My first tobacco: a Grow log. @ramentamer

[ramentamer]

I don't know how I would control for grasshoppers beyond what I've already got going. I've got ducks, the backyard is mostly barren, we have plenty of the little birds that come around and eat bugs roaming around the neighborhood. I suppose I could spray garlic juice on the tobacco. Isn't insect repellent tobacco's job?

I didn't have a chance to look outside and see if the plants got worse, yesterday. But, I'll be sure to look out there today. If it was rats, they probably won't be back for more. Rats usually avoid things that make them sick.

 

[Knucklehead]

I don't know how I would control for grasshoppers beyond what I've already got going. I've got ducks, the backyard is mostly barren, we have plenty of the little birds that come around and eat bugs roaming around the neighborhood. I suppose I could spray garlic juice on the tobacco. Isn't insect repellent tobacco's job?

I didn't have a chance to look outside and see if the plants got worse, yesterday. But, I'll be sure to look out there today. If it was rats, they probably won't be back for more. Rats usually avoid things that make them sick.

Do you have slugs? You can look for them at night with a flashlight.

 

[ramentamer]

Oh, we certainly have slugs. Seattle is great for slugs. I've never seen a slug cut off an end of a leaf like that, though. I checked on the plants yesterday and didn't see any new damage, so I think we're okay for just now. But, I might want to start looking at some form of insect and slug control.

 

[Knucklehead]

Oh, we certainly have slugs. Seattle is great for slugs. I've never seen a slug cut off an end of a leaf like that, though. I checked on the plants yesterday and didn't see any new damage, so I think we're okay for just now. But, I might want to start looking at some form of insect and slug control.

I put Sluggo around the perimeter of the patch, not in the patch. Then searched and destroyed the ones in the patch. It seemed to help. The ones outside the patch would find the Sluggo before they found the tobacco.

 

[ramentamer]

So. It's about the end of the season-ish and this year has been a bust. None of my tobacco got over a foot tall. In fact, none of my garden did very well this year. Except for the tomatoes.

I'm going to try a few things different, next year. I'm going to plant in ground instead of in bags. I might try growing some inside. I'm going to water them from there duck pond once a week. That sort of thing.

In the mean time, to get off the pre-fabs, I put in an order at WLT for some bright leaf, some Burley, some Turkish and some Perique. In under half an hour the order was processed and is in the hands of UPS. That's incredible. I'll definitely be buying from them a lot.

 

[MadFarmer]

I had similar problems last year. I believe all grow bags are not created equally. One thing I wish I'd done this year is reuse the grow bag soil in a Terra Cotta pot, to determine if my issue was the soil (which I mixed myself last season) or if it was faulty bags.

 

[ramentamer]

I had similar problems last year. I believe all grow bags are not created equally. One thing I wish I'd done this year is reuse the grow bag soil in a Terra Cotta pot, to determine if my issue was the soil (which I mixed myself last season) or if it was faulty bags.

Yeah. I used grow bags due to limited space and because someone else here uses them with great results. After this year, though, I'm gonna put my faith in the ground. The plants in our garden (tomatoes, peppers and asparagus) are doing fine. Everything else just didn't.

The real bummer is that I was strongly looking forward to trying the Yellow Twist Bud, but WLT doesn't have it. Saving grace that WLT is, there are limitations.

 

[deluxestogie]

Yellow Twist Bud is a varietal name. Commercial tobacco (as at WLT) is often sold as a market class. Although Yellow Twist Bud is a burley, there are, of course, subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) differences among the varieties in any market class of tobacco. In commerce, cigar leaf and Orientals are usually labeled as to variety, while Maryland, Burley, PA Broadleaf and Seedleaf, Hungarian and Flue-cured are usually just sold by market class.

It's still way more informative than, say commercial cigars, which usually list simply the countries of origin.

Bob

 

[plantdude]

Yeah. I used grow bags due to limited space and because someone else here uses them with great results. After this year, though, I'm gonna put my faith in the ground. The plants in our garden (tomatoes, peppers and asparagus) are doing fine. Everything else just didn't.

The real bummer is that I was strongly looking forward to trying the Yellow Twist Bud, but WLT doesn't have it. Saving grace that WLT is, there are limitations.

I believe yellow twist bud is a Candian derived burley variety. I could be wrong, I'm sure someone can correct me if I am mistaken. I've grown it here in the south and it appears to struggle in our heat, humidity, and heavy clay soil. I have similar results with harrow velvet, another white stemmed burley that may also have been derived in the north. I think some of the struggle might be with white stemmed burleys in general. They seem to be slow to start and need a little extra care. My guess is it may be in part to a lower chlorophyl production pathway in the plant.
It is worth trying again though. Although my yields have been low YTB does make a nice mellow burley flavored smoke, less harsh than many burleys. The white stemmed burleys also air cure easier since you are essentially starting off with a yellow leaf at harvest. Other forum members have recommended letting the white stemmed burleys air cure a few additional weeks after they brown and it sounds like good advice.

My guess after reading you thread is there is probably a problem with your soil. Soil (and plants in general) seem to behave differently when it's put in a pot or bag. Regular garden soil likes to turn into rock when it drys and I'm sure a lot of the natural soil microbes suffer. You can grow in pots or bags but getting your soil right can be tricky on the first try or two. Small pots and bags also like to tip over constantly in the wind when the plants get bigger if they are not anchored properly.
You'll probably have better luck next year planting in the ground, especially if you take the time to add some compost and nutrients to your bed in late winter/early spring. I imagine yellow twist bud will most likely perform better in your climate than mine once you figure out the trick to it. It's a good variety, chalk this year up to a learning experience and keep trying, the fun is in the growing.

 

[deluxestogie]

"Historically, 'Yellow Twist Bud' was grown in Kentucky, Missouri, and Maryland. However it does excellent and readily ripens in the field here in Oregon.​

It was primarily grown as an export variety, but used as a multipurpose tobacco for plug, cigarette and pipe blending, and cigar filler. An old, pre-1880 variety. Our seed stock originated as USDA accession number PI 552784."​

Yellow Twist Bud Tobacco - Victory Seeds®

Multipurpose tobacco for plug, cigarette and pipe blending, and cigar filler.

victoryseeds.com

Bob

 

[plantdude]

"Historically, 'Yellow Twist Bud' was grown in Kentucky, Missouri, and Maryland. However it does excellent and readily ripens in the field here in Oregon.​

It was primarily grown as an export variety, but used as a multipurpose tobacco for plug, cigarette and pipe blending, and cigar filler. An old, pre-1880 variety. Our seed stock originated as USDA accession number PI 552784."​

Yellow Twist Bud Tobacco - Victory Seeds®

Multipurpose tobacco for plug, cigarette and pipe blending, and cigar filler.

victoryseeds.com

Bob

My mistake, I was thinking it was bred in Canada for some reason. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[ramentamer]

Next year, I'll get some to grow. I'll probably do a whole mess of it and then buy the rest of my tobacco from WLT.

I used proper potting soil in the bags. But this year was really weird in Seattle. It was very dry and very hot. I would guess that I didn't water them enough for how hot and dry it was.

 

[ramentamer]

I got my order from WLT and immediately stuffed a bunch of it through the grinder to smoke. I've got the Perique drying on a cookie sheet, now, but I also got some sliced up juicy last night.

Recipe was as follows:
1 ounce Virginia bright leaf
1 ounce Kentucky Burley
.2 ounce Izmir Turkish
.2 ounce Perique

It is strong, but I like it. I might try a heavier hand with the Izmir. The tobacco is still a bit moist to get an easy roll. Well, it's easy to roll it too tight and make it hard to drag. But, if I go too loose it burns the throat too much to smoke. I had one like that happen last night and it was like smoking a firecracker. But, I just had one a minute ago that was in the sweet spot of good drags and not too harsh.

 

[ramentamer]

Well, I thought grinding up gummy Perique was a nuisance. The Izmir was a pain. I ended up accidentally breaking the handle off of the grinder. So, I tapped out a hole where the handle went and threaded a bolt in it. I cranked my drill chuck to get bite on the bolt and now I have an electric grinder. Upgrades, y'all.

 

[ramentamer]

Alright, so I finished getting everything cut up and decided I didn't want to mess about weighing everything. So I mixed all the Virginia bright leaf, Kentucky Burley and Izmir Turkish together (roughly equal parts). I figured it's probably around 2.5 to 3 pounds. So I added 4oz Perique to it and stirred it up with my hands for about 5 minutes. Rolled a cigarette off that and it's the best cigarette I've ever had.

But, since I can't leave a good thing be, I stirred an amount of that pile into what I had of my previous recipe. Close to equal amounts but who's weighing? I'll see what that's like for the next two weeks, I guess.