Greetings from SoCal.

[metalbone]

Hello Everyone...soon to be new grower here, and am very much looking forward giving my hand a try.

I plan on two small crops in containers in 2016 (a primitive and a rustica), but we'll see how it pans out. I hope to build a small supply, develop some pipe blends, then begin rotating through in a couple of years. Looking forward to contributing to the forum and seed bank.

 

[MarcL]

Welcome to Fair Trade tobacco.

 

[bonehead]

welcome to the forum.

 

[Chicken]

i'd stronglly suggest you change your mind on a '' small crop '' it seems as each grow that goes by most members go bigger than the year before,,, i'd do as many containers as my yard could handle,

is there a special reason why your going with containers instead of tilling up a spot ?

and just doing 2 types of strains may not be enough... if your growing for pipe purposes alone... theres a member on here . '' jitterbug'' he's a avid pipe smoker. and could proablly give you tons of usefull info. before the next season comes around,,

if your serious about doing it.. id look up all his past threads and read them '' knowledge is power''

glad to have you and any question you may have will be answered... you've joined the most active bacca site on the whole web..

and theres some members on here. that you'd swear had a phd in bacca growing..

good luck to you my brother on your upcoming grow,

do a lot of research on how to start the seeds. thats about the most difficult part of growing bacca simplly because it is very easy to do it wrong and youll have no germination.

but once you get them going its all down hill from there, and research on pests.. different areas have different bugs. and bugs will and can destroy your whole crop OVERNIGHT, your main enemy is going to be aphids and hornworms.. but with the right poision on hand there is '' no problem ''

welcome to the site. and congradulations on becomming off the grid to pay the high price for tobaccoo..

 

[metalbone]

Thanks for the hospitality folks.

Chicken, thanks for the pointers and advice, will definitely track down the jitterbug posts. I have to go with a small crop in containers due to space constraints...you know, city living. I've worked my way through a couple of blogs, and it sure is nice to have a decent size plot...I'd love to grow 20-50 plants each of say 5-10 strains. What's that saying?..."thou shall not covet thy neighbors backy plot"...

I figure I'll grow and learn on some of varieties that are not generally sold, and pick up some whole leaf of the more popular varieties from someone that has their process down. Can't wait to begin...

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Hello Everyone...soon to be new grower here, and am very much looking forward giving my hand a try.

I plan on two small crops in containers in 2016 (a primitive and a rustica), but we'll see how it pans out. I hope to build a small supply, develop some pipe blends, then begin rotating through in a couple of years. Looking forward to contributing to the forum and seed bank.

Chicken has some wise words for you there. I'd like to welcome you to the forum as well. I'm personally curious about why you're only growing a Primitive and a rustica. Is it for ritual purposes only? If so, I'd remark that all tobacco is traditionally sacred. N. tobaccum may have originated in South America, but was still sacred to the peoples there.

If you're looking for more varieties to grow. I strongly suggest Northwood Seeds. http://northwoodseeds.com/Seed List2.htm

 

[indianjoe]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[metalbone]

Thanks for the link CV...there are so many varieties, I had to pick...there's not enough years left in my life to grow all the varieties, although I am sure it would be fin trying...

Knowing what you know now, what 5-10 varieties would you have made your first grow? I'd definitely appreciate any variety suggestions for my first grow, and with a list of 10 to start, it would just be a matter of throwing a dart at that short list to get the my first 2 (or 3).

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Thanks for the link CV...there are so many varieties, I had to pick...there's not enough years left in my life to grow all the varieties, although I am sure it would be fin trying...

Knowing what you know now, what 5-10 varieties would you have made your first grow? I'd definitely appreciate any variety suggestions for my first grow, and with a list of 10 to start, it would just be a matter of throwing a dart at that short list to get the my first 2 (or 3).

This is my second year. I grew 11 varieties for pipe tobacco, and cigars. I chose them for various reasons. Much of it is because I live so far north. I wouldn't see the point of offering my complete list as suggestions for you, because frankly, although Californians have the capability of complaining about weather, their tobacco plants don't.

So far, what I've tried, considering it hasn't aged, I'm most impressed with Bursa. You need to try a number of different orientals. Take note of how there might be mention of origin or Type-(Basma, Xanthi, Samsun, etc) if you grow multiple orientals in your first year, you might not want to grow two of the same family.

 

[dchiang]

Welcome, fellow southlander. One advantage we have over most of the other growers is that we can easily grow 2 crops a year. So even though land is at a premium, the weather is your friend. My second crop is now about 4 feet tall and I will be harvesting shortly.

 

[metalbone]

What are you growing?

With the 70-80 degree weather that seems to be the norm, i am tempted to just get going on the first run right now...seems like one could get have a crop going all year long.

Last winter the coldest it got overnight was mid 30s for a week or 2 at a time, but those were the exceptions...the winter crop would just be a slower growing one.

 

[DGBAMA]

No hard freeze, means you can grow year round. If you are in one of those areas where winter has a lot of overcast days, the drawback will be longer grow time and thinner/lighter cured leaf. The low humidity out there may make curing difficult, consider building a curing chamber to avoid leaf drying green.

 

[dchiang]

My current crop consists of 5 Ct Shade, 10 Fl Sumatra, and 16 Madole. My biggest problem is not getting enough water on the plants. They stop growing when the San Anna wind drys everything out. I read that other growers have 7' tall Ct Shade plants growing in the shade. Mine started flowering when they are 4' tall.

 

[wrapper]

Welcome to a newbie from another newbie, and what is more a fellow grower with potentially two harvest per year! Good luck to you, and may your baccy flourish. I look forward to your grow blog and pics.

 

[metalbone]

For all you growers of Virginia, what specific name/brand would you recommend for a sweeter tasting leaf? I've got bamoo shoot right now, but not sure which others to try first. Many thanks.

 

[burge]

For all you growers of Virginia, what specific name/brand would you recommend for a sweeter tasting leaf? I've got bamoo shoot right now, but not sure which others to try first. Many thanks.

Canadian its sweet

 

[DGBAMA]

For all you growers of Virginia, what specific name/brand would you recommend for a sweeter tasting leaf? I've got bamoo shoot right now, but not sure which others to try first. Many thanks.

After growing nearly 20 flue cure/Virginia types the last two years, I have narrowed down to 3-4 types for future years.

Dixie Bright 27 or GL737
Hickory Pryor
Big Gem.

Ymmv. My climate is not even close to yours.

 

[Ben Brand]

Welcome and enjoy your stay with FTT!!!

 

[metalbone]

OK, so I have a small number of seedlings started. For the first batch, I used standard potting soil, and it took forever for them to sprout (like 2+ weeks). For the second batch, I used soil blocks made out of miracle grow seed starter, and those sprouted in a week and are doing good. I am going to nix the first batch (15 seedlings), as they have been stunted at 1/2 inch tall for the last 2 weeks. I only have 7 mopan mayan and 7 bamboo in the good batch, but will be starting some additional seeds soon. Trips me out that the seeds are so small and the seedlings so fragile...

Also, ordered some whole leaf, rolled some crude looking cigars with a ranges of draws, found out how easy mold grows on moist wrapper leaves (small amount only), and even though I have several pounds of various cigar filler, binder, and wrappers, I find that I want more of what I already have, and NEED TO ACQUIRE stocks of those I don't have...funny how the leaf calls to you...

 

[DGBAMA]

No need to dump the first ones. There is a definite pause in the growing cycle when they are small. Too close together, to much water, not enough water, not enough light, they will grow well when conditions are right. Mine germinate quickly, then seem to do nothing for a couple weeks (roots are growing), then start visible growth.