don't know how to do it. But the thing is.....I'm just to lazy to do it.
And someday I will log into my server and give this site full permissions so that links I post will work correctly too. But again...well....see the excuse above
Oops, I didn't think of that. Give me your site's name and I'll watermark the pic.
AmaxB
Well-Known Member
Yup that's it. This is the plant identifier number. PI 420191
It didn't really have a name when I first got the seed. All it had was the word "red" and the plant identifier number written on the seed pack. I got the seed from an HTGT member who got it from ars-grin seed bank about 3 years ago and split it with me. That is exactly how he received it. The original seed was donated to the USDA from Transvaal, South Africa in 1975. So I just called it African Red. Had to call it something.
I have 120 of them growing this year in a separate plot where they can open pollinate. With a little luck I will have lots of high quality seed available in the fall. And a big pile of leaf to smoke.
Read your review and started to weep you just made it sound soooo gooood now I'm giggling I have 27 of them going strong (can't wait to try some). I put the other two on my list to grow next year.
Thanks for the reply skychaser.
African Red sounds good will keep that name and start using it my packet from Grin was labeled Red Tobacco
Nothing smooths out and cools down Virginia flue cured tobacco like Prince Albert. I know, not a sanctioned whole leaf type, but worth mentioning. If you like the flavor, as I do, anywhere from 20% to 50% works well. Particularly like 2 parts WLT Red and 1 part PA blend. Smooth as clouds, makes lots of smoke, and rich flavor.
Relatives of Prince Albert like Carter Hall, Middleton Cherry, and Granger have the same soothing effect, just different flavors.
Relatives of Prince Albert like Carter Hall, Middleton Cherry, and Granger have the same soothing effect, just different flavors.
We're not going to start the Prince Albert in a can gags are we?Nothing smooths out and cools down Virginia flue cured tobacco like Prince Albert. I know, not a sanctioned whole leaf type, but worth mentioning. If you like the flavor, as I do, anywhere from 20% to 50% works well. Particularly like 2 parts WLT Red and 1 part PA blend. Smooth as clouds, makes lots of smoke, and rich flavor.
Relatives of Prince Albert like Carter Hall, Middleton Cherry, and Granger have the same soothing effect, just different flavors.
skychaser
Well-Known Member
I would be interested in knowing how they compare too. I air cure everything.
It would. It needs a couple weeks longer than I usually get. I'm always playing beat the frost with it. And it don't like frost at all. Another good one to try that is very similar in many ways is Bamboo Shoot. It is also a tall columnar plant with light green leaves and very good production, but it also takes 75-80 days to mature.
Gold Leaf 939. Here's another one I liked that I tried last year. I am growing it again this year.
Gold Leaf 939 is a bright leaf Virginia type tobacco with good yields and excellent curability. The leaves turn yellow as it ripens and air cure to a bright golden brown. It grow to 5-6 feet in height with closely spaced leaves, and matures in 60 to 65 days. GL 939 is a conventional variety developed by Gold Leaf Seed Company, Hartsville, SC from a cross between McNair 926 (K 326) and a breeding line. It has moderate resistance to black shank and high resistance to Granville wilt.
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Webby
Well-Known Member
In a can? I know it as a piercing through the eye of ya willy.
workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
I will be adding those to my grow next year. Some I grew last year, I'm not growing this year. I think it best to keep adding to my seed vault each year, and grow out every 4th. year. You just added to my next grow. Those long to mature varieties should do very well here in S. Ga. If you ever need something for grow out pm me and I'd be happy to do it for you.
^^^^^^
i totally agree, certain burley's i like and will proablly grow them dedicated each year..
but these different varginia types. im definatlly going to try and get me some seed stockpiled for next years grow.
i totally agree, certain burley's i like and will proablly grow them dedicated each year..
but these different varginia types. im definatlly going to try and get me some seed stockpiled for next years grow.
What's the difference in flavor and burn rate between air cured and flue cured Virginias? Same varieties cured differently, say an air cured Virginia Bright Leaf vs a Flue cured Virginia Bright Leaf?
Flue-cured VA Bright has a lower pH, which produces greater tongue bite in a pipe, but feels smoother when inhaled. Air-cured has less tongue bite in a pipe, but has greater tracheal impact. The flue-cured leaf smells like cigarette tobacco; the air-cured, less so.
Regardless, flue-cure varieties seldom smell or taste like cigar varieties, and tend to be more acidic than cigar varieties. Air-cured leaf that is well aged (or kilned) seems to burn about the same as flue-cured. Newly color-cured, air-cured leaf does not burn as well. I believe this is because of the burden of albuminous proteins that have yet to break down.
Bob
Regardless, flue-cure varieties seldom smell or taste like cigar varieties, and tend to be more acidic than cigar varieties. Air-cured leaf that is well aged (or kilned) seems to burn about the same as flue-cured. Newly color-cured, air-cured leaf does not burn as well. I believe this is because of the burden of albuminous proteins that have yet to break down.
Bob
Thanks Bob. The Virginia's will be used mostly for cigarettes. I'm trying to put together a grow list for next year. Since Turkish makes up only 10-15% of the typical cigarette blend, I've half decided to start laying in some of Don's imported from Turkey Izmir and storing it to age further. It's the real deal, sun-cured and already aged since '09. I'm trying to make up my mind about my Virginia's. I have some flue cured laid back that I may try to swap a little for some air cured and kilned for comparison purposes. Even though this year was a disaster weather wise, I can already tell I'm going to have to tone down my grows in the future. No more than 24 varieties for seed grow outs next year, and try to cut my personal grow down to a variety or two. I have enough cigar filler and wrapper to last me a loooong time.
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