deluxestogie Grow Log 2012

[Tom_in_TN]

BarG, when Fidel started nationalizing everyone's private property the only recourse for the landowners was to pack up quickly and leave. They took their seeds, settled in Central American countries, islands, other places too and started growing tobacco from Cuban seed.

 

[deluxestogie]

At the onset of the US embargo of Cuba (1962), one or more growers smuggled Cuban tobacco seed out of Cuba [How hard is it to smuggle tobacco seed?], and have planted it throughout the Caribbean, Central America and South America. This allowed them to produce cigars similar in taste to those of Cuba. These are todays "premium" cigars, in the US, at least.

Before the coming of smuggled Cuban seed into Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, each of these regions had been cultivating a wide array of cigar tobaccos for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Today, most of these native varieties, in a fashion similar to all the wonderful heirloom American varieties that we praise so much, have virtually disappeared from commercial production. Maybe.

During the movement of the last 10 years toward irrationally stronger factory cigars, some of these heirloom cigar varieties may be sneaking their way back into production. There's no way to know.

In evaluating varieties like Jalapa, I prefer to obtain seed that was originally acquired as long ago as possible. The Jalapa and Machu Picchu were collected from their respective countries (Nicaragua and Peru) in 1936--long before the embargo. They're the real thing. Also note the dates on three of the planned new grow-outs: Córdoba [Mexico, 1935], Criollo Salteño [Argentina 1937] and Hoja Parado, Agentina, 1936].

I should add that some sort of "Jalapa" leaf is promoted in a couple of stronger cigars [Camacho comes immediately to mind], as are the numerous (and differing) versions of "Criollo," which basically means "native." Only the growers themselves (and the blenders) know the exact varietals that are being used.

Bob

 

[SmokeStack]

These are my current plans for the 2012 season. All of the garden beds are deeply dug and, mercifully, already prepared, except for adding supplements (composted manure, etc.) and doing a final mix/dig. Since I do all the digging by hand, I start preparing the soil in the fall, one bed at a time, and take my time.

The number of varieties is too large, approaching the scale of a botanical garden, but 2013 will be different, I swear. But I really want to get a broad picture of which varieties are most suited for my needs, which are pipe tobacco and cigars.

The crazy dense planting of Xanthi Yaka (1.2 sq. ft. per plant) is to see how that affects the quality of the product, since this is close to the planting density in Xanthi, Greece. If you find me complaining about how difficult it is to manage with such close spacing, just ignore it.

Most of the large varieties are provided 3.75 sq. ft. per plant, while a number of the smaller varieties get 2.75 sq. ft. per plant.

The Garden Layout

The Beds

The strange triangular beds are located at the ends of existing bramble beds, and were planted in October with garlic. This should be out by early June.

In planning for the huge number of varieties, I find that the greatest difficulty lies in managing the required number of extra seedlings in order to guarantee enough viable transplants and replacements. I haven't yet decided on what method I'll use for germination.

For all the fuss, the total number of plants is only 171, encompassing 39 varieties, 34 of which are new for me, and will be bagged with Agribon-AG15 for seed. There are also a number of crossing experiments with Little Dutch (known N. tabacum), Cornplanter (known N. rustica), and the pair of Mt. Pima and Papante (uncertain species).

Bob

Bob, what software are you using to create your drawings?

 

[deluxestogie]

I use Microsoft Visio.
Bob

 

[Jitterbugdude]

In evaluating varieties like Jalapa, I prefer to obtain seed that was originally acquired as long ago as possible.

I'm with you on that one Bob. Just before GRIN shut down I snagged some Guatemalan and Huehuetenango seed also from 1936.
Randy B

 

[Tom_in_TN]

Randy, that was very insightful to get those 2 varieties. Hoping to grow out Guatemalan next season, and looking forward to smoking some Huehuetenango once it is cured. From your past posts you prefer to smoke one variety, unmixed.

Deluxestogie, with regard to the current industry's introduction of stronger cigars, it was due to demand from cigar smokers. I know many of those guys and they were fixated on how much ligero leaf was being used in the blend. Whenever these new blends came out they would snap up a few boxes.

Yeah, how many of the original varietals are being used in the industry? The growers could be a rich source of seed for some original varieties if a person could get inside info, and some help 'smuggling' those seeds out of the country. Another rich source would be in some of the small villages that are widely scattered in remote places.

Overlanders Global Expeditioners have gone on back country expeditions to places like Venezuela. Here is a link http://www.overlanders4x4.com/blog/en/category/venezuela/ These guys could provide people to contact in Venezuela.

 

[deluxestogie]

With the globalization of the past 20 years, any tobacco growing anywhere, even in the most remote areas, could be just about anything from a truly ancient native variety to Kentucky burley. I think its too late to go out looking.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

With the globalization of the past 20 years, any tobacco growing anywhere, even in the most remote areas, could be just about anything from a truly ancient native variety to Kentucky burley. I think its too late to go out looking.

Bob

I agree. If any of the rare types are still around you'll probably find them in this group. Some of our guys may be raising the last of the old pure types.

I rolled that puro I mentioned from a couple of the lugs you sent me. To my palate it was harsh and bitey. Were they kilned?

John

 

[deluxestogie]

John,
That Big Gem leaf was from the failed flue-curing experiment. They are flue-cured, and initially dried quite green. As I stated in my note (in the shipping box), it makes an interesting, mild wrapper, but a horrible filler. When used as a filler, it needs to be pH balanced with the addition of some well-aged, strong leaf.

Bob

 

[Tom_in_TN]

I hear what you are saying. Ancient varieties probably do not show up in city markets these days, which is where the varieties we know about today were obtained, but go into the backcountry only accessible by 4x4 and odds are there are some ancient varieties being raised today. The biggest challenge would most likely be the language barrier.

 

[wazzappenning]

im not sure if your varieties grow small, but i left 23" between my plants and its quite crowded. ive got leaves from one plant growing over leaves of another.

how does that embargo work? no dealing with cuba, or no cuban products at all? ie ship to canada, then to us. would that still be a no no?

actually a further thought occured. send seed to canada, then grow it out for seed... product of canada.

 

[johnlee1933]

John,
That Big Gem leaf was from the failed flue-curing experiment. They are flue-cured, and initially dried quite green. As I stated in my note (in the shipping box), it makes an interesting, mild wrapper, but a horrible filler. When used as a filler, it needs to be pH balanced with the addition of some well-aged, strong leaf.

Bob

Sorry about that Bob. I went to the garbage and salvaged the box, found the note and the blossoms. Thanks

 

[deluxestogie]

Tom,
Most of the early ARS-GRIN varieties were obtained by USDA "Agricultural Explorers" from extension services, local farmers in the middle of nowhere, and random, roadside identification. Even with remote transportation relying on pack animals, most growers have been exposed to seed from "more productive," "more marketable" and "more modern" varieties.

You're probably correct regarding a few hold-outs here and there. But most of the commercially viable tobacco growing regions have been swamped by a small number of varieties.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

...found the note and the blossoms.

And I thought you were politely avoiding mention of those kilned blossoms.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

And I thought you were politely avoiding ---

Bob

Me ? Polite ? LOL J

 

[Tom_in_TN]

Bob,
I agree and thanks for the details. I was thinking the most productive sources would be from shamans who would be likely to have perpetuated the ancient varieties. It would narrow the search, but as noted above, the biggest problem could be the language barrier. That and scrounging up the money to join the expedition.

Regardless, there is still a lot of work ahead just revitalizing the existing seed bank. We are waiting on your results this season and appreciate your work. Thanks, and all the best to you.

 

[deluxestogie]

A few updates. I'll spare everybody a photo of harvested leaf hanging in the shed.

My comparison of Dominican Olor (transplanted 6/7/12) from clipped plants in cells from a 48 cell tray vs those from 3-1/2" pots (unclipped) continues to suggest that the clipped plants remain about 1 week behind the unclipped. Both have suffered from the poor weather conditions following their late planting, and from budworms.

The White Stem Orinoco and Yellow Orinoco (transplanted late, between 6/5 and 6/16/12) are finally starting to gain some height. I expect to harvest leaf (with 6 weeks before pre-global-warming 1st frost date), but I suspect that making seed will be a problem.

To give an idea of how rank and groaty I like most of my cigar tip leaf to get, here is a shot of the Jalapa tips. I'll probably pick them after a few more days. They take a long time to fully color-cure, then after a month in the kiln, they usually still need a few months of additional aging.

With some of my stalk-harvested plants, I've allowed a single sucker to grow from the root. In the first image are suckers from WI 901 and WI Seedleaf, compared to a Comstock Spanish that was transplanted on 6/9/12. The other image shows Keller, in the foreground, and Catterton in the back. All of these may give me some respectable leaf.

Finally, this is just a curiosity. Very similar varieties are often difficult to distinguish by appearance alone. I just recently noticed that some varieties produce blossoms with very tall anthers that extend beyond the blossom, along with a very short pistil. In other blossoms, the opposite is true. (Of course, in these two photos, the blossom colors are different.)

Bob

 

[BarG]

I sincerly believe you have strong powers of observation.

I would rarely notice such things if ever.

 

[johnlee1933]

I sincerly believe you have strong powers of observation.

I would rarely notice such things if ever.

Does that mean you are suffering from a long pistil or a short one?

John

 

[BarG]

Lol, You'd just have to ask my wife on that one, Why she is having chest pains when she gets the pistol up.