An Idiot's Guide to Growing Tobacco, or....

[Bex]

Thanks, Jitterbug - actually that was what I was doing with my 'mystery plants'. I am planning to collect the seeds from what I have growing now. Thus far, the Lemon Virginia and Hickory Pryor each have a few plants that are starting to show buds. The Burley is just growing and growing, and some of the plants will soon be too tall for the tunnel. I am looking for proper bags to put the flower heads into - thus far I haven't been able to find anything, and may have to resort to an old pair of pantyhose. Helpful, as I don't wear them anymore....unless someone else has a better suggestion for something that I could easily find here....??

Bob, by the way, would that crank case additive, like Slick 50, also work in making the pull-start easier in a 2 stroke engine??

 

[deluxestogie]

I am looking for proper bags to put the flower heads into - thus far I haven't been able to find anything, and may have to resort to an old pair of pantyhose. Helpful, as I don't wear them anymore....unless someone else has a better suggestion for something that I could easily find here....??

Bob, by the way, would that crank case additive, like Slick 50, also work in making the pull-start easier in a 2 stroke engine??

I don't know anything about putting the additive into a 2 stroke engine, since they are designed to burn the lubricant along with the gasoline.

The "pantie" part of pantyhose would be the best size for full-size tobacco. Just tie off the legs, and cut them off. At a fabric store, you can possibly buy a light muslin (called butter muslin) or some wedding veil material from which to sew bud bags. (My chosen size is 30" tall x 24" wide. Others use much smaller bags.) The primary task of the bag for tobacco is to prevent insect pollination, rather than prevent wind pollination, so the mesh doesn't really have to be all that fine. (If I recall correctly, most tobacco has completed 80-90% of its pollination by self-pollination, immediately prior to the blossom fully opening.)

Bob

 

[Bex]

Thanks for the info. I stopped at our local 'garden center' here today - of course they had nothing of any use, however, on my way out, I spied a large roll of very light fabric - it's a 'fleece' that they use to prevent frost damage. It's breathable, white, and I got a 1 meter x 3 meter piece of it for about $3.00. I think this should work out ok.....Thanks for the info on the size you use, as well....that would have been my next question

 

[Knucklehead]

How did the material work for making seed head bags?

 

[Chicken]

When I read your posts..I try to read them in a thick Irish accent..

And your choice of words..definitely is European..

Don't get discouraged with your attempts...it gets better each season..

We all learn from a mistake/ hurdel...

Have you tried starting your seeds under grow lights?...I find it to be the best way to start any seedling. Bacca and veggie...
I got my fall veggie crop under lights right now..they are just now starting to terminate.

 

[Van]

When I read your posts..I try to read them in a thick Irish accent..

And your choice of words..definitely is European..

Don't get discouraged with your attempts...it gets better each season..

We all learn from a mistake/ hurdel...

Have you tried starting your seeds under grow lights?...I find it to be the best way to start any seedling. Bacca and veggie...
I got my fall veggie crop under lights right now..they are just now starting to terminate.

Germinate?

 

[Bex]

How did the material work for making seed head bags?

So far it seems to be working quite well. The flowers have bloomed inside the bags of material, with no problem.

I have had little problem with germination thus far - but what happens with me is that once the plants need to be transplanted, I have nowhere to put them. We can get horrible and cold weather here up until May - actually this summer it never got out of the 50's. I am sticking to this, but there are tons of things that seem to be working against this. Too bad that tobacco is not in the cabbage family - cabbage loves this climate.

Oh, and by the way, I don't speak with an Irish accent. I'm actually originally from New York...

 

[Chicken]

Germinate?

yeah ;; that word lol

 

[Smokin Harley]

Thanks, Jitterbug - actually that was what I was doing with my 'mystery plants'. I am planning to collect the seeds from what I have growing now. Thus far, the Lemon Virginia and Hickory Pryor each have a few plants that are starting to show buds. The Burley is just growing and growing, and some of the plants will soon be too tall for the tunnel. I am looking for proper bags to put the flower heads into - thus far I haven't been able to find anything, and may have to resort to an old pair of pantyhose. Helpful, as I don't wear them anymore....unless someone else has a better suggestion for something that I could easily find here....??

Bob, by the way, would that crank case additive, like Slick 50, also work in making the pull-start easier in a 2 stroke engine??

Slick 50 is a relatively old product . Nowadays there are plenty of fully synthetic lubricants ,2 cycle applications included . Look for synthetic 2 cycle oil, like would be used for outboard boat motors . I used to be a mechanic on a golf course years ago , if you still have an issue with pull starting a 2 cycle engine. what exactly are you looking to make easier? The actual pulling to start or the engine is hard to start like you need to choke it more than you believe you should?

 

[Bex]

I need to pull this sucker often 15 or 20 times. There is no priming bulb on it, so I think that the first few times are actually just getting the gas into the carburetor. But I find that at least half of the times the cord doesn't pull out the whole way - it stops about halfway and sometimes even wrenches out of my hands. I was reading on the internet about having the choke open for, say, 5 pulls and then closing it off. I found that every once in a while this would work - otherwise when it finally catches, I have to quickly - I mean really quickly - reach down to put the choke to 'run' otherwise it stalls. I must say, much as I dislike this horrible little machine, when I do get it to run, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. My water pump is 4 stroke - my neighbor has a 2 stroke chain saw with the same problem. We are old and weak, sadly....so any tricks of the trade would be appreciated.