storms

[LeftyRighty]

for the 3rd time in the last week, winds have blown my plants flat. I've had to brace or stake them back up, run string-line for tieback, stomp the roots back into the muddy ground. It's getting really old. Most of my plants are only in the 2+ ft height range, just tall enough for the wind to catch in this rain-soaked garden.

Am beginning to think that it would be smart to only plant along a fence line, or maybe, erect a permanent structure along the rows for tiedowns, like is done for Connecticut Shadeleaf.

 

[Brown Thumb]

That is a royal PITA. That is why I got bamboo Steaks this year.
I hope they work!

 

[deluxestogie]

LR, I feel your pain. The most I've enjoyed was two significant blowdown events during a one week period.

The frustration with blowdowns is that the soil conditions (saturated) and the wind conditions and the plant height (and leaf width, and possibly a blossom bag sail) conspire together to create a problem. Sometimes it's bad. Sometimes, nothing. For me, overall, the work of standing plants back up comes out to less than trying to prevent all them from possibly going down.

I'd have to go back to my records to be sure, but I seem to recall losing only 2 or 3 plants entirely (snapped off at the ground), ever.

Standing them up is definitely a bunch of work--muddy work. But tobacco usually seems to just shrug off the root disruption.

LITTLE DUTCH: My Little Dutch has never blown down. Pyramidal plant with narrowish leaves, and a notably short stature.

Bob

 

[DGBAMA]

I had a bunch last year. It is a pain. But they all were at root level, not broken, so as long as they are stood up before the ground dries they don't break and don't quit growing.

Edit
It is still early, so if you have plants doing well enough to blow down, you are doing well.

 

[BarG]

It totally sucks when you wake up or come home from work and you have more work to do. I sympathize with you, however , if your plants are of a short height let them straighten them selves out , it works for me If I am unavailable to do so. Believe it or not those stalks will head straight back up to the sun; albeit bent to hell and back. It puts a leaf or 2 in the dirt.

 

[Knucklehead]

2 ft. tall plants already? You're doing something right! Can we get some pictures?

 

[BarG]

2 ft. tall plants already? You're doing something right! Can we get some pictures?

Your either always the optimist ,you are, or your very sadistic.

 

[BarG]

for the 3rd time in the last week, winds have blown my plants flat. I've had to brace or stake them back up, run string-line for tieback, stomp the roots back into the muddy ground. It's getting really old. Most of my plants are only in the 2+ ft height range, just tall enough for the wind to catch in this rain-soaked garden.

Am beginning to think that it would be smart to only plant along a fence line, or maybe, erect a permanent structure along the rows for tiedowns, like is done for Connecticut Shadeleaf.

Do you realize wht your saying. Tobacco is not a year round enterprize for investment as a home grower.we do it because we can, and in this day and age need to.

 

[LeftyRighty]

another problem with man-handling these plants to get them upright again - I got suckers blooming on most of the plants, and with all the rain, these are huge overnight.

 

[Planter]

2 ft. tall plants already?

3 1/2 ft the tallest:

But they were started in late February / early March, plus spring in Central Europe was unusually early. And that Lebanese Izmir really is fast growing.

 

[Planter]

for the 3rd time in the last week, winds have blown my plants flat.

The Izmirs in my main plot were several times thrown by wind and heavy rain. Every time the slugs took full advantage. Hardly any leaf left. Last week I finally staked them, and by now they look almost as good as the potted plants.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Izmir takes a good ass beating. Mine blew down I forget how many times, finally gave up on them last year.
I ended up with a good harvest just very crooked stalks. I thought they all would have died.

 

[LeftyRighty]

Geez....this has been a weird tobacco growing season. Plants went into the ground the last few days of April, so they've been growing about 7 weeks now.
skychaser's Costello bright leaf is already showing a few flower buds forming on some plants (on right in photo). These plants are only between 2 and 3 feet tall now. That's African Red on the left.

(Edit) last year, they were about 4 ft tall before bud formation.

 

[LeftyRighty]

Oops.... having trouble with the importing photos.
that 2nd photo is my mini 'barley' seed crop - didn't intend to attach it also.

 

[LeftyRighty]

and my Yellow Twist Bud burley can't get off the ground....

I know there is a stalk in there somewhere, it's just not ready to start growing.

 

[grgfinney]

Mine only got 3.5 ft last year but nice big leaves

 

[LeftyRighty]

and every time I sneeze, the Izmir Ozbos falls over. These are just shy of 3 ft tall.


Sorry....can't seem to get more that one photo per post.

(Edit) FYI....had suckers showing up on all plants, except the YTB, so, yesterday, while pulling suckers, I cleaned out all the dirty/crappy lower leaf throughout. That's why all the plants are so clean looking. Been trying to weed the patch also, but still too muddy to do it decent. Forecast is for more rain tonight/tomorrow. Krap!

 

[Mad Oshea]

After the critters,and bugs. The weather will test the best of Us next. Like BT last year. My Izmir took a catagory 5 downburst. Most of them split length wise from the base up.(no salvage on them) The ones that I stood back up were fine. One was a snake shape, It wen't down then turned back up to the sky. Where I messed up on that was, I didn't use My bamboo sticks. Everythig I used them on servived.Day befor yesterday We had 4 tornadoes, And Yesterday five here in NM. That is very rare here. I sure pray The Lord to protect Us all and let Us have our weather. But just not so much of it so hard.

 

[DGBAMA]

LR, your plants and leaf color look awesome.

Ytb is a slow start (vertically) last year mine did not shoot up until the base of the stalk was about an inch in diameter.

 

[Knucklehead]

Good looking plants guys. Thanks for the photos. Right now my potted plants are blowing away my field plants. We had some good rain the past few days so I'm hoping my field plants will take off now.