deluxestogie Grow Log 2015

[Jitterbugdude]

Bob, I would be afraid to have tomatoes so close to tobacco. Do you regularly grow it close to tobacco without any problems?

CT

I've grown tobacco and tomatoes within 3 feet of each other for 10 years or so and never had a disease problem. I think a lot of the problems that arise are from using commercial salt fertilizers that kill the microbes in the soil and then spraying toxic chemicals on the plants thereby killing the good bugs. Mother Nature has been at this for a long time. Sticking as close to her as possible will yield good things.

 

[deluxestogie]

Chillard's White Angel Leaf has germinated, and is now in individual cells.

On another happy note, the year-old micro-seedlings are still alive.

Bob

 

[rustycase]

Nice write-up and photo spread, DS !
How nice to have a serviceable porch to work on.
Our porch is now in the shade of the oak tree, 85F, and about to climb in temp as the shade goes away.
(Must build a greenhouse!)
Tnx for the great pics!
rc

 

[istanbulin]

What a nice surprise to find seedlings that spent a whole year in a jar, Bob. I got surprised by a seedling today too. I just found this single seedling in one of my rain lily (Zephyranthes carinata) pots which are outside all year. I don't know where it came from or which variety it is but I know that I have to remove it somewhere else.

 

[deluxestogie]

I also have 3 tobacco plants, each in a 3-1/2" pot, that have been growing, and been repeatedly pruned and topped since 2012. This is the same group from which I transplanted some to the garden in 2014. They grew into typical, normal size plants last summer. These remaining 3 plants will go into the garden for 2015.

What I can conclude is that a tobacco plant, like a traditional Bonsai, will self-limit its size to its available resources. They are clearly perennial (so long as they are protected from frost). If they are eventually liberated into the abundant soil of the garden, regardless of how long they have been stunted, they seem to reach their full potential.

Tiny seedlings within a sealed jar (a terrarium) are most at risk from algae and mold. If, purely by chance, they avoid these invaders, then they just sit there in the shade, contentedly recycling the jar's moisture. Those kept in 3-1/2" pots require watering and sunlight, and periodic pruning. None of these (sealed or potted) has been supplemented with fertilizer, beyond what was originally present in the soil mix.

Bob

 

[sansonPR]

Bob
What you thing if I transplant new plants to the same soil spot did I already harvest and remove the old plants?
Does this creates a deficient soil for the new plants??? I did read that in commercial industries only harvest once a year..
Opinions welcome...

 

[deluxestogie]

Check with your local agricultural service for how to obtain a soil analysis. Most likely, you will need to add some kind of fertilizer to the soil that you just harvested from.

Bob

 

[ArizonaDave]

I also have 3 tobacco plants, each in a 3-1/2" pot, that have been growing, and been repeatedly pruned and topped since 2012. This is the same group from which I transplanted some to the garden in 2014. They grew into typical, normal size plants last summer. These remaining 3 plants will go into the garden for 2015.

What I can conclude is that a tobacco plant, like a traditional Bonsai, will self-limit its size to its available resources. They are clearly perennial (so long as they are protected from frost). If they are eventually liberated into the abundant soil of the garden, regardless of how long they have been stunted, they seem to reach their full potential.

Tiny seedlings within a sealed jar (a terrarium) are most at risk from algae and mold. If, purely by chance, they avoid these invaders, then they just sit there in the shade, contentedly recycling the jar's moisture. Those kept in 3-1/2" pots require watering and sunlight, and periodic pruning. None of these (sealed or potted) has been supplemented with fertilizer, beyond what was originally present in the soil mix.

Bob

That is a great observation! It seems to be my observation as well, although I only had 2 Little Bonsai's for 8 or 9 months.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Bob
What you thing if I transplant new plants to the same soil spot did I already harvest and remove the old plants?
Does this creates a deficient soil for the new plants??? I did read that in commercial industries only harvest once a year..
Opinions welcome...

In Cuba they harvest once a year. In the Dominican Republic, they harvest twice with a crop of beans in between.

 

[sansonPR]

Check with your local agricultural service for how to obtain a soil analysis. Most likely, you will need to add some kind of fertilizer to the soil that you just harvested from.

Bob

Thank you Bob.

 

[sansonPR]

In Cuba they harvest once a year. In the Dominican Republic, they harvest twice with a crop of beans in between.

Thank you ChinaVoodoo!

 

[deluxestogie]

Sitting, watching the paint peel

I have read somewhere on this forum that tobacco seedlings eventually grow larger. I'm beginning to wonder.

Maybe doing a haircut with a surgical microscope will make them more robust.

Bob

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Bob, I feel the same way. Mine look about like yours ( just a tad bit bigger though) yet I know they will be big and robust in 4 more weeks ready to be transplanted outside. This is my 20th year growing and every year I am absolutely astounded at the growth they put on in such a short time frame.

Astounded man Ran

 

[Brown Thumb]

I don't know what's worse, waiting for plants to grow or waiting for toast to pop not knowing the the toaster is unplugged.

 

[CT Tobaccoman]

I won't intersperse tomatoes with tobacco plants. My worry with them is that nursery-grown tomato transplants sometimes carry TMV and a couple of other bugs. I have seen no problems with planting tomatoes in separate, albeit nearby, beds--over many years. Because tomato is rather closely related to tobacco, it comes down to the same risk of planting any tobacco near any other tobacco. All mono-cultures have an increased risk of single-point catastrophe.

If I bothered to raise my own tomato seedlings (which I used to do, but found it to be not worth the effort), then I would have no issues. Since I now purchase tomato transplants each year, I carefully inspect those that I select.

Bob

I see. I guess the fear of tomatoes and potatoes was instilled into me when I worked in CT. In a place where a lot of tobacco is concentrated in a relatively small area and grown commercially the risk of trouble from related plants could be catastrophic. Most of us, however, are not growing tobacco very close to concentrated tobacco growing regions, thus there is less danger of trouble from disease--tobacco diseases or otherwise. My only problem last year, being 200 miles away from concentrated tobacco cultivation, was bugs, bugs and more bugs.

CT

CT

 

[ProfessorPangloss]

I see. I guess the fear of tomatoes and potatoes was instilled into me when I worked in CT. In a place where a lot of tobacco is concentrated in a relatively small area and grown commercially the risk of trouble from related plants could be catastrophic. Most of us, however, are not growing tobacco very close to concentrated tobacco growing regions, thus there is less danger of trouble from disease--tobacco diseases or otherwise. My only problem last year, being 200 miles away from concentrated tobacco cultivation, was bugs, bugs and more bugs.

CT

CT

How 'bout a sacrificial diversion crop? Nasturtiums, plus some extra tobacco seedlings. A little prevention on your main crop, and the bugs may take easier pickings.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

There's no such thing as a sacrificial diversion crop. The only thing they do is act as a breeding ground for the very bugs you are having problems with. You then end up with more bugs than normal.

 

[deluxestogie]

Sacrificial crops work for mammalian herbivores. Rabbits, etc. don't breed within the plants and soil of the sacrificial crops, though in the absence of their predators, supplying extra food may increase their population. By contrast, hornworms, budworms, flea beetles and assorted moths do breed on the leaves or in the soil beneath them.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

My wee little tobaccitos are still growing, and have had their first haircut.

After severe storms yesterday, I snapped this photo as soon as it passed.

There must be a pot of gold somewhere near my house. I'll keep looking.

Bob

 

[ArizonaDave]

Sitting, watching the paint peel

I have read somewhere on this forum that tobacco seedlings eventually grow larger. I'm beginning to wonder.

Maybe doing a haircut with a surgical microscope will make them more robust.

Bob

This wouldn't happen to be the Jorge Grande Brazil, would it? The paint might peel, but it takes a while for sure....