Afrohippie82
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I'm in Kansas and I was wondering whats the latest time that you can plant tobacco. I have more plant that I would like to try.
when is it too late to plant tobacco
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Check your average first frost date and work backward from there. It will depend on the days to maturity of the variety of tobacco you are growing. What varieties do you have?
Plug in your zip code to get the local frost dates: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/781-Last-and-First-Frost-Date-When-Is-It-Really
Plug in your zip code to get the local frost dates: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/781-Last-and-First-Frost-Date-When-Is-It-Really
Afrohippie82
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I'm trying to grow Delgold, ancient and cherry red tobacco
BarG
Founding Member
You may have time to grow but your curing may be a problem for your climate.
Go for it. You'll get some leaf, even if you have to prime some of your upper leaf a little early to beat the frost. I planted a late patch last year and had an early frost so I had to bring in some leaf early. Like BarG pointed out, curing was my biggest challenge at that point. My humidity bottomed out and some of my leaf tried to dry green but the majority of it did fine. I just left it hanging until this summer and most of it did fine. DGBAMA rescued the rest of the leaf with his flue cure chamber.
GRIN shows 401 Cherry Red as having 60 days to maturity, which is when you will top the plant. Then figure three to four more weeks before harvest. So about 90 days in the field.
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1447544 Click the Observations link.
Skychasers site shows a little longer to maturity at around 75 days,
Del Gold: http://nwtseeds.com/DelGold.htm
401 Cherry Red: http://nwtseeds.com/Cherry Red.htm
Rustica matures quite a bit faster.
GRIN shows 401 Cherry Red as having 60 days to maturity, which is when you will top the plant. Then figure three to four more weeks before harvest. So about 90 days in the field.
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1447544 Click the Observations link.
Skychasers site shows a little longer to maturity at around 75 days,
Del Gold: http://nwtseeds.com/DelGold.htm
401 Cherry Red: http://nwtseeds.com/Cherry Red.htm
Rustica matures quite a bit faster.
If you currently have seedlings large enough to be transplanted, then the numbers Knucks mentioned are useful. If you have not germinated the seeds yet, then add 6 to 8 weeks to the time required to harvest.
Bob
Bob
Bob is right. I assumed when you said you had plants you wanted to try that you already had seedlings. My numbers are from transplant in the field to 50% of the plants having at least one open flower. (GRIN's definition of "Days to Maturity")
BarG
Founding Member
Heres a question no one ever asks. When you say days to maturity is that from seed sprout or transplant. I always figured it was to the transplant to field. But on hindsight I believe it should apply to birth of the emerging seedling in all its glory.
skychaser
Well-Known Member
Well, I've asked myself that question. So this year I have an experiment going. I have 18 Virginia Golds that were seeded 21 days ahead of another flat of 72 plants. All were planted out on the same day and in the same patch. I should have my answer in 3 or 4 weeks.
BarG
Founding Member
My assumption Skychaser is you didn't see much difference if planted out the same time after a few weeks. I am going out on a limb here and saying your younglings caught right up. If I'm wrong fine.Its a good question and good luck on results.
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Afrohippie82
Active Member
I would like to know this answer...
im not sure if the shorter days will make tobaccoo flower early,??
..i know a pot plant reacts to shorter days. which makes it go into flower. inside growers normally run thier lights 12 on and 12 off...... and when they switch the lights to 8 on and 16 off. the plant will go from vegatative stage to budding.
..i know a pot plant reacts to shorter days. which makes it go into flower. inside growers normally run thier lights 12 on and 12 off...... and when they switch the lights to 8 on and 16 off. the plant will go from vegatative stage to budding.
Days to Maturity is explicitly defined by GRIN: days from transplant to 50% of plants having 1 flower. The question's been asked many times, and answered many times. While Sky's trial will be interesting when completed, it doesn't matter. You can certainly measure days from germination to 100% plants having 10 or more blossoms. You can measure any interval you like, but the definition in GRIN is the accepted standard.
Aside from the GRIN definition being the standard, it also has a useful logic. As all of us who have germinated seed can attest, slight variations in seed age (and storage conditions), soil mixture, added soil nutrients, temperature, watering regimen, vapor control--all these can have a substantial impact on the progression from radicle emergence to transplantable size. [Even "transplantable size" can be a source of confusion and varying maturity duration.]
Bob
Aside from the GRIN definition being the standard, it also has a useful logic. As all of us who have germinated seed can attest, slight variations in seed age (and storage conditions), soil mixture, added soil nutrients, temperature, watering regimen, vapor control--all these can have a substantial impact on the progression from radicle emergence to transplantable size. [Even "transplantable size" can be a source of confusion and varying maturity duration.]
Bob
Afrohippie82.....I have about the same weather conditions as you will have, so, let me answer with this:
If you are just now starting seeds, NO WAY will you get a crop to maturity, unless you have means to move them indoors.
If you can go indoors, I stop here, as I've never grown indoors. Others have, do a search. Note: it takes 6-8 weeks to get seeds to sufficent size to set out.
If you have plants ready to set now, go ahead, but there will be difficulties with curing.
My experience, a couple years ago, I set new plants out the first week of July. Eight different cigar varieties, all reached maturity, blooms, and ripening leaf, ready to pick and cure before frost or hard freeze. The problem encountered was that weather was too cool and low humidity, curing was poor. I had a fan running 24/7, watered floor of my shed to raise humidity, etc. But most the crop cured green. I let it hang, overwinter, until spring but very little of the leaf completed cure properly. I don't think moving the leaf indoors to cure would work well, without taking additional measures. Generally, in the midwest, relative humidity (RH) is less indoors than outdoors, in fall and early winter. If brought indoors, enclosing the leaf in an enclosure (plastic tent ?), to conserve leaf moisture, may work. But I suggest moving air also (fan 24/7) to minimize mold, and careful monitoring.
Good luck !
If you are just now starting seeds, NO WAY will you get a crop to maturity, unless you have means to move them indoors.
If you can go indoors, I stop here, as I've never grown indoors. Others have, do a search. Note: it takes 6-8 weeks to get seeds to sufficent size to set out.
If you have plants ready to set now, go ahead, but there will be difficulties with curing.
My experience, a couple years ago, I set new plants out the first week of July. Eight different cigar varieties, all reached maturity, blooms, and ripening leaf, ready to pick and cure before frost or hard freeze. The problem encountered was that weather was too cool and low humidity, curing was poor. I had a fan running 24/7, watered floor of my shed to raise humidity, etc. But most the crop cured green. I let it hang, overwinter, until spring but very little of the leaf completed cure properly. I don't think moving the leaf indoors to cure would work well, without taking additional measures. Generally, in the midwest, relative humidity (RH) is less indoors than outdoors, in fall and early winter. If brought indoors, enclosing the leaf in an enclosure (plastic tent ?), to conserve leaf moisture, may work. But I suggest moving air also (fan 24/7) to minimize mold, and careful monitoring.
Good luck !
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