smokesahoy 2012

[SmokesAhoy]

I wont start seed till tax day, the idea being to get a more quality tobacco this far north I need to do everything later in the season. So the plan will be:
4/15: germ and transplant as available into small dixie cups
5/15: 50% last frost, transplant into 2 qt containers. move outside end of may.
6/15: in the ground
7/15: hottest month they should be growing quick
8/15: they should be developing crows feet by now, time to top em
9/15: 4 weeks after topping they should be done now
9/27: 50% first frost, move it or lose it
10/15: almost 100% certainty for frost

I ended up deciding on growing only one variety this year: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/obs.pl?1129983
Seed will be available at the end of the season if anyone else wants to try the variety. It's a cigar filler.

 

[johnlee1933]

I ended up deciding on growing only one variety this year: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/obs.pl?1129983
Seed will be available at the end of the season if anyone else wants to try the variety. It's a cigar filler.

NEAT ! You are a little (but not much) colder than I. If you get good filler and I get good wrapper we might work a swap.

John

 

[Daniel]

You are a schedule very close to mine.
5/8 germinate seed and plant to 48 cell trays
6/5 plant out date.
I have to many varieties going to estimate harvesting times but we typically can keep plants grwoign until late October. We also have a mid to late 50% chance of frost but they are mild at worst and I ahve already seen tobacco can tolerate fairly heavy frost. By early November for sure everything will be killed.

Our last frost date is May 15th but I am not going to plant that soon. I am leaving a window for the soil to warm up a bit.

I am also only 4 weeks from germination to planting out. I do not prefer it that way I simply don't have the room for all my plants to get larger than that.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

I started some ti464 today. Put some miracle grow potting soil in a tupperware added water and microwaved for 2 minutes to boil the medium to kill mold spores. When the temp got down again I added some seed across the surface and put the lid back on. It's in a styrafoam box with a bottle of hot water to help hold temps. I will replace the bottle twice a day or so to maintain warm humid temps in there till the seeds pop then transfer to small individual cups. I wanted to try to get things going a little sooner than scheduled but will do another planting in week too. I don't have a ton of this seed but if only a few make it I will still be happy. It is said to be from the original grin packet so I do expect bet good germination anyway.

 

[Chicken]

with such precision....

i'd hate to go grocery shopping with you....

your list would read,

GREEN BEANS { ISLE 7 1/8 WAY DOWN}
FLOUR {ISLE 11 SOUTH SIDE 1/5 WAY DOWN}
CHICKEN-BREAST { MEAT DEPT. 2'ND SECTION, BESIDE SAUSAGE }

E,T,C,.....LOL

 

[deluxestogie]

Put some miracle grow potting soil in a tupperware added water and microwaved for 2 minutes to boil the medium to kill mold spores. When the temp got down again I added some seed across the surface and put the lid back on.

Smokes,
That seems like a good way to use the MG potting soil. My primary complaint with it for germination (aside from the large chunks, which can be removed by hand) is its propensity to grow vast forests of mold and mushrooms. When you open the bag, it smells like mold.

Bob

 

[Tom_in_TN]

Smokes, one trick I learned over the years, in order to get a head-start on warming the soil is to lay black plastic, silt fencing on the row to be planted. That warms the soil faster and will either germinate seeds faster, or with transplants it allows an earlier planting. In case of frost hitting your transplants, use double or a triple layer of lightweight row cover.

Good luck on your baccy crop this season!!!

 

[SmokesAhoy]

I have sprouts my germination tray ended up going on top of the bunn where it is maintaining a steady 82 degrees. those bunns sure are convenient for this.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

So looking at the data sheet it says 59 days to maturity, if they go in the ground 5/15 they will be flowering 8/15, done no later then 9/15, well before first frost.

 

[BarG]

So looking at the data sheet it says 59 days to maturity, if they go in the ground 5/15 they will be flowering 7/15 I should be done 8/15, no later then 9/15, well before first frost.

Where do you hang your baccy for curing that late before winter sets in SmokesAhoy.

 

[FmGrowit]

Where do you hang your baccy for curing that late before winter sets in SmokesAhoy.

That's going to be the biggest challenge for northern grower. There really isn't much choice other than to harvest a little early and be prepared to assist in the curing process with artificial heat and air movement.

 

[BarG]

That's going to be the biggest challenge for northern grower. There really isn't much choice other than to harvest a little early and be prepared to assist in the curing process with artificial heat and air movement.

Down here I learned after throwing a bunch of tops away due to mold, [last to hang and longer to cure]to watch for a to humid winter. After color cured I'll keep a sharp eye on humidity or mold can start. This yr. I'll play it safer and store in a more controlled environment for all color cured harvest. I stalk cured the few plants from my first yr. and it was a dry winter with no problem.

 

[BigBonner]

You have to watch the cold wind coming through cracks in barns or sheds before the tobacco leaf is cured out . It will green the tobacco sometime to a nasty frozen green .

 

[johnlee1933]

That's going to be the biggest challenge for northern grower. There really isn't much choice other than to harvest a little early and be prepared to assist in the curing process with artificial heat and air movement.

That is what I have had to do. Does early harvest adversely affect the leaf (other than size).

John

 

[FmGrowit]

This is where "curing" becomes somewhat of an art. Each grower will be faced with unique conditions throughout the curing period. Southern growers have the luxury of an extended growing season (first frost date) accompanied by warmer temperatures which assists the curing process. Northern growers will have to reproduce these conditions from time to time.

 

[johnlee1933]

This is where "curing" becomes somewhat of an art. Each grower will be faced with unique conditions throughout the curing period. Southern growers have the luxury of an extended growing season (first frost date) accompanied by warmer temperatures which assists the curing process. Northern growers will have to reproduce these conditions from time to time.

Can you let the plants be hit by frost and harvest everything the next day?

John

 

[Lakota]

John I had a few plants last year hit by frost, they turned black and mushy.They were just suckers growing on the stock. Not much good for anything.

 

[deluxestogie]

Can you let the plants be hit by frost and harvest everything the next day?

The color-curing process must occur in living leaf tissue. If it freezes while green, then it's dead.

Bob

 

[SmokesAhoy]

OK so update, 6/9 I put all the plants in, now i'm replacing ones that did not make the transplant (it was very hot and dry so it's a few). I'm glad for the change in weather though to test out the difference between last years constant rain if it remains dry. Soil is very clayish with tons of rotted horse manure tilled in to give it nutrients and break up the clay some. The nice thing though is it holds tons of moisture so even though it isnt really raining there is more than enough water for the roots to dig down to find.

 

[Chicken]

^^^^

sounds like a recipe, for sucess<