marksctm 2013 Grow Blog

[marksctm]

Some of my starts.
Started on moist paper towels in zip lock bags.
All seeds were started 3/18/2013
These pictures taken 4/30/2013
9 Strains in order of sprouting
Silk Leaf 3/22/2013
Izmir & Aztec 3/23/2013
Little Dutch 03/24/2013
Dutch Ohio, Florida Sumatra, Silver River and TN-90 03/25/2013
Shirey 03/27/2013
Planed plant date 05/11/2013

 

[BarG]

You got some nice healthy looking plants going!

 

[skychaser]

Looking good! Get any sprouts from those African Reds yet?

 

[AmaxB]

Really great looking plants Chris can you tell more on how you got them going after germination in the bags. Soil mix, fert, that sort of thing? |PLEASE|

 

[Knucklehead]

I'm also interested in what your doing for fertilizer. I bought some urea free 20-10-20 water soluble that I thought was going to be the cat's meow, but all my plants stayed a pale green and I wasn't 100% satisfied with the root system or stems. They never turned yellow, just stayed pale green and weren't as healthy looking as yours. I used a TDS meter to keep the recommended amount. Your plants look fantastic! Dark green, healthy, the stems look thick from what I can see. Great job! On another note, It's great to see you back!! I haven't seen you for awhile.

 

[DonH]

Looking good! Get any sprouts from those African Reds yet?

My African Reds are doing well. Looking forward to bagging them for seed.

 

[marksctm]

Thank's Barg,

Sky I started them Saturday and should be anytime, should have plenty of time to plant.

AmaxB and knucks, After seeds sprouted, I took a tooth pick and lifted sprouts off the paper towels and placed them on the soil in the cells, BUT! I used 2 layers of paper towels to hold more moisture and after a few days them little buggers grew right through all the paper towels, and I had to tear them apart with a little piece of paper towel on the root and plant with paper towel and all, just covering paper with a little soil to keep from drying out.
I'll use single ply paper towels if starting in zip lock bags from now on

I used Miracle-Gro Moisture control potting soil, and sifted it in 1/16th square hard ware mesh, then filled cell tray's.
Put under fluorescent lights at night, and south facing window during the day.
When they show signs of wilting, I add just enough water in tray to cover about a 1/4 inch of the bottom of cell.
No ferts other than whats in potting soil.
That's it!

And I'v had internet problems and changed internet providers so I'm back on line for good now, I hope!

 

[AmaxB]

Thanks for the info Chris I'll be doing mine soon will probably copy you They really look good man, but can't copy the paper trick.

 

[marksctm]

I forgot to mention that soil in cell trays were pre moistened before sprouts were placed on to the soil.
Also I just used fluorescent lights after placing in cells for a day or 2 to let them take hold a little, and not fry them. Then window in day, and lights at night.

 

[jekylnz]

Looking.nice.and lushlush there chris

 

[rainmax]

Nice and nice to see you back.

 

[marksctm]

How the heck is everybody.
Iv'e been trying to catch up with things around here that I couldn't do last year because of the high heat and drought last summer, (paint house, start vinyl siding on shed, and so on) After! I got my tobacco in the ground.
It's a small grow compared to most, but I thought Id'e post a few pictures of the first few weeks.
I wanted to get them in the ground the weekend of mothers day, but we had a frost that Sunday, (5/12/2013) so they went in the ground the following weekend, (5/18/2013) and finished planting, (5/22/2013).

I put 1 row of Florida Sumatra here between fence and shed because it only gets about 90 minutes of direct sun, I want to compare to the Sumatra in full sun. This is my new hoe I got. shes a good working little hoe,shes a keeper,
This is a Izmar Ozbis that the top split and now has 2 tops, just going to let it grow that way for now to see what happens. I've got 95 gallons of ran water always on standby this year. Last year once I got my plants in the ground it didn't rain for almost 2 months.
This year I gave them rain water after planting them, and haven't watered them since.
This year I didn't use any fertilizer like last year, some problems with some of my tobacco not burning good, and it's kilned, and aged about 8 to 10 months.
So this year NO CITY WATER AND NO FERTILIZERS. I used a wrong type fertilizer last year, I think it was the problem more than the city water for poor burning tobacco.
So I'll see what happens this year.
Now I can sit back and do what I like best, NOTHING!
It's kind of nice to get a jump on things around the place first of spring and say, this is done, and that's done, and not saying, damn, I need to do this and that.
Now it's just mowing grass, and playing with my new HOE.

Happy Growing Everyone,

 

[Boboro]

Good to see you around. Nice lookin plants.

 

[Knucklehead]

That hoe should do the job. I've seen them in action before and had forgotten all about them. I need to find one for myself. Good luck with your season, you're off to a good start.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I've had one of those hoes for years now and it is absolutely fantastic. It cuts on the pull stroke as well as the push stroke. i cannot recommend enough. I bought mine from an Amish guy that makes them. It is very well built. The one I was looking at in Wal Mart the other day didn't look like it would last very long. I am not sure what they are called but I've heard them called a Shuffle Hoe in the past.

 

[marksctm]

Hey Boboro, good to hear from you.
Thanks Knucks.
You hit the nail on the head Jitterbug, it's from walmart.
And I too fear it wont last, hope to at least make it through this grow.
I've seen them called shuffle hoe, hula hoe, but here they call them stirrup hoes.
Found a nice one on line that you can replace the blades, but 49 bucks just for the head and 12 bucks for the handle is out of my price range.
But the cut on the push and pull is great, I love it, I'm looking for things to hoe around house now.
It cuts so good sometimes it leaves the weeds or grass standing straight up in the dirt.
Can you still get the hand made ones? I would buy one of those.
I'll have one hanging in my shed from now on that's for sure.

 

[ne3go]

I like your way of growing: Sit back and watch them!
I also had burning issues last year, so tried different fertilizer this year and water from well, both without chlorine. See how it goes...
Happy growing!

 

[Fisherman]

Is nice looking grow... Only needs time now

 

[AmaxB]

Some time and effort there my friend looking good!
Am sure that hoe is staying busy.

 

[skychaser]

The old timers around here call them Dutch hoes. We have an old one that is probably 50 years old. And I'll bet it outlasts the walmart hoe. lol My wife likes the "winged weeder" type but the blades on the new ones are made of the cheapest crap metal money can be wasted on. We have a pile of broken ones. I'll never buy another. Ill make her a new one before I waste more money on one of those. I prefer the traditional hoe myself because I can use it to chop big weeds if I need to and move dirt around with it. Me and my hoe spent a lot of time together over the past 3 days. I'll be seeing her again today for several hours.

Hey Chris, I been wondering what you've been up to. If fact I was going to send you and e-mail today. So far your MCY and mine look identical. Did you ever get some African Red going? I have 120 of them growing in a separate patch where they can open pollinate. Went to check on them and water them yesterday and they look great so far. If fact, they look fantastic! This second plot is working out really well.
I planted 70 varieties this year with a total of 1924 plants in the ground and have only lost 6 plants so far, all to birds. I can live with a .031% loss though. Everything is just starting to take off and grow now. So far, so good.