FM's somewhat less ambitious grow plan

[Aaron]

Sorry to hear about the farm, You're in my prayers Don, let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

+1 Hope things get better for you.

 

[johnlee1933]

Any chance you can continue with the new owner? Maybe just this season?
John

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Any chance you can continue with the new owner? Maybe just this season?
John

Ditto!

 

[Rayshields]

Don,
How about renting the half acre from the new owner? It is too late for the new owner to plant anything except maybe wheat later on.

 

[Michibacy]

Don, good way to look at it, it's hard but it's what we gotta do. God closes a door but opens a window...

 

[deluxestogie]

Don,
All of your experience with years of germinating, rearing, tilling, transplanting, growing, managing, curing, processing and packaging tobacco--the whole shebang, from seed to service, not to mention researching and creating the best tobacco growing website in existence--has made you by far the most knowledgeable whole-leaf buyer and merchant on planet earth. I am humbled by your accomplishments. And you know that I rarely indulge in hyperbole.

Hats off to you! (Do people wear hats anymore?) Well, FTT ball-caps off to you!

Bob

 

[FmGrowit]

The new owner is a land baron and is eliminating every trace of the old farm and incorporating it into his vast holdings...he's not a very approachable guy unless you want to spend tons of cash.

Thanks for all of the kind words, but with the poisoning problem and a host of other set-backs, losing the ground was the kick in the ass I needed to understand I was not supposed to dedicate that time to tending plants this year.

I did experiment with different growing mediums and have identified a great product called "Garden Magic". I'm not sure of its availability nationally, but since I'll have time for product development now, I think I'll work on pre-seeded 72 cell flats for next season. The Garden Magic is a peat based medium with composed manure mixed in (among other things). It appears I'll also have time to develop a pelleted seed to use in these flats. My hope is that I'll be able to offer pelleted heirloom seed on a small scale basis.

The flats will come pre-seeded with heirloom varieties, have a solid (un-perforated) bottom tray to allow bottom watering and a clear lid (same size as the bottom tray) to use during initial germination. The flats will be shipped with a light pressure sensitive film covering the loaded cells to keep the growing medium and seeds in their place.

When you get the flats, just add water to the bottom tray. I'm going to try to find a humidity sensitive adhesive for the film so it would just lift off after a day or two of the water being added. Then all you'd have to do is put the clear tray over the flat and wait

Sometimes I think I have too much time on my hands...or maybe just need more sleep.

 

[BarG]

Don,
All of your experience with years of germinating, rearing, tilling, transplanting, growing, managing, curing, processing and packaging tobacco--the whole shebang, from seed to service, not to mention researching and creating the best tobacco growing website in existence--has made you by far the most knowledgeable whole-leaf buyer and merchant on planet earth. I am humbled by your accomplishments. And you know that I rarely indulge in hyperbole.

Hats off to you! (Do people wear hats anymore?) Well, FTT ball-caps off to you!

Bob

Bob couldn't have said it better Don. My hats and caps are off to you!

 

[Fisherman]

Wazz,
In reading the info on SeedGnome, I would be uncomfortable with the purity of the Havana seed. "They are planted in a different garden to avoid cross pollination with other tobacco plants." That is simply not adequate, unless the separation is greater than 1/2 mile. Maybe it is.

Another issue is that there is no indication of the variety. Yes, it likely originated in Cuba, but which of the many Cuban varietals is it? The vendor also seems to have no notion about seed production, suggesting that it needs pollinating insects (bees, he specifies) in order to produce seed. Seed is amply produced without access by insects. The primary pollinating insect is moths, rather than bees.

Bob

This is an old post and thread but if most of polination is done by moths...... which is an insect of sorts,,,, then how do the bags work?? Do you have to hand pollinate when you bag heads??? Give the bags a shake from time to time????

I'm a newcomer and full of dum questions.

Mike

 

[Knucklehead]

Each plant is self pollinating. However, to keep the varieties pure, the bags are used to keep the bees and insects from cross-pollinating different varieties, say a Burley with a Virginia. And since there is no way of knowing who else may be growing tobacco within the insects range, the bags allow you to be certain that your plants weren't cross pollinated by someone else's crop, even if you're only growing one variety yourself. I live way out in the country, I know everybody around, and would have sworn that no one was growing tobacco around here. I was wrong. I found out recently that one of my cousins grew some cigar varieties last year, so to be safe, and to keep your varieties pure, bag the plant you want to collect seed from. There's just no other way to be positive.

 

[Fisherman]

Each plant is self pollinating. However, to keep the varieties pure, the bags are used to keep the bees and insects from cross-pollinating different varieties, say a Burley with a Virginia. And since there is no way of knowing who else may be growing tobacco within the insects range, the bags allow you to be certain that your plants weren't cross pollinated by someone else's crop, even if you're only growing one variety yourself. I live way out in the country, I know everybody around, and would have sworn that no one was growing tobacco around here. I was wrong. I found out recently that one of my cousins grew some cigar varieties last year, so to be safe, and to keep your varieties pure, bag the plant you want to collect seed from. There's just no other way to be positive.

I understand that but does there have to be a pet moth added under the bag??????
Just picking but seriously do you have to knock pollen down on the other flower parts by shaking or dusting like the scientists in the b grade sci-fi movies do to make the bagged head reproduce???
It is possible there are worser noobs here than me.

 

[deluxestogie]

Tobacco will self-pollinate, without bug or bump.

Bob

 

[DonH]

I understand that but does there have to be a pet moth added under the bag??????
Just picking but seriously do you have to knock pollen down on the other flower parts by shaking or dusting like the scientists in the b grade sci-fi movies do to make the bagged head reproduce???
It is possible there are worser noobs here than me.

No to all three questions! Just kidding, yes to the third.