China Voodoo 2023 Grow Greenwood & Kasturi

[ChinaVoodoo]

Last year did not go so well for me. Things that contributed in no particular order:

More varieties than I had space to differentially cure
Lack of personal time.
Soil conditions (pH?)
Sloped ground = low penetration of water
Starting seeds in too dry of conditions
Starting seeds for 6 different people
Not saving enough reinforcements for myself
Shirazi didn't live long enough to mature in my climate

Solutions:
Terracing
Adding new soil
Only growing Madole and Harrow Velvet
Only starting seeds for myself
Humidifier in tented seed starting station

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Here is my story.

I had a weird epiphany about quitting smoking whilst in my psychology of addictions class a few weeks ago so I cancelled my seed order with Northwood, then two days later I started smoking again, not really knowing why I quit in the first place. I told my wife I wasn't going to grow tobacco this year but she didn't believe me, and actually encouraged me to do it, and to grow it in the front yard between us and the neighbours (isn't she amazing?), but by that time I was too embarrassed to call up Northwood to say I was mistaken.

So, here I am March 2, starting my tobacco seeds with a totally different plan from before, using seeds from my preexisting supply.

I put about ten seeds in each of 48 cells in one tray. I'll transfer to larger pots after they germinate. I'm not sure how many I'll actually grow. I'm currently using a tall dome with the vents closed, and only one bulb (T5) which is on every second hour. It's in the utility room and soil temp is 76°. I'll switch that up once I see life. I think it's too damp at the moment. Don't copy me.

Varieties:
Greenwood and
Kasturi

That's it.

 

[JOE1977]

I hear ya.
I haven't grown since 2014. Thing is, I really enjoy watching plants develop.
I got my Toby seed yesterday and will start this weekend. I decided to get some basma and little dutch only this year. WLT for the rest. Also ordered some San Marzano and many herbs for my Sunday sauce.

 

[Plinsc]

San Marzano is one of my favorites!
China that is how people have bumper crop years in the garden sometimes, nothing planned just going with the flow!

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

@ChinaVoodoo i am very curious…how did the flue curing in the kiln turn out last year???!!! Sorry if I missed it posted somewhere.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

The Jaffna didn't yellow so I gave up.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I concluded that my season wasn't long enough for Jaffna because I also had huge difficulty getting it to air cure.
Either that or the soil had too much nitrogen. But I used alfalfa so that shouldn't be the case.

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

I concluded that my season wasn't long enough for Jaffna because I also had huge difficulty getting it to air cure.
Either that or the soil had too much nitrogen. But I used alfalfa so that shouldn't be the case.

Hmmm. Well that’s too bad. I have a kiln that is nearly a direct copy of yours and was going to try to flue cure in it this year.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Oh. I think it will work. Others have used kilns in the past.

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

Oh. I think it will work. Others have used kilns in the past.

I hope it will, I will post it in my grow log I haven’t created yet.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Going well. 28 Greenwood, 20 Kasturi. Kasturi germinated quicker and is probably 5/6 days ahead.

Also, Monday, planted Basil, oregano, caraway, cumin, three kinds of tomatoes (Manitoba, Red Robin, and Principe Borghese), ground cherries, and Beaver Dam peppers. The Principe Borghese and basil have germinated already.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Just crossing fingers on a few more cumin germinations.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

 

[MadFarmer]

What does a cumin plant look like?

 

[93rdCanadian]

Here is my story.

I had a weird epiphany about quitting smoking whilst in my psychology of addictions class a few weeks ago so I cancelled my seed order with Northwood, then two days later I started smoking again, not really knowing why I quit in the first place. I told my wife I wasn't going to grow tobacco this year but she didn't believe me, and actually encouraged me to do it.

Hey ChinaVoodoo, your plants are looking great! I saw your comment about quitting smoking and maybe wanted to share a bit of my experience.

I quit smoking probably 4 years ago now, I switched to a vape. However after vaping for 3 years I realized that I wasn't getting the satisfaction anymore. Sure the cravings went away but I was vaping night and day. I decided to quit vaping but after a month there was something missing in my life (only rarely smoke a pipe and cigar due to time). I ended up starting to use smokeless after having occasionally using snus off and on before when I was a cigarette smoker.

Quitting cigarettes doesn't have to mean quitting tobacco. The smokeless I found I could use just 3 or 4 times a day made my tobacco use enjoyable again. It has a ritual to it and the satisfaction you get is above and beyond what cigarettes or a vape gave. To me it's a bit closer to the relaxation and zen state of pipe or cigar smoking where you live in the moment.

I'm not saying quit smoking but since you have some Greenwood this year, maybe try making a small batch of snus or pasteurized dip and see if maybe it brings back the satisfaction and ritual of your tobacco use.

Don't stop growing though, growing plants also provides a similar ritual and satisfaction in life, I moved recently and won't be able to garden this year so I'll be doing so vicariously through everyone's grow blogs.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Hey ChinaVoodoo, your plants are looking great! I saw your comment about quitting smoking and maybe wanted to share a bit of my experience.

I quit smoking probably 4 years ago now, I switched to a vape. However after vaping for 3 years I realized that I wasn't getting the satisfaction anymore. Sure the cravings went away but I was vaping night and day. I decided to quit vaping but after a month there was something missing in my life (only rarely smoke a pipe and cigar due to time). I ended up starting to use smokeless after having occasionally using snus off and on before when I was a cigarette smoker.

Quitting cigarettes doesn't have to mean quitting tobacco. The smokeless I found I could use just 3 or 4 times a day made my tobacco use enjoyable again. It has a ritual to it and the satisfaction you get is above and beyond what cigarettes or a vape gave. To me it's a bit closer to the relaxation and zen state of pipe or cigar smoking where you live in the moment.

I'm not saying quit smoking but since you have some Greenwood this year, maybe try making a small batch of snus or pasteurized dip and see if maybe it brings back the satisfaction and ritual of your tobacco use.

Don't stop growing though, growing plants also provides a similar ritual and satisfaction in life, I moved recently and won't be able to garden this year so I'll be doing so vicariously through everyone's grow blogs.

I appreciate that I'm in your thoughts. I started smoking again. I can vaguely grasp what that epiphany was all about, but I don't feel it at all. That darned nucleus accumbens, I tell ya. Maybe in the future when I can no longer smoke at work I will achieve a healthier balance of smoking than what I have now.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

What does a cumin plant look like?

It's my first time growing it. Without using Google, it appears to be in the carrot family, with wispy foliage similar to fennel or dill.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I'm running behind by a few weeks, which is too bad but if spring is any indication of what to expect in fall, I think I'll be ok. I've focused on food production, built trellises and such, and terraced my back garden. The kasturi is in the ground, late, like nearly everything else in my garden.

It's raining all week so not much for photos. I'm working on a major exam for my degree that takes a week. I reward myself and reset my brain by taking breaks to do garden stuff. Here's one of two garden beds that will go in the front yard and will house the Greenwood. It's 5'x10'x20". I still need to cut sheet metal for the inside but you get the gist.

 

[deluxestogie]

I reward myself and reset my brain by...

Think, "Crunchy Cheetos".