Buy Tobacco Leaf Online | Whole Leaf Tobacco

a Question about producing my own seeds

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ben Brand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2012
Messages
1,167
Points
63
Location
Groblersdal, South Africa
Got a few varieties that I need some more seed for. I stalk cure all my my tobacco. Iv`e put some protection around them for cross polination. I have just started topping my tobacco, so it will be a few week before harvesting. What I want to know is- Those plants that I want the seed from, can I stalk cure them (obviously breaking the stalk with the seed pods off first) or will the seed be immature, or must I prime them. Never produced my own tobacco seed.
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
Got a few varieties that I need some more seed for. I stalk cure all my my tobacco. Iv`e put some protection around them for cross polination. I have just started topping my tobacco, so it will be a few week before harvesting. What I want to know is- Those plants that I want the seed from, can I stalk cure them (obviously breaking the stalk with the seed pods off first) or will the seed be immature, or must I prime them. Never produced my own tobacco seed.

You can stalk harvest them with the seed pod still attached and the seed pod will mature some more while hanging. Or, you can prime the leaves from the plants that are bagged, allowing the seed head to fully mature on the plant (the safest way in terms of mature seed). I guess if stalk harvesting, it would depend on how mature the seed were at harvest as to whether or not they would finish up while hanging. Personally, I primed all mine and tried to let the pods mature on the plant. The early frost got me on several of them, but I planted late also.

Most varieties are primed, especially for cigars, so each leaf harvested is at the perfect stage of maturity. Burley tobacco is stalk harvested, and I think Maryland. These are cigarette varieties that are traditionally cured by stalk harvest. Virginias are primed. Different members have had different results with stalk harvesting for other varieties, but Skychaser always primes for seed production. He sells seed so I try to imitate him when growing for seed.
 

Ben Brand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2012
Messages
1,167
Points
63
Location
Groblersdal, South Africa
Knuckle
Thanks a lot for that info. I will prime the ones, I`m saving the seeds from. Picked up some very nice devices for priming tobacco. The tobacco farmers in the old Rhodesia ( now Zimbabwe) used them to prime their tobacco, called Talita Clips, its a wire device with some springwire in to hold the tobacco in place. I had some years ago, don`t know what happend to them but discovered some on a farm. Asked the old man to buy them, told me I can have them. When I fetch them ( hopefully next week) will place some photos, maybe someone in the Usa can replicate them if anybody is interested.
Ben
 

DGBAMA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4,418
Points
63
Location
NORTH ALABAMA
Ben,

I stalk harvested a few of my plants for seed this year. I waited just until the flowers dropped, the seed pods were well formed but still fully green. They finished maturing/drying nicely and produced good seed.
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
Yes, they are the same. Pretty interesting gizmo. The way they talked, it really speeds up the harvest and hanging.
 

Ben Brand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2012
Messages
1,167
Points
63
Location
Groblersdal, South Africa
I know they used them in Zimbabwe, don`t know if there is any farmers left in Zim. I used them them years ago with a experimental flu-curing barn that worked with diesel for the tobacco institute. They do work quite well. Will use them to reap my wrappers.
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
If I remember correctly, one article said a man could prime 90 leaves a minute using the tilita clips, does that sound right? You prime right to the clip and when full it's ready to be hung for curing, no transferring the leaves to something else and no extra stringing needed. It sounds like a really fast way to harvest and hang. I think 2-3 leaves per clip all the way down the stick? I'm shooting from the hip memory-wise and I don't want to hunt down that article again. lol
 

skychaser

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
1,117
Points
113
Location
NE Washington
I leave the seed heads on the plant until they are fully ripe. Priming most of the leaves is fine. I leave about 1/4 of them on seed plants.

If I remember correctly, one article said a man could prime 90 leaves a minute using the tilita clips,

I want to hire that man!
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama

Ben Brand

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2012
Messages
1,167
Points
63
Location
Groblersdal, South Africa
Knuckle
Here is some more Talita clips somebody gave me. These are completely differant, I must still work out how to work them. Its got clips to unclip the wire and I suppose as you reap your leaves into it you close it with the clips as you go along. 20140202_113849.jpg20140202_113859.jpg20140202_113941.jpg20140202_114055.jpg20140202_114108.jpg20140202_114448.jpg
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
Those are strange looking but should work great once you figure out how they operate. I really like the concept of the tilita clips, string for hanging as you harvest would save a time consuming step.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top