Greenmonster714's Grow Log 2017

[deluxestogie]

We all learned the most about growing tobacco during the first year. What continues to surprise me is that every year, year after year, I continue to learn new things about tobacco growing.

The quality of my finished leaf seems to improve each year, even though I don't quite grasp exactly what I've done differently, in order to bring about that improvement. Increasing experience just kind of seeps into the process. The same is true of my cigar rolling. I'm a rather casual, somewhat careless torcedor. But the cigars burn better, taste better, and require less effort with each passing year.

Your own growing efforts this year have been stupendous for a first grow. I started with a grow of 4 plants each of 4 varieties. 16 plants! An entire 5' x 12' bed of tobacco! But I learned a lot. It was after that that I decided to try and grow some cigar varieties.

So I follow your season with interest.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

Kind words Bob. Thank you. Humble beginnings rarely happen in my world. I tend to jump in head first without a helmet or protective gear. To some that is unthinkable but to me its just how stuff happens. I'd be lying to ya'll if I said I've got this all under control. Having this forum keeps things in order...kinda. It all boils down to paying attention and turning ideas into action. Writing helps me a lot. In this forum I post a lot. I enjoy written conversations forums provide. I sometimes think I post to much but I figure no one has told me to stop...lol. Outside of this forum I keep a daily log which to some would be a rambling document but to me it helps me plan out what to do and what not to do next. I find that if I write things down. They tend to happen. Unlike fleeting thoughts that float away with other fleeting thoughts. Now that I have this new phone I find myself making notes on it as I go through the day and then transfer them to my laptop at the end of the day. I feel as though I am turning into a tobacco nerd. Oh well, there are worse labels..lol.

I started with all intentions of growing strains that are mainly used for pipe blending. After reading many threads here on cigar leaf and seeing all these delicious homemade cigars I just had to throw in a few cigar tobacco's. They may pan out but if they don't I'll just try again next year.

 

[Charly]

Congratulations for all the work GreenMonster
It was a good day !
When all your seedlings are in the ground it will be more easy

I am still digging my own place... hard... hard.
I hope I can take some strains in the ground in one week.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

How much are you growing? I mean, you prepared what looks like enough ground for 300 plants.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

View attachment 20646

You may have fooled the rest of the guys but not me! This is evidently the building that your wife banishes you to when you've done something to piss her off

 

[greenmonster714]

You Sir, are painfully correct. It will serve as a drying shed, a place for me to puff out of the rain, and a dawg house. I may have to rig a hammock in there...damnit.

 

[greenmonster714]

How much are you growing? I mean, you prepared what looks like enough ground for 300 plants.

Well, half of the backyard is for tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, carrots, onions, bush beans, cucumbers, squash, and some dill. The other half of the backyard will have roughly a little over a hundred tobacco plants.

The front yard has an area where there are to many surface roots. Probably about 1/4 of the field. No tobacco will go in there this year. So, I'll put 8 small mounds in there and put some pumpkins and watermelon in. The rest will have tobacco. Roughly a dozen rows about 57' long. I have about 250+ available for that plot. Many will be orientals so they will be spaces pretty close. The rest are some Bright leaf, burleys, and dark air types. So yeah, I guess I will be over 300. I do have another plot on the other side of the farm for about 400 sweet corn and room for any late tobacco. It's gonna be a busy summer..lol

 

[greenmonster714]

Today has been another busy day. The rains that were to hit this morning scattered. I took advantage of the break and got three more rows planted in the backyard. Indian Black, and Bolivian Criollo Black spaced about 3.5' staggered in two rows. Yenidje, and Bursa in one row space about 16inches apart. I also had time to make 6 mounds in the front yard and plant some watermelon. I stopped in town at the feed store and bought a pound of silver queen sweet corn seed. I'm going to have a load of corn this year. Google tells me there are roughly 1600 seeds in a pound so yeah I guess I will have a load. I also found that corn seed will last for two years if stored correctly. Gonna need some extra freezer bags.

The rain I was expecting came in the late afternoon. Its coming down in buckets and is supposed to last until 5am. The soak should help the new transplants settle in and start growing strong roots. The bad news is this will delay the rest of my planting for a few days. Ya'll to the east of me will be getting this storm soon. Ya may have to find high ground if your in a flood prone area.

 

[greenmonster714]

After the rains late Friday evening and early Saturday morning the plots didn't pool up with water to bad. Only got a few places to fix and they should be good. Today I got the backyard tobacco planting complete. All together there are 175 plants. So my rough estimate of just over a hundred has climbed to almost 200. Oh well, more is better right? My list for the backyard is: Yenidje 20, Izmir Obas 24, Duzce 13, Samsun85 6, Hickory Prior 16, Frog Eye O 15, Perique 16, White Stem O 16, Golden Burley 16, Indian Black 16, and Bolivian Criollo Black 17

A few pics of the backyard planting It appears they really loved the rain. Not one plant is showing signs of stress.


Working on the rest of the backyard as well. Veggies fill the rest. Or at least it will be filled up soon. Tomatoes (betterboys, purples, and cherries), peppers (hot, mild, and sweet bell), cabbage, okra, cucumber, dill, squash, and bush beans (three varieties).


Watermelon is planted in the frontyard plot. I put in 6 mounds in the area I will not be growing tobacco due to the surface roots. I dug down first and then made the mounds. Next year I need to get the roots out of there so it too can be planted in rows. Pumpkin will be put in later. It will go into mounds as well. I want to have them ripen near Halloween so they need to wait a little longer. Probably set some out by mid June.


I have 14 rows about 55-57' long in the front yard. There are 193 plants left to go out front. Plus, I need to leave room for about 80 more big leaf cigar varieties that will be planted late. If there's any room left I will throw in some sweet corn. Thinking about partitioning off sections in the front. Making small walkways between rows. Not sure what to do yet but its going to have to be done soon. The pic below shows my Prilep 66 9/7. Its almost 4+ inches in height in those little 3" single cells. They are growing fast and need set out in the garden soon.


Whatever the task is....I'm havin a blast.

 

[deluxestogie]

You've really got it going. With all that tobacco, you'll need some extra watermelon.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I love those 1x4 markers. I'm totally gonna do that with some old pallets.

 

[Leftynick]

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I should have done my row like this. The rain floods my tobacco bed everyday. Well live and learn.

 

[greenmonster714]

I answered your thread before I read this one. Rows or higher ground. I know how heavy the rains can be in those tropical areas. I lived in Central Am for 3yrs. My first question upon arrival was why are there concrete ditches 6 ft deep? It can't rain that much. Oh but yes...it can and will.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I also saw a documentary years ago on root farms in either Peru or Ecuador. I don't recall. High in the mountains they plant with deep ditches between rows for frost protection. I'm not sure I get the science of it. I have found personally that on an east west running hill, that the ground temperature is improved, but there was more to it.

 

[greenmonster714]

I love documentaries. Can you remember the name? That is an interesting way to do things. The only thing that makes sense to me is maybe the ditches retain heat and moisture which may rise in the night protecting the plants. Kinda like how the orange grove farmers in Florida that spray their crops with water during freeze threats. The water is supposed to keep the temperature of the plant from dropping below the freezing point. Kinda like maybe moisture and heat rising from ditches. I dunno. Maybe there's a connection there. Just my wondering thoughts.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I love documentaries. Can you remember the name? That is an interesting way to do things. The only thing that makes sense to me is maybe the ditches retain heat and moisture which may rise in the night protecting the plants. Kinda like how the orange grove farmers in Florida that spray their crops with water during freeze threats. The water is supposed to keep the temperature of the plant from dropping below the freezing point. Kinda like maybe moisture and heat rising from ditches. I dunno. Maybe there's a connection there. Just my wondering thoughts.

That sounds exactly right. I think that was the explanation. Like I said, I don't remember the source. It was probably 15 or 20 years ago.

 

[deluxestogie]

Low ground develops frost sooner, since colder air is denser, and sinks in still conditions. The ditches in the Andes allow the colder air at each row to sink into the ditch, reducing the risk to the higher plants.

The land in which my garden beds are dug has a very gradual slope. The bottom of the slope always frosts before the upper parts of the slope. All of this is meaningless if there is wind to mix the air, and prevent it from layering. It's also only in play within a narrow band of temperatures near freezing.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

Makes sense. That is why when they announce a frost warning. They always say if you are in low lying areas the danger is greater. Frost is sneaky.

 

[greenmonster714]

I've had a stroke of bad luck with my tomatoes. Within the past week they have shown some strange leaves and weird curling. I dug into tomato symptoms on google and have come to the conclusion they have been damaged by herbicide. Last year I sprayed some very potent stuff in the back of the trailer to keep the growth down. This stuff is professional grade from a friend who does acres at a time with a helicopter. I remember he told me the stuff can leach away from the area sprayed and cause damage. Well, I had forgotten about spraying there last year. Not exactly where the tomatoes are planted but close. There are three rows of tomatoes and then a line of peppers. The peppers are not showing any signs of problems but I think my tomatoes are toast.

Also, I had went over to where the horses have been fed hay all winter and gathered some baling twine. I used this to tie up the tomatoes. After the wife and I thought for a while we realized that last year the pastures were sprayed with Grazone. So, with the twine laying on the ground in and around the horse crap it is probably contaminated as well. Then I thought back to last year. I remember using some horse manure in soil mix for some of my tomatoes last year. Some of them showed the same problems but I couldn't figure it out. I thought it was the drought conditions but I see now that it was not.

Well damn, I guess I'll yank these 25 plants and start over today. I'll take no chances this time and plant them in the front yard. Off the the feed store we go.

Check out these pics and see what ya think.


One the bright side of all this. It appears the tobacco is not effected. It is pretty far away from the tomatoes so hopefully all will be okay with them.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Boy, that sucks. Sorry about your luck.