Not much I can do but hope. I ended up getting sick yesterday, today. I checked on the seed pods at my parents house. Got all but 3 seed heads (one for Olor, tn90, and ohio Dutch) last Friday. They needed more time. They were mostly green. Was going to give them a week and check on them and then I got sick. Unfortunately, the temperatures are really going to swing for the worst. Going from 60-70’s to the 40’s and 30’s starting Sunday with rain every day except Monday. Also talk of snow flakes starting Sunday and Tuesday. Are the seeds going to be ok in this cold? Or should I get them even if it’s raining tomorrow? High is 52.
“Staying alive”: @ChrisN
- Thread starter ChrisN
- Start date
Had to do what we had to do with the weather. It snowed yesterday and now we are on a little warm up but of course that means nothing for the plants. They are dead now. Here are the 3 seed heads that we got over the weekend. I know the green pods are probably no good since it’s not on a living plant but was wondering about the TN 90 seed pods, is there any hope of good seed or not from this head? The tn90 is the first 3 photos
Attachments
The only way to know for sure is to dry them out and do germination tests. Count a known number of seed and note the percentage of seed that germinated.
I have found putting the leaves in a cardboard box works but I have also found white mold forming on the leaves. I flip them around as often as I can. Trying to do it every day. How can I prevent the white mold from forming? How many leaves or how thick of a stack can you have in the box? I have also heard of the method of throwing a tarp over them in the grass but I am worried of it blowing away or bugs damaging them, etc . Has anyone tried it? do you just put heavy rocks on the corners? Some of the plants (olor, Piloto Cubano, and small stalk black mammoth) I think I might have to stalk cut and cure. Will have to make a plan of where to hang the stalks. The garage would work but I have struggled with humidity and not sure how it would work out. Thinking maybe I could try 1 stalk as a trial run so that if it doesn’t work out it only ruins 1 stalk. I have also wondered if I plant the transplants too late and should plant them sooner. I tend to plant them over memorial weekend but think I should start to plant them by mid May. I’ll have to see what the lows are at night. If it’s in the 40’s it should be good for the tobacco starts in the field right? Illinois’s weather is bipolar. One day in the fall, winter, early spring it’s freezing in the teens or lower with snow etc and the next it’s 60.
wruk53
Well-Known Member
Chris, I hesitate to chime in here, But I will anyway. The last frost date for Peoria is 4/28, so you should be transplanting the first week of May. Your first frost date is 10/7, from early May to early October is 5 months, that is more than enough time to grow a crop of tobacco to ripeness. Plan accordingly, plant some seeds in stages so that if your first planting gets frozen, you can replant immediately within a week or two. It seems to me that your whole issue is that you are having to harvest before your plants are ripe. The box method does not work well if the leaf is very green and immature. If it is taking more than about a week for the leaf to yellow in the box, they were probably picked before they were ready and they might not change color before spoiling. Farming\gardening is a gamble at best, plan on planting as early as possible and have plenty of backup transplants. I know this doesn't make you feel any better about your 23 crop, but plan ahead for a better result in 24.
Thank you very much for chiming in! Ok, sounds good. I guess I need to somehow convince myself that it's ok to plant them that early and to stop being worried about them. The problem is trying to color cure the leaves as hanging them in the garage gives me mediocre results. Some color cure ok and others flash green as I don't have windows in the garage. The box method seems to be working well. The only thing I have noticed is the forming of white mold that I would like to try to control. I am able to harvest the leaves when they are ripe for the most part. I like to leave the leaves on the plant until they start to form yellow tips. Even though I spaced the plants better this year I still noticed a number of them ended up being stunted. Some leaves I had to pick before they were ripe because the plant was stunted or a taking a while to grow. The leaves color cured ok. The one thing I need to do better at is making sure to put fertilizer down and replenish nitrogen. I am hopeful to grow some plants this year but I am not sure. Lots going on. If I do grow some plants it will be fewer varieties then I usually do.
Was wondering what fertilizer everyone uses for their tobacco? I have searched for the brand Bob took a picture of but I can’t find it anywhere. Trying to find one to use.
Lots going on but I’m planning to grow some plants this year. The list:
Jasmine, Olor, piloto Cubano, Corojo, TN90, Golden Harvest, and if there’s room Ohio Dutch
Lots going on but I’m planning to grow some plants this year. The list:
Jasmine, Olor, piloto Cubano, Corojo, TN90, Golden Harvest, and if there’s room Ohio Dutch
Bob has also searched for the brand Bob took a picture of.... Southern States still exists, but that line of fertilizer seems to have vanished.
I suggest any veggie-suitable fertilizer that is low in chlorine. Use at the application rate for tomatoes. Example from Home Depot:
Bob
I suggest any veggie-suitable fertilizer that is low in chlorine. Use at the application rate for tomatoes. Example from Home Depot:
Burpee 4 lb. Enhanced Organic All Purpose Plant Food BP4APPLS - The Home Depot
Beautiful vegetable & flower gardens start with Burpee! Burpee Enhanced Organic All Purpose Plant Food combines essential nutrients with BIO-MIX, a rich, exclusive blends of beneficial microbes and fungi
www.homedepot.com
Bob
With the help from Bob, I have found a fertilizer for the tobacco. Expert Gardener Tomato and vegetable garden plant food. Here is also my list of plants I am growing for this year. The list slightly changed. Planted the seeds last weekend.
Jasmine, DR Olor, Dr Piloto Cubano, Corojo, Virginia 116, Golden Harvest, Turkish Izmir, Golden Burley, Costello Negro, and TN90
Looking forward to share updates
Jasmine, DR Olor, Dr Piloto Cubano, Corojo, Virginia 116, Golden Harvest, Turkish Izmir, Golden Burley, Costello Negro, and TN90
Looking forward to share updates
Attachments
Have been really busy. Some updates on the plants and will be working on a new topic thread when I find the time etc. I have thinned out the extra sprouts in the peat pellets.
Plants for this year: Jasmine, DR Olor, Dr Piloto Cubano, Corojo, Virginia 116, Golden Harvest, Turkish Izmir, Golden Burley, Costello Negro, and TN90
Also was wondering if there is a way or how can you tell the nicotine levels in a leaf from my previous grow in 2022? Catterton, Prilep, Shirey, symbol 4, green brier.
Plants for this year: Jasmine, DR Olor, Dr Piloto Cubano, Corojo, Virginia 116, Golden Harvest, Turkish Izmir, Golden Burley, Costello Negro, and TN90
Also was wondering if there is a way or how can you tell the nicotine levels in a leaf from my previous grow in 2022? Catterton, Prilep, Shirey, symbol 4, green brier.
Attachments
was wondering, the peat they use in peat pellets is it peat moss or something else? Doing a google search for simply Peat and it comes up with peat moss. Looking on the website it says the pellets are either made up of 100% peat or 50% peat and 50% coco (coconut fiber?) .
