Lefty second try

[Leftynick]

Leaf clipping, by triggering a "damage" response, does encourage root growth. I would suggest waiting for the leaves to grow larger, so that they recover more easily from the loss of leaf surface (loss of photosynthesis) that is the result of clipping.

There is a point at which the leaves suddenly begin to multiply in number and grow dramatically in size. Clipping at this point prevents them from shading their neighbors, while also causing the roots and stem to thicken.

Bob

Looks like I have been transferring them to soil too quickly. I never wait for them to grow this big because I thought my weather should be fine. No wonder my field mortality is high. I will try to be more patient after this.

 

[Chicken]

your paper pots look good,

i transplant all mine to 4'' plastic pots. and let them get big before putting them in the ground,

at which time of thier first '' in ground watering '' i hit them with a systemic aphid control watering,

 

[Charly]

Last year, I think I transplanted too soon, the plants were very small, and I did not do any "hair cut"...
I will try to make stronger plants before transplantation next time (and try the "hair cut").

 

[Chicken]

Last year, I think I transplanted too soon, the plants were very small, and I did not do any "hair cut"...
I will try to make stronger plants before transplantation next time (and try the "hair cut").

its allways good to let them get a little big. before throwing them to the elements...

if you leave them in a seed tray,,, yes they will need a haircut,

but i eliminate that problem by placing them in thier own grow cup.

in the past [ and i may use them again ] ive used small styrofoam cups. for my initial starting cup,

they are good for 4 seasons of growing if you store them correctlly,

 

[Leftynick]

And to think you did all that with just a hoe. Big props to you friend. Digging something like that with a shovel is hard enough but a hoe...wow. Looks great.



Lefty, don't ever quit. Its been my experience in gardening that things don't always go as planned. Many of the folks here have worked through issues and are willing to help folks like you and I. What's that old saying?.....The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.... Never quit my friend.

All I have is hoe and shovel. It's rare to see motorized tiller here. Most commercial farmer here just rent tractor with tiller attachment which is inconvenience for home grower like me. Just do it like my father and his father before him.

I already seeing the fruit of my labor to be quitting now. The one that doesn't infected with TMV already grow twice as large than the picture I take on previous post. Like I say, I just having a bad day when writing that post. Thank you for your support.

 

[Leftynick]

your paper pots look good,

i transplant all mine to 4'' plastic pots. and let them get big before putting them in the ground,

at which time of thier first '' in ground watering '' i hit them with a systemic aphid control watering,

I will try to get it bigger this time. I want to plant on other bed all at the same time so I can plan for harvesting. The one on current bed is just some kind of experiment to see what I am expecting to get. This time, no aphids issue. The aphids attacked my weaker okra plant instead. And I already find out that Neem tree are abundant at my place. Will brew some strong Neem tea if any of the pest becomes issue. Free organic pesticide yeayy.

 

[Chicken]

yeah your in a totally different area. your pests may not be the same as mine... id allmost say they wil be worst. being your in a tropical climate..

my advice.is be prepared. the bugs can and will destroy your crop if not properlly managed,

i kill everything. and take enjoyment in it,

 

[Leftynick]

My seedlings in egg carton dried up during my weekend away. I am afraid that all of the seedling dried up but thankfully only the one in egg carton did. I immediately water them as soon as i get home but 4 of them died, so I replace them with subtitute seedlings. The one that didn't die are trying hard to get back up. It is such a shame, as the one in egg carton are the biggest plant.


my other seedlings in paper pot is fine. But they grow at much slower rate than in the egg carton.


this weekend I will be away again but a shorter trip, so I am hoping these seedlings will be fine.

 

[Charly]

Sad... they are so fragile when they are young...
I wish you better luck with your new seedlings !

 

[greenmonster714]

Sorry to hear about the loss of lil ones. Is there any way you can set up a wick to these while you are gone? Maybe set them on a towel that drops below into a bucket of water. Or something like the link. https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/diy-instructions/self-watering-tray/

 

[Leftynick]

I kinda expecting the dry up. Because I was supposed to come back on Sunday morning, but something happened and I came back home Sunday at night. I didn't prepare any self watering system because the lateness is unexpected. This weekend I will prepare some kind of self watering system to avoid the unexpected.

 

[Tutu]

The struggle is real. I know how it feels to be away and be powerless. On the upside, you learn a lot from how plants cope with moist, drought, humidity levels and such. But that's about it. I've had people water my seedlings when I was away for three weeks, twice, but it's hard for non-growers to understand the rhythm and fragility. In two weekends I'll be away for 4 days to Surabaya and I was thinking about just leaving them be. This would be a trial for the other 4 days I'll be gone in April. Actually I will be in Malaysia in April, attending a wedding of a good friend in Alor Setar, Kedah. Anyway, looking forward to your next update after your next short trip!

 

[Leftynick]

my largest plant were infected with tmv. I know the best way to deal with this is to destroy the plant. But It really a shame because the leaves aren't even mature yet. What should I do?

 

[greenmonster714]

Lefty, I gotta ask what is TMV and what make you think your plants are effected? Man, I'd hate to see ya loose anything at this point.

 

[Leftynick]

TMV is Tobacco Mosaic Virus. My last grow, the plant were showing the sign like in the picture, and Bob identified it as TMV. It wouldnt kill the plant but severely stunt any new growth. For the plant this big, it wouldn't be too much loss but if it infect my seedlings, none of it will grow to maturity. It infect by touch, so I started to suspect my cats is the one that infecting my plant. They keep playing around my tobacco plant since last week.

 

[Tutu]

If I were you I would let the plant grow and harvest the non infected leafs at maturity. The infected once will have to be looked at later on. I feel some plants are better able to cope than others. I know Mata Fina and Amersfoort can't handle it at all. But for instance the Ainaro I grew, two out of three were infected by TMV but I was nevertheless able to harvested even the infected leafs. They cure just as good as the other leafs. The second grow of the TMV plants is much worse than the one of the non infected Ainaro. But yes, you got to be carefully with getting more of your plants infected... Especially insects you've got to be carefull with. But yeah, maybe the cat too

 

[Leftynick]

If I were you I would let the plant grow and harvest the non infected leafs at maturity. The infected once will have to be looked at later on. I feel some plants are better able to cope than others. I know Mata Fina and Amersfoort can't handle it at all. But for instance the Ainaro I grew, two out of three were infected by TMV but I was nevertheless able to harvested even the infected leafs. They cure just as good as the other leafs. The second grow of the TMV plants is much worse than the one of the non infected Ainaro. But yes, you got to be carefully with getting more of your plants infected... Especially insects you've got to be carefull with. But yeah, maybe the cat too

There are so many element that could get my plant infected. Grasshopper, cat even me because I am smoker. But I agree with you. Another plant, just beside the infected plant are showing no sign of infection at all. My little dutch plant that in the same row with infected little dutch plant grow large and now flowering. I never throw away infected leaves, even if that mean I have to wash my hand with detergent over and over again before handling my plant.

 

[Charly]

Sorry to hear that ...
Hard to know what to do...
I had some plants infected with PVY (potatoe virus Y), I remove the infected leaves, it slowed the infection...

I've read somewhere that there is not many things you can do against TMV, and if I remember correctly, if you want to save the seeds, you can put them at 80°C for 24 hours to kill the virus... someone can perhaps confirm this ?

 

[Tutu]

Today I was driving around and thought to myself, I'm going to remove the two soca stalks with TMV so that I won't have any TMV infected plants left. Came home to find that the Liquiçá soca I was growing is now also infected, and I think my single remaining Timor plant from seed from Bob as well. So even if I throw away the three soca's I still have one infected plant. Shoot... TMV is hard to kill...

 

[Leftynick]

Today I was driving around and thought to myself, I'm going to remove the two soca stalks with TMV so that I won't have any TMV infected plants left. Came home to find that the Liquiçá soca I was growing is now also infected, and I think my single remaining Timor plant from seed from Bob as well. So even if I throw away the three soca's I still have one infected plant. Shoot... TMV is hard to kill...

Yeah. It's hard for me to grow a known variety and will be much harder for you to grow unknown variety. I am hoping at least some variety can give me a real yield on tobacco. The TN90 is showing it is a very hardy plant so it is my bet. It is also said to be resistant to TMV.

Sorry to hear that ...
Hard to know what to do...
I had some plants infected with PVY (potatoe virus Y), I remove the infected leaves, it slowed the infection...

I've read somewhere that there is not many things you can do against TMV, and if I remember correctly, if you want to save the seeds, you can put them at 80°C for 24 hours to kill the virus... someone can perhaps confirm this ?

I just wondering if I should let it mature and harvest the leaves instead of destroying it. I think I will have enough time to harvest it, before transferring my current seedlings to minimize infection. I am hoping to collect seed from this plant but as it is infected, I will take from another plant.