Are these ready for the garden?

[mwaller]

Aye, aye, cap'n Bob!

 

[Gmac]

Set them out under a shady tree that will block most of the direct sunlight especially noon light.

This is what I've been doing the last couple of years on my second crop of the season. Styrofoam plates & Long wooden skewers. Just finished with about 300 plants. This is a very cheap way to provide shade in the hot summer time. Be sure to water frequently. Gmac

 

[mwaller]

Florida Sumatra is getting into the zone... How is this looking as far as maturity?

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Florida Sumatra is getting into the zone... How is this looking as far as maturity?
View attachment 21382

I think they're definitely ready for the garden.

 

[deluxestogie]

For wrapper, it's perfect to prime.

Bob

 

[mwaller]

Every leaf tells a story...

This Little Dutch was haphazardly planted in an established landscape bed with poor, compacted soil. I recently decided to add a bit of fertilizer and organic material to the bed, and whaddya know? The tips of the pale top leaves started to green!

 

[deluxestogie]

Great photo. I've never seen that before. Also, I don't believe such a phenomenon appears in the tobacco image archive at IPM (https://www.ipmimages.org/browse/AreaSubs.cfm?area=62).

Late fertilizer usually increases the challenge of color-curing. I would save them till the last minute, before priming.

Bob

 

[mwaller]

My first priming if Corojo 99 was a bust because it was harvested too early. Now I'm feeling a bit gun-shy... How does this look for maturity?

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Looks fine to me. If it breaks easily go up 3 leaves get the next 3 in 1-2 weeks. I don't know what your weather is like there but I've got to balance harvest time with curing time, once the cold and wet sets in it's a lot harder to get good leaf.

 

[mwaller]

The weather has been great; quite hot, actually. I don't think we can expect cool weather for at least 6 weeks.

 

[deluxestogie]

My first priming if Corojo 99 was a bust because it was harvested too early. Now I'm feeling a bit gun-shy... How does this look for maturity?
View attachment 21412

You could probably prime that leaf, since the texture appears mature. But you could also wait until that leaf as well as the two above it show a mature texture. Don't worry if you begin to see more yellowing of the lowest leaf.

I examine my maturing tobacco each day, to determine if I have at least 3 leaves per plant (of a given variety) that can be primed. I don't want to expend the effort for a single leaf per plant. If there's only one or two per plant that are ready, then I'll wait, unless there are signs of deterioration.

Also, I give zero consideration to timing after X, or days after previous priming. I just look at the leaves.

Many of my varieties are represented by 16 plants of each type. If I prime 3 leaves, then I'm in the ballpark of a string of 50 leaves--just about ideal for me. Sometimes, especially for varieties with fewer plants, I may wait to prime 4 or even 5 leaves per plant.

Bob

 

[mwaller]

I'll admit... I'm getting a bit impatient. Perhaps anxious is a better word for it. These Corojo 99 were topped (mostly) a few weeks ago. They are in full sun. I keep looking for obvious yellowing and 'alligator' texture, but I'm not seeing it. The bottom leaves are certainly paler than upper leaves, but I haven't yet seen the yellow splotches I associate with a 'mature' leaf. Do I just need to wait this out?!

 

[burge]

Just remember even if you think you have ruined the leaf it still may be good. Age it and see how it tastes and use it to find out what happens to the leaf and can be smoked. a lot of so called mishaps have turned into pleasant surprises.

 

[deluxestogie]

Do I just need to wait this out?!
View attachment 21447

They look good. The leaf texture is looking close to priming time. Give it a few days more, or maybe a week. So far, I have taken only one priming (3 leaves) from my Corojo 99. I'll take another 3 leaves tomorrow or the next day. Mine were transplanted on 5/18/2017.

Bob

 

[mwaller]

Ok, it's been 5 days since my last update. The Corojo 99 plants in the front yard haven't changed a whole lot. Lower leaves in direct sun continue to gradually pale. The effect is more like 'bleaching' than yellowing per-se...
Should I continue to wait on these?

 

[deluxestogie]

It's been a few more days, maybe a week. From 3000 miles away, I say prime the first 3 or so leaves.

Bob

 

[mwaller]

It's been a few more days, maybe a week. From 3000 miles away, I say prime the first 3 or so leaves.

Bob

Thanks, Bob! Other plants in the same patch that do not get as much sun have mature-textured leaves, but aren't as pale. Should I leave those to ripen longer?

 

[deluxestogie]

I'm already guessing on the ones with photos. Once you have a good sense of what a mature tobacco leaf feels like, then you can base your decisions on that. I'm fond of the yellow tip, since those leaves are always mature.

Also, if in attempting to break off a leaf with the snap of your wrist, it seems a bit rubbery, then prime no higher at that time.

Bob

 

[mwaller]

Thanks again, Bob!
I'm finding that different soil / environmental conditions contribute to differing ripening characteristics. My potted example of Corojo 99 exhibits more typical yellow highlights on the raised portions of the leaf.
The front yard examples, which are planted in native soil, seem to be fading from green to white... Plants in the backyard raised beds haven't yet started to change color.

 

[OldDinosaurWesH]

Bottom leaves ready to harvest. Note down turned leaf edges, decreased chlorophyll, splotchy yellowing around edges of leaf. Variety: "Golden Burley."

Also note upper leaves are still crisp and green. Definitely not ready to pick.