Buck's 2017 3rd grow blog, 4th grow and maybe the last.

[buck]

I've been at this growing tobacco insanity for 3 years now, didn't write a blog last year due to time constraints but I plan to detail my blog this year.
In my title I say this may be my last grow, this is mostly due to the results of my previous grows and quality of tobacco produced.
I have successfully grown the plant with good results and cured the leaf without major issues, kilning results I'm not so sure.
What I do know is the end result is nothing spectacular or shall I say mediocre at best. I figured that even if my kilning was done improperly just leaving the leaf age on its own should correct any deficiencies in my kilning efforts.
Leaf from 2014 kilned and left to age is still not to my liking or anything I can call a success.
Besides the uncertainty in my kilning process the only other two factors I can think of that I can change is the fert (20-10-20) used and perhaps the priming time.
I will go with a more natural fert this year and be more patient with my priming, I think I may be impatient and prime too early.

I've grown, Pa Broadleaf, Jalapa, Olor, PA Red, Swarr, Scantic, Unnamed Havana all with similar results.
I know that's its not the type of plant, but I am giving it one last go with Havana K-1 and Mass CK-1, the only two batch of seeds in my inventory that I haven't tried yet.

I have two weeks to plan this years grow (10-12 plants, bucket and garden grow), seeding starts in two weeks, plenty of time for planting mid June, harvest September, kilning completed by mid Oct.

Wish me luck and good luck to everyone with their 2017 grow.

 

[Tutu]

I'm wishing you the best of luck. Sad to hear that the results are not to your liking so far. But giving up is never going to improve results! So the best thing is indeed to give it another go! With what kind of soil do you fill the buckets?

 

[greenmonster714]

Good luck.

 

[Hasse SWE]

Buck: Sorry to hear about that, I am in almost same situation don't know if it will be a next growing year.. I have a plan for the coming next 5 year (with chance to put in some for me new variants each year). But some days ago "Thing come up" and I don't known if I can keep one growing tobacco.. It's a little sad because it's my hobby (and I really like it) but thing is like it is and Iam shore that I will find a way..Good luck Buck and hope that both of us still growing in the future..

 

[SmokesAhoy]

The one year I didn't grow was the best growing year ever, no more not growing for me. For me the tight spot is in curing, every year that is the hurdle.

If your issue is kilning, there is a great mega thread in tobacco science. I'm on the phone or I'd just link it to you, but it's the sticky. That should fix any kilning issues. Gl

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I do not know what your soil nutrient levels are but consider Not fertilizing some of your plants. Too much fertilizer (Nitrogen) will cause rank growth and make curing difficult. Too much Chlorine from salt based fertilizers will make a very poor burning leaf. Too much Manganese inhibits Magnesium absorption... etc etc.

 

[Gavroche]

Good luck...

I gave some blood dried "N" in the plantation in full earth(ground), little nothing after just man the nature, the water, the sun !


The drying began well but misses him(it) place to dry made a loss of harvest what dried well is a good tobacco in the pipe or in small cigars.


J'ai donné du sang séché à la plantation en pleine terre, très peu... rien après ... juste la nature, eau, soleil.

Le séchage a bien commencé mais le manque d'endroit pour sécher a fait une perte de récolte... ce qui a bien séché est un bon tabac dans la pipe ou en petit cigares.

 

[Charly]

Hang on, Buck !
Last year was my first grow and my tobacco was first disapointing.... but with time (and some kiln) it is slowly becoming better and better... I hope the strains I grow this year will be more to my liking, but it already gives me pleasure maybe you should take a look at some easy strains ? I remember a thread somewher on the forum... but can t find it now....
If I remember well, there are a few strains that grow and cure very easily, and some which do not even need to go to the kiln... anybody can say more ?

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I'm finding that when I forget about a tobacco it gets better. 2014 samsun was terrible at first. Now it's great. 2015 kumanovo was only good as Cavendish because it burned the tongue normally, but now as a press cake, it's smooth.

 

[Gavroche]

.
If I remember well, there are a few strains that grow and cure very easily, and some which do not even need to go to the kiln... anybody can say more ?

Charles... http://fairtradetobacco.com/forums/58-FAQ-for-Beginning-Growers

 

[Charly]

Thanks Gavroche, but I was talking about a thread on which some specific strains as been reported to be easy to grow and easy to cure and age I'll try to find it.

 

[deluxestogie]

Tobacco strain selection guide for minimal processing: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/1174-Tobacco-strain-selection-guide-for-minimal-processing

(I located it by looking at the index of key forum threads.)

Bob

 

[chillardbee]

Don't give up Buck, the nice thing about growing every year is it offers a chance to try something new with your harvest. If i'm not mistaken, you're growing for cigar tobacco. Kilning, from what I understand, is a way to age your tobacco quickly. This is very effective for tobaccos used for cigarettes. If you're going for that classic cigar taste, you will have to try to replicate the conditions you would see inside a palone to ferment the tobacco. a quick search for tobacco fermenting chambers should help you out a lot.

 

[Charly]

Thanks Bob for the link, that's exactly the thread I was talking about
I was on my phone and did not know where to look

On this thread, you can see that Yellow Twist Bud seem to be smokable without aging, as well as Silver River, African Red and Bursa.

 

[buck]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. After 5 weeks the seedlings are still less than 1/2 inch tall, I think its a combination of soil and the fact that haven't paid enough attention to them.
Soil is a local organic brand, peat and other stuff thrown in there but still the results should have been better. I think this is it for this years grow.

Good luck to everyone on their future grows.

 

[Charly]

The first weeks they grow reaaaaally slooooowly... hold the line ! It's not time to give up ! Give them light and heat and they will be fine
Then, when put in full ground, with good fertilization, they will grow faster !

 

[buck]

My seedlings never grew past 2" tall and there was no point in continuing my grow last year.
I'll start a 2018 blog.