China Voodoo 2020 Grow

[plantdude]

I need to get some soil testing done. The darker coloured, larger tobacco plants on the right are in a space where there had been a steel shed for decades. There is a clear line in both rows, even with that 4x4 post. I do recall it being easier to dig than the left which had been used as a garden.

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Wonder if it might be better to plant tobacco elsewhere next spring. Maybe let the soil in the garden heal for a year and cover it with a decent layer of ash and compost this fall followed by a legume cover crop next spring that gets mixed back in. Or do it the easy way like you said and get a soil analysis then ph it and some compost and fertilizer the hell out of it - the plants don't look that bad.
I've had my vegetable garden in the same spot for 17 years. I've tried growing plants in other locations in the yard but they all get the same disease anyway (the joys of gardening in a swamp). The big difference I notice usually comes down to how much new compost/soil and wood ash I add to the raised bed garden and if I till it in or not. The more compost the better seems to be the trend with mine.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

So, I picked these Sunday morning, and strung them tonight. I am not used to this pace of yellowing because I always had a detached garage which around here is never as warm as in the house, like my garage is now. I'm stoked.
I have no means to flue cure yet, so these are going to stay here for tonight, and hopefully get strung out in the sun tomorrow.

Essentially, what you're looking at is two strings, one a couple feet, and another about six feet, consisting of mig wire. They are hanging from both ends, for now.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Wonder if it might be better to plant tobacco elsewhere next spring. Maybe let the soil in the garden heal for a year and cover it with a decent layer of ash and compost this fall followed by a legume cover crop next spring that gets mixed back in. Or do it the easy way like you said and get a soil analysis then ph it and some compost and fertilizer the hell out of it - the plants don't look that bad.
I've had my vegetable garden in the same spot for 17 years. I've tried growing plants in other locations in the yard but they all get the same disease anyway (the joys of gardening in a swamp). The big difference I notice usually comes down to how much new compost/soil and wood ash I add to the raised bed garden and if I till it in or not. The more compost the better seems to be the trend with mine.

The previous owner was a lazy, shady piece of garbage, for example, he redid ceiling drywall to hide water damage, but didn't put insulation in. That's just the start. Anyways, I highly doubt that the old garden was overused.

I like your idea of fallowing, but I don't have that much room, so I'm just going to make soil improvement a gradual process.

I plan on putting charcoal in. There was a Canadian study I read a couple years ago where they showed that activated carbon filtered out the hormones certain weeds emit in order to slow the growth of competitors. This supported the theory that without wildfires, weeds have an unnatural advantage in grassland.

 

[plantdude]

The previous owner was a lazy, shady piece of garbage, for example, he redid ceiling drywall to hide water damage, but didn't put insulation in. That's just the start. Anyways, I highly doubt that the old garden was overused.

I like your idea of fallowing, but I don't have that much room, so I'm just going to make soil improvement a gradual process.

I plan on putting charcoal in. There was a Canadian study I read a couple years ago where they showed that activated carbon filtered out the hormones certain weeds emit in order to slow the growth of competitors. This supported the theory that without wildfires, weeds have an unnatural advantage in grassland.

Yes, we used to used to activated charcoal in our noxious weed allelopathy studies to neutralize soil chemicals. There is a lot going on with the soil microbiome as well that decent composting and soil care can really help out with.

No insulation in Canada? He must have been planning on selling the place

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

No insulation in Canada? He must have been planning on selling the place

I hope he comes back to say hi one day.

 

[plantdude]

I hope he comes back to say hi one day.

Bet he used to live in Arkansas and was the same DIY homeowner that redid half our electric wiring... Code was apparently just a four letter word

 

[tullius]

So, I picked these Sunday morning, and strung them tonight. I am not used to this pace of yellowing because I always had a detached garage which around here is never as warm as in the house, like my garage is now. I'm stoked.
I have no means to flue cure yet, so these are going to stay here for tonight, and hopefully get strung out in the sun tomorrow.

Essentially, what you're looking at is two strings, one a couple feet, and another about six feet, consisting of mig wire. They are hanging from both ends, for now.

View attachment 32939

You can't fool me: that's either your halloween costume this year, or the mascot for the newly renamed professional hockey team now known as the Edmonton Suckers.

 

[tullius]

all jokes aside, you got nice looking yellow leaf hanging there, and I got none here. your leaf looks very good indeed from that perspective

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

You can't fool me: that's either your halloween costume this year, or the mascot for the newly renamed professional hockey team now known as the Edmonton Suckers.

You were very close. It's Big Bird.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Curing is going slowly, so I built a budget 40 metric-dollar curing box and wrapped it with a cheesy bubble wrap insulation, but I couldn't get it above 110°F, so I gave up and set the insulation aside for garage wall insulation, and took the box I made outside and adapted it for sun curing. I put a black piece of plywood at the back to hopefully bring up the heat, but it is cold and cloudy today. Go figure. I think I will do a clear roof and three walls, with a black back wall. That should heat up nicely. Ignore the pathetic plant. That's the worst of the bunch.


I also cardboard boxed up some more primings today.

 

[deluxestogie]

That's a really great frame. If you can locate some 2" thick foam board at the store, it cuts easily with a pocket knife. So knowing the dimensions of the sides, you can cut it up into suitable pieces that will fit in your car. (Bring along a ruler.) It seems a shame to have done all the hard labor of building a kiln frame, and end up using it as a clothesline.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

That's a really great frame. If you can locate some 2" thick foam board at the store, it cuts easily with a pocket knife. So knowing the dimensions of the sides, you can cut it up into suitable pieces that will fit in your car. (Bring along a ruler.) It seems a shame to have done all the hard labor of building a kiln frame, and end up using it as a clothesline.

Bob

It's super easy to get foam board. I would prefer the stuff with the plastic/mylar film over it which only comes in 4x8', and I don't own a truck, so I would have to get a friend to help with that. I like the idea of using it as a greenhouse too though, so I am undecided.

 

[deluxestogie]

That's what I'm saying. I purchased two 4'x8' XPS boards, and cut them with a knife to pieces that would fit in my Buick--right there in the Home Depot parking lot. Since I had already calculated the required sizes, I knew how I could cut it. Notice my board layout in the lower left.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I built it 23" x23" outside dimensions, so a 48" cut in half should overlap by half an inch.

 

[BarG]

That's a fine looking area where your growing

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I'm working east of the city. Went out to free range it, when I realized there was frost everywhere. I decided to check the weather back home, and it looks like I'm in the clear for a couple more weeks. This year is turning out alright.

 

[deluxestogie]

Wow! That's pretty low: 1:30!

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Here's some photos of the fire cured tobacco.



Viqueque


Delhi 34 that was sun curing already. It was in the bottom layer. Notice some charred tips.


Delhi 34 that went straight from the cardboard box. Notice some green.


I would like to mention that I started my first year of a masters program this weekend, and I don't know how demanding it will be. I doubt this is a "see you in three years" situation, but you'll probably see less of me, if I'm taking university seriously. I will also be working. It's been a lot of work just to get to this point, so I'm a bit fearful, but it's exciting because the road is clear. Bob says grad school is enjoyable.

 

[plantdude]

Here's some photos of the fire cured tobacco.

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Viqueque
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Delhi 34 that was sun curing already. It was in the bottom layer. Notice some charred tips.
View attachment 33365

Delhi 34 that went straight from the cardboard box. Notice some green.
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I would like to mention that I started my first year of a masters program this weekend, and I don't know how demanding it will be. I doubt this is a "see you in three years" situation, but you'll probably see less of me, if I'm taking university seriously. I will also be working. It's been a lot of work just to get to this point, so I'm a bit fearful, but it's exciting because the road is clear. Bob says grad school is enjoyable.

Bob apparently had a much better experience than me
Good luck