Hi, my name is Ken, and this summer will be my first attempt to grow tobacco plants on my property. I have been reading about growing tobacco for a while and I am really excited to start. My property is only a few miles from the colonial port of Alexandria, and 1750's Huntington Creek tobacco inspection warehouse, surveyed by a young George Washington, to send Virginia tobacco to England. I want to roll my own cigars, and I am currently researching how to grow and cure the tobacco.
I am starting with 20 plants, with three varieties, Pennsylvania Red, Connecticut Broadleaf, and Havana 142. I have started two separate plots. One in full sun, another in part shade. I have the soil ready, and I hope to put my plants in the ground the first weekend in June. I have connected with a few people on this forum, who have been super supportive, and I am thankful. I have a old brick separate building in my yard to hang the harvested plants. I hope to have enough warm weather time to harvest in late summer, leaving another two months to hang the leaves before fall weather descends on the area. I don't know yet, what I will do to weather the leaves over the winter. I would love some advice. I do have a root cellar/unfinished basement which I think will be serviceable for the leaves during the cold weather months. I plan to roll my own cigars, so I have also purchased some cured leaves to try to roll some this summer while my plants grow. I am extremely interested in any advice the community has for me. At this stage, I have naive enthusiasm about making it happen.
I am starting with 20 plants, with three varieties, Pennsylvania Red, Connecticut Broadleaf, and Havana 142. I have started two separate plots. One in full sun, another in part shade. I have the soil ready, and I hope to put my plants in the ground the first weekend in June. I have connected with a few people on this forum, who have been super supportive, and I am thankful. I have a old brick separate building in my yard to hang the harvested plants. I hope to have enough warm weather time to harvest in late summer, leaving another two months to hang the leaves before fall weather descends on the area. I don't know yet, what I will do to weather the leaves over the winter. I would love some advice. I do have a root cellar/unfinished basement which I think will be serviceable for the leaves during the cold weather months. I plan to roll my own cigars, so I have also purchased some cured leaves to try to roll some this summer while my plants grow. I am extremely interested in any advice the community has for me. At this stage, I have naive enthusiasm about making it happen.