Next Summer

[CT Tobaccoman]

Next summer I want to grow some "different" kind of cigar filler. Some USA type. Not Central American or Caribbean. Not Connecticut either--I already have plenty of that. Cigar filler grown in PA or Ohio is what I am looking for.

What can you guys recommend? I'll be blending it with Dominican filler too and probably wrapping with Conn types, but I want to find a different sort of taste than the usual cigars.

What about some of the unusual varieties that some of you grow for grow-outs? Maybe some old kind of filler not used commercially anymore. Something Mexican, even. I'm looking for a filler type that has traditionally been grown in the USA. I'm thinking of devoting half my space to cigar filler next year--up to 20 plants--maybe 2 types. What about PA Red, Ohio, Zimmer Spanish, Little Dutch? What other choices do I have, and what would y'all recommend?

Of course, it has to be possible to obtain seed.

Thanks,
CT

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I recommend Little Dutch for a filler and Fl Sumatra or Glessnor for a wrapper. As for a binder I like Yellow Pryor but then again that's the only type I've tried for a binder ( for an American style cigar). This combo will give you a cigar that was typical for the 1870's to early 1880's in the U.S.

 

[istanbulin]

Comstock Spanish is really a good binder. Although it's very strong to me, a single leaf as a binder adds nice flavors to the cigars. Bob compared Zimmer and Comstock Spanish here. I think the winner, as a binder between these two varieties, is Comstock.

 

[deluxestogie]

Great "American" fillers (in no particular order):

• Little Dutch
• PA Red
• Long Red
• Swarr-Hibshman
• Lancaster Seedleaf
• Wisconsin Seedleaf
• Wisconsin 901

And don't forget that burley was also used as a cigar filler for many decades.

Of that list, for a 20 plant grow of filler, I would suggest 15 Little Dutch (planted in the space of 10) and 10 Swarr-Hibshman. All of these varieties are or will be available in the FTT seed bank.

Bob

 

[Mad Oshea]

Tenn. Red Leaf and Reams 158?

 

[istanbulin]

I'm not sure about TN Red Leaf but Reams 158 is a FC variety.

 

[Mad Oshea]

They both make a good blend for sticks.

 

[CT Tobaccoman]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I'm thinking of a few little Dutch at the end of the plot, so they have room to spread out. The other type, I don't know yet, but I'd like one that doesn't spread out too much, like burley or Havana, so that I can plant them no more than 40" apart.

The MD 609 that I have growing now are replacements for burley seedlings that didn't make it. Trouble is that I planted them 30" apart in the spots where the burley was. Now, I have a jungle with leaves from one plant almost reaching into the stalk of the plants next to it. It seems ok, but looks like a wild jumble. I'll put a pic on my grow blog, along with the good and bad results of a big blast of urea nitrogen I gave them a few days ago to hurry them along.

CT



CT