Johnlee's grown log

[johnlee1933]

I am still playing with how to add pics to my posts so bear (beer) with me.



Looks like some success. A confirmation from some body would be welcome. Can you enlarge the thumbnail? I can't.

This is my patch as of late July 2011. The patch is not quite square and is ~ 9 x 12. I have added another 8 x 12 patch to it and should be able to set 50 plants this year plus a few at friends in SIP buckets. If I get this pic thing wired I'll post a sketch of my layout and ask for help/suggestions.




Here's the plot plan. I don't know if anybody else can enlarge the thumbnail. I can't and would like to know why. If you can see them the circles are 24" dia. On the right is the varieties I would like to try. As stated before my goal is a mild cigar. Any suggestion as to additions or deletions are welcome and requested.

I've got so many scraps around I may get a cig machine and roll a few for friends to taste.

OK I'm going to post this now and see what happens.

J

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I can open both of the thumbnails.

 

[johnlee1933]

Thanks. I guess I've finally got it down. It was mostly re-sizing my pics so the forum would accept them. My Grandson gave me the student edition of CS 5.1 (an older one. They're up to 6.something now.) You'll see more from now on.

OK Now the sketch is up and working comments are requested.

J

 

[deluxestogie]

John,
I think your selection of varieties is good. My concern would be reaching through plants 4 deep in order to maintain them, but from your pic of last season, it looks like you've already given it a try.

Your lower section will provide more room per plant if they are staggered like the upper section. Just a thought.

In general, I think you're on a roll there.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

Thanks Bob, I initially did stagger that section also but it cost me 4 plants. I will consider it. Maybe the loss of 4 plants will be worth it.

John

 

[Chicken]

i fully understand the '' GETTING THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO SHOW YOU THINGS ABOUT THE COMPUTER,,

i call my 17 yr old daughter, all the time to help me,

 

[johnlee1933]

i fully understand the '' GETTING THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO SHOW YOU THINGS ABOUT THE COMPUTER,,

i call my 17 yr old daughter, all the time to help me,

I used to call my Grandson but now he's off to college.

 

[deluxestogie]

John,
In that lower section, if you move the 1st and 3rd columns from the left upward into the gaps in the upper section, then no loss of plants, and it increases the distance between each plant and its immediate neighbors. Also, I found staggered plants a lot easier to reach around.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

John,
In that lower section, if you move the 1st and 3rd columns from the left upward into the gaps in the upper section, then no loss of plants, and it increases the distance between each plant and its immediate neighbors. Also, I found staggered plants a lot easier to reach around.

Bob

Good thought Bob but what shows as a line in the sketch is a telephone pole section. Still I agree on staggering increasing plant spacing and that it is a good thing. Do you have any suggestions for a different plant or two?

John

 

[deluxestogie]

You might consider PA Red, Comstock Spanish, and maybe Little Dutch, all as filler, blended with the CT Broadleaf and Maryland, though the Comstock makes a nice wrapper. Little Dutch does well with closer spacing.

Bob

 

[Daniel]

From your sketch you have roughly 200 square feet of patch. I grew 132 plants in 220 square feet last year. 12 inches on center in rows 11 plants long and 4 plants wide. I made 3 rows this size with a walking space in between each row of 4 feet. My entire patch was 20 feet by 11 feet not counting the area around the outside that I could walk. Which was not a lot. Reaching through to tend plants did not become much of a problem until the last few weeks. I grew mine in buckets so they could be moved and this helped. Buying buckets and dirt made it very expensive though. You can leave a narrower walking path but it gets hard to not damage leaves.

 

[johnlee1933]

You might consider PA Red, Comstock Spanish, and maybe Little Dutch, all as filler, blended with the CT Broadleaf and Maryland, though the Comstock makes a nice wrapper. Little Dutch does well with closer spacing.

Bob

Thanks ! I had forgotten about the little dutch. I have a little seed and will add that to the list. The PA Red did not do well here. Don't know why.
What is Comstock's flavor?

John

 

[BarG]

mild to medium cigar

I am still playing with how to add pics to my posts so bear (beer) with me.

View attachment 375

Looks like some success. A confirmation from some body would be welcome. Can you enlarge the thumbnail? I can't.

This is my patch as of late July 2011. The patch is not quite square and is ~ 9 x 12. I have added another 8 x 12 patch to it and should be able to set 50 plants this year plus a few at friends in SIP buckets. If I get this pic thing wired I'll post a sketch of my layout and ask for help/suggestions.


View attachment 376

Here's the plot plan. I don't know if anybody else can enlarge the thumbnail. I can't and would like to know why. If you can see them the circles are 24" dia. On the right is the varieties I would like to try. As stated before my goal is a mild cigar. Any suggestion as to additions or deletions are welcome and requested.

I've got so many scraps around I may get a cig machine and roll a few for friends to taste.

OK I'm going to post this now and see what happens.

J

John, I have the conn. shade,ytb,and tn90 seeds from your grow list, I also have havanna 142, bursa,and hoping soon to have some guatemalon,and huehuetenago to add. I also like a mild to medium cigar as I'm a very recent cigar smoker and still have a strong tendency to inhale my cigars without thinking. I'm fortunate to have enough room to be able to plant with little regard as to utilizing available space. Goodluck and good planning.

Bob,the varietys you mentioned in subsequent post will be noted for next year hopefully..

 

[BigBonner]

Close plant spacing can cause trouble from disease blue mold , snails , worms ,root rot and a few others . Several years back farmers here ordered plug plants from the south , they no longer do . Blue mold was trasnported each year into my state . Blue mold doesn't over winter here or where it gets cold . One year I had it so bad my crop didn't prouduce half of the pounds per acre it should have .It came from neighboring counties where plug plants came from florida . There is two types , systematic and blue mold spots on the leaf .Blue mold travels with the weather from Florida and Texas and works it way north each year , We have a blue warning system that warns farmers where blue mold has been found . http://www.uky.edu/Ag/kpn/kyblue/kyblue.htm

Planting close together and alot of moisture will make it grow and can eat a crop up. Planting close to a creek or shade will supply moisture for disease . If you live where it is fairly dry and the neighbor don't grow tobacco you may be ok .

 

[johnlee1933]

Close plant spacing can cause trouble from disease blue mold , snails , worms ,root rot and a few others . Several years back farmers here ordered plug plants from the south , they no longer do . Blue mold was trasnported each year into my state . Blue mold doesn't over winter here or where it gets cold . One year I had it so bad my crop didn't prouduce half of the pounds per acre it should have .It came from neighboring counties where plug plants came from florida . There is two types , systematic and blue mold spots on the leaf .Blue mold travels with the weather from Florida and Texas and works it way north each year , We have a blue warning system that warns farmers where blue mold has been found . http://www.uky.edu/Ag/kpn/kyblue/kyblue.htm
.

BB, The commercial farms in northern CT and southern MA also have blue mold problems and it is much feared. They plow those sections under as soon as it shows it's ugly head. One guy says he returns that soil during hot dry weather. I don't know. Is there a spray or ground treatment, other than hard freeze, for the stuff. Hasn't shown up yet in my small patch. Hope it doesn't.

John

 

[BigBonner]

Johnlee1933

You can spray ridomil or dithane . I don't spray either .I don't like those chemical at all .I haven't used them for over 12 years now , most tobacco farmers use them every year , I don't . Ridomil is good for farmers who have Black shank problems . I don'y have that problem . Dithane will stunt your tobacco if you use too much of it . Actiguard is another one I know nothing about it .

A little blue mold doesn't hurt Burley but it could be very bad for cigar growers . The spots where blue mold hits will leave a brown hole and most of the time will fall out leaving a hole the size of a quarter .

 

[deluxestogie]

What is Comstock's flavor?

Comstock Spanish was developed in the middle of the 19th Century (in Wisconsin, I believe), from Havana Seed. The plant grows with a typical Spanish tobacco habit and leaf shape, and has a similar aroma. It makes good wrappers and binders, and serves well as a blender for filler. (It should be in that seed parcel I sent. If not, let me know.)

Bob

EDIT: My thread on Comstock is here: http://www.fairtradetobacco.com/sho...arison-of-Comstock-Spanish-and-Zimmer-Spanish

 

[johnlee1933]

Thanks Bob, Based on that I will try 4 Comstock plants also. I may put them at one of my satellite spots. Do you think they would do well in a 5 gallon SIP? My SIP's are a 5 gallon can set in an 8 inch section of a 55 gallon plastic drum. Three bricks support the pail and a 4" plastic pot contains the wicking soil. One plant/pail.

John

 

[deluxestogie]

John,
Comstock Spanish will grow in a 5 gallon pot, but the ultimate height and leaf size will be reduced. Planted in a deeply dug bed, I could demonstrate that below 3.75 sq. ft. per plant, the size is affected.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

Bob,

With the 24" circles I have planed my area is 3.14 sq/ft/plant. That's a little short of 3.75 but close enough for government work. I guess I'll plant another variety in the SIP's. Do you have a suggestion as to which variety? I also plan to shift my shade support to the East side of the original plot and grow two rows of CT shade. The assumption is that as they grow much taller than the other plants they will not shade their bed mates from direct south and west sunlight and still get plenty for themselves. I haven't finished the "what plant where" selection yet. When I do I'll post it for comments/suggestions/changes.

John