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Michibacy Grow Log 2018

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Michibacy

Northern tobacco grower
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We will see how this year's plots go considering I've got 3 little sets of hands picking around the garden now :rolleyes:

Here's my tobacco list for this year:

Varietyseed year
Big GemPI5523432012
Harrow VelvetPI5526502012
Golden BurleyPI5526442012
Maryland 609PI5524522014
Maryland 609PI5524522013
Xanthi YakaPI5524182013
Xanthi YakaPI5524182014
Yellow Twist BudPI5527842011
Yellow Twist BudPI5527842013
PA redPI5527412014


I plan to have close to 200 plants spread among a couple different plots throughout the farm.

Also will be growing pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, swiss chard, lettuce, rosemary, parsley and sweet peppers.

The vine bearing plants will be grown along side (and allowed to grow into) a 20x10 barley patch that'll be harvested early summer (hopefully just in time for the vine plants to really take off). The straw left over from the grains should in theory act as a mulch, and choke off most of the weeds in the area around the plants/fruit.

This year - I'm attempting to go no till. My plots were planted heavily with cereal rye/barley which will be crimped off come 3 weeks prior to planting. Which again should act as mulch once killed off.

I just started the tobacco lastnight, so hopefully with all this cold weather we've had I'll have a little buffer zone in which to get the plants going. I'm also growing these in true top soil, not "seed starting mix" such as in years gone by. I'm also growing natural/organic this year so hopefully I won't be lacking in yield. Most of my crop is going strictly towards nasal snuff so leaf quality isn't too much of a factor, and pound yield is pound yield.

Pictures to come!
 

Michibacy

Northern tobacco grower
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Thanks Bob - I'm hoping/praying they take off. My biggest reason for deciding to do so was ending up with some seed that wasn't viable off some year's growth for reasons unknown. I figure I can increase my chances by growing multiple year's seeds to hopefully avoid infertility issues. I wasn't sure if it was the medium I was growing in or other circumstances. All I know is I hated seeing completely blank columns in my seed starting tub but still seeing the seeds on the soil surface.
 

Michibacy

Northern tobacco grower
Joined
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Location
Michigan
Amazing - 23 hours in and I've already got germination. Ambient day time temp under the humidity dome is 85*F, soil temp is 89*F, humidity about 75%. Night time average is 75*F-79*F and slightly lower humidity.
File Mar 22, 2 18 11 PM.jpg
 

Michibacy

Northern tobacco grower
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Messages
1,560
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Location
Michigan
As a crazy doctor once said “it’s alive it’s alive!”

this morning I saw the first green in my germinator. Big Gem won the award for first sprout of the 2018 season!

8F2C5B6B-782D-4263-8363-E01F62BE4372.jpg

98CB30A4-5282-4975-8340-7C9970BF9B44.jpg
 

Michibacy

Northern tobacco grower
Joined
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Messages
1,560
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Location
Michigan
Been a busy few weeks since my last post: Plants are actually coming along quite well!
IMG_2371.jpg

4/16/18: After my computer recovered from our power outage I realize I shouldn't have said that so soon. We were out of power for about 24 hours after the "Great Michigan Ice Storm" lastnight. I insulated around the plants and covered them with reflective foil in hopes that would keep the thermal mass warm enough. I doubt the house got much colder than 50*F fortunately - hopefully they just went a little dormant.

I did however (about 2 hours before the power went out) hook up a network camera in the grow area so I can monitor water level and light activity. As well apparently - an electricity monitor for the house...

IMG_2399.jpg

I did color enhance the network camera so I don't get quite the weird hue from the full spectrum lights. Notice the grey float indicating the water level on the float tray.
 

Michibacy

Northern tobacco grower
Joined
May 10, 2012
Messages
1,560
Points
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Location
Michigan
It's amazing what 5 days with more room for their roots and an extra Florescent ballast will do for growth.

(TobaccoCam 2018!)

5 day growth.jpg
 
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