Ciennepi 2019 Grow Blog

[ciennepi]

Hi to all. Yesterday I saw the first swallows of the year and, altough a swallow didn't made spring ......it's time to star the new growing season.
I have a lot of Nostrano del Brenta of the past year and so I will focus on other strain.
So I choose this one:
- Vuelta Abajo, pot grow because it don't resist to PVY when plantet in ground;
- Piloto Cubano PR because it do wery well in PVY soil an I will try this habano seed;
- Little Dutch because I read only good on this strain for its flavour;
- Bahia because I read it is used in a lot of commercial cigars as wrapper or binder.
My goal is to made good and relatively strong cigars.
Then there will be the cross between Nostrano and Vuelta Abajo, but this is another story and another blog.
Tomorrow will be the sowing day.

 

[Youn]

Excellent and reasonable list! Good luck for this new season.
I recently test upper stalk leaves of my Vuelta Abajo wich have one year and a half aging and it already taste fine, it could be much better if kilned (I think my storage conditions don't allow an optimal aging process), but I was surprised that it was not harsh at all.
Also, I can say that the nicotine kick is present, no doubt it can allow you to reach the strenght you're looking for your cigars.

 

[deluxestogie]

the cross between Nostrano and Vuelta Abajo

Since your soil is infected, selecting the least affected offspring that smoke like Vuelta Abajo should be a good way to create a PVY resistant Cuban variety. If successful after a number of generations, the strain may be worth a patent.

Bob

 

[Charly]

I wish you good luck for this new crop!
It will be interesting to see if they grow as fine in your garden as in mine.
I hope they will !

 

[ciennepi]

Thanks to all.
Charly: I try two strain that you confirmed resistant in the hope they do well even in my soil.
Bob: My goal is to back cross the least infected hybrid plants with Vuelta Abajo for a few generation to create a "near" Vuelta Abajo resistant to PVY.
My only perplexity is the choice between Little Dutch and Pennsylvania Red. For wath I understant they are wery similar but Little Dutch have a stronger aroma?

 

[Charly]

Two years ago I grew Little Dutch and Pennsylvania Red, they both were infected with PVY, so I don't know if I am the best person to answer your question, but from the two, the Little Dutch gave me some leaves with a very good flavor ! The Pennsylvania Red leaves had a taste in the same style, but not as good nor as intense

So my personnal choice is clearly for the Little Dutch (it could be different in a garden with no PVY...)
I plan on growing some Little Dutch again soon because its flavor is really unique, very different other cigar strains.

 

[deluxestogie]

In my opinion, Little Dutch does have a more full aroma, compared to Pennsylvania Red. The leaf width of the PA Red is larger, if you want to use it for wrapper.

I look forward to your creation of Vuelta Superior.

Bob

 

[ciennepi]

Ok, the choice is made.

To the left Vuelta Abajo, Piloto Cubano, Little Dutch and Bahia. To the right the two hibrid of Nostrano and Vuelta Abajo in the two mixed cross female and male.
For me the same setup as the past year.
A teaspoon of soil in a milk bottle cup, spread a few seed, mist with water and then in my closed aquarium at 25 C and about 100% UR under a wery bright led lamp.

 

[ciennepi]

After 48 hours the first radicle begin to emerge, you can see it in the center of the picture. Excuse me for the low quality photo but it was made with a magnifying glass handheld in front of my smartphone lens.
For information this is a Piloto Cubano PR seed.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Wow, That's pretty fast.

 

[CobGuy]

That's what I was going to say ... rapid germination!

~Darin

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

When I got the seed originally it took almost three weeks. Goes to show fresh seed vs old seed.

 

[GreenDragon]

Ok, first I apologize for being late to view this thread. However....

1) I must see a full tank shot (FTS) of that aquarium!!!! What are you growing in it?? Also, Genius for starting your seeds there! I assume from the limited view and the (Anubias?) in the backgroud that it is a Freshwater Planted Tank?
2) What tank and light is that?
3) Good luck with this years grow!

Sorry for all the non-aquarium people on the forum, but I'm a fish geek with both freshwater planted aquariums and reef tanks. We all have multiple hobbies after all.....

 

[ciennepi]

Hi GreenDragon. I'm pleased to hear that you are also fond to aquarium. Mine is a little tank of 45 liters, almost cubic in shape. I made myself with sheet of glass and silicone 15 years ago. Inside there is the Anubias barteri and Vallisneria spiralis. Now it is empty, with only a huge population of red snails to keep the aquarium cycled. Usually inside I rise annual killifish (Nothobranchius rachovii or Sympsonichtys magnificus) or wild Endler (Poecilia wingei).
The filtration is an Hamburg mattenfilter (also diy) and the light is an adapted led light beam. And this is the shot:

 

[deluxestogie]

Sorry for all the non-aquarium people on the forum...

I don't have an aquarium, but believe it or not, I had fish sticks for dinner just last night.

Bob

 

[ciennepi]

And after 4 days the winner is ...............
Piloto Cubano PR

 

[ciennepi]

After six days this is the situation:

The upper left is Vuelta Abajo and the lower right is Nostrano-Vuelta hybrid.
The lower with wery few sprouts are Little Dutch and Bahia. I will see and wait more.

 

[ciennepi]

After 10 days It's time to transplant the sprouts. I fill the trays with soil and made a little hole in the center.

I then grab the sprout with a pair of tweezer, put in the hole and spray with water to close the hole. The sprouts are about 4 - 5 mm high.

And the job is done. 9 Vuelta Abajo, 9 Piloto Cubano, 9 hybrid Nostrano del Brenta male x Vuelta Abajo female, 4 Bahia and 4 Little Dutch.

 

[ciennepi]

For the first days I had put the tray inside under a strong 20W led lamp. Then I will gradually use them to the sun light, always inside until the outside temperature will not be high enough (20 C or 70 F could be right?).

 

[ciennepi]

I give you a link of an italian site that speak of cigars and whiskey in wich is give notice of a new cigar, named "Campesano", made of Nostrano del Brenta (for wrapper, binder and 75% of filler and Piloto Cubano Dominican Republic for the rest 25% filler).
It's a blend that I will try for the next year grow!!!
http://www.cigarslover.com/nostrano-del-brenta-campesano/