Deluxestogie Grow Log 2022
- Thread starter deluxestogie
- Start date
I have 8" floppy disks that I can no longer read. I have 5¼" floppy disks that I can no longer read. I have 3½" floppy disks that I can no longer read. I have Zip disks that I can no longer read. CDs and DVDs have a data lifespan of about 10 years. Solid State Drives and Flash Drives and SD cards have an even shorter life expectancy.Backing up the data memory on the hard drive. Old school.
In the above photo, look directly above the peak of my knit hat. At the very top of the bookcase, that sideways stack of dark books (some with ribbed spines) were printed between 1804 and 1825. I can still read them. (Baron d'Marbot's French is a bit archaic for my marginal French vocabulary, but I can still read it enough to look up the mystery phrases.)
Instead of researchers struggling to fully read content from 20 years ago, they have read the content of the original Dead Sea Scrolls. Although writing (or printing) can burn or mold or rot or be eaten by bugs, it doesn't simply obsolesce all on its own, like a modern "smart" phone.
Bob
Oldfella
Well-Known Member
A solid stack of paper or a book if in a fire will scorch around the edges but it takes long time to burn completely. The content is mostly recoverable. All the modern plastic disks, drives etc melt at relatively low temperatures. The content is not recoverable.
Oldfella
Germination Set-up
These plastic Ball freezer jars and their lids were cleaned and sanitized. Each was filled with my starting mix (2/3 Miracle-Gro peat, 1/6 Miracle-Gro perlite, 1/6 vermiculite). Each jar received ¼ cup of water. With only 1 jar on the counter at a time, labels for the chosen variety were attached to both the jar side and the top of the lid. Then that seed was lightly sprinkled onto the surface, and the lid closed.
They now rest in a plastic-wrap lined baking sheet, on a heat mat, beneath which is a large bubble mailer envelope for insulation. This is on my enclosed back porch.
Corojo 99
Prilep 66-9/7
Ainaro
Machu Picchu Havana
"Pieate"
Bob
These plastic Ball freezer jars and their lids were cleaned and sanitized. Each was filled with my starting mix (2/3 Miracle-Gro peat, 1/6 Miracle-Gro perlite, 1/6 vermiculite). Each jar received ¼ cup of water. With only 1 jar on the counter at a time, labels for the chosen variety were attached to both the jar side and the top of the lid. Then that seed was lightly sprinkled onto the surface, and the lid closed.
They now rest in a plastic-wrap lined baking sheet, on a heat mat, beneath which is a large bubble mailer envelope for insulation. This is on my enclosed back porch.
Corojo 99
Prilep 66-9/7
Ainaro
Machu Picchu Havana
"Pieate"
Bob
landrace
Active Member
I look forward to some day having as concise a variety list as yours. It feels like you're working smarter and I'm probably working harder.
One year, I grew 43 different tobacco varieties. I believe that @Knucklehead grew over 100 varieties during a single season. Just the recordkeeping alone saps the fun out of it. My current grow takes into account the varieties I enjoy most, as well as my current leaf supplies of other varieties that I enjoy. Also, having grown tobacco for years, some of my stored seed is begging for a refresh grow-out.
(The ARS-GRIN tobacco germ plasm bank at UNC schedules a seed refresh every 10 years, on a rotating basis. With over three thousand varieties, that computes to their having to grow-out 300+ varieties every year—just to assure viable seed.)
Bob
(The ARS-GRIN tobacco germ plasm bank at UNC schedules a seed refresh every 10 years, on a rotating basis. With over three thousand varieties, that computes to their having to grow-out 300+ varieties every year—just to assure viable seed.)
Bob
And the winner is... Prilep 66-9/7. After about 4 days, it is now showing tiny radicles. This is seed that I last refreshed in 2012. So my 10 year old seed is good. My Machu Picchu Havana is also 2012 seed, and hasn't yet come to life.
Bob
"Prilep" germinated first in me too. I sowed on 21.02. (Afraid that I will have undeveloped seedlings again), today 04. 03. most varieties are preparing for the third leaf.
They've never been so fast.
I wish you a good season.
They've never been so fast.
I wish you a good season.
Prepping Seedling Trays
My well used 1020 trays were thoroughly washed, inside and out. Then they were sprayed with a Clorox kitchen cleaner, and allowed to soak for about an hour. These were rinsed several times, then set out to air and dry overnight. The more residual minerals adhered to the cleaned tray, the more difficult it becomes to rinse away the chlorine sanitizer. So they need to be allowed to air.
If you use 1020 trays in a location that permits water to drip down to the floor, then you can use a 1020 tray with holes, and not the additional tray without holes. But this will allow only top-watering. (Using only a tray without holes presents a challenge when watering.) The only purpose for the lattice tray is to enable me to safely lift and rotate a filled tray. It adds rigidity and stability to the assembly, which is important to me.
My starting mix is always approximate. But I have found that I need both perlite and vermiculite mixed into the peat, in order to obtain the most dependable results. Since the Miracle-Gro products contain slow-release fertilizer (doesn't matter if there is chlorine during the seedling stage), I never add additional fertilizer, potions or other stuff to my water prior to transplant to the field.
As my tobacco seed varieties begin to germinate, I will transfer one tiny baby seedling to each cell, and then replace any that fail.
Bob
My well used 1020 trays were thoroughly washed, inside and out. Then they were sprayed with a Clorox kitchen cleaner, and allowed to soak for about an hour. These were rinsed several times, then set out to air and dry overnight. The more residual minerals adhered to the cleaned tray, the more difficult it becomes to rinse away the chlorine sanitizer. So they need to be allowed to air.
If you use 1020 trays in a location that permits water to drip down to the floor, then you can use a 1020 tray with holes, and not the additional tray without holes. But this will allow only top-watering. (Using only a tray without holes presents a challenge when watering.) The only purpose for the lattice tray is to enable me to safely lift and rotate a filled tray. It adds rigidity and stability to the assembly, which is important to me.
My starting mix is always approximate. But I have found that I need both perlite and vermiculite mixed into the peat, in order to obtain the most dependable results. Since the Miracle-Gro products contain slow-release fertilizer (doesn't matter if there is chlorine during the seedling stage), I never add additional fertilizer, potions or other stuff to my water prior to transplant to the field.
As my tobacco seed varieties begin to germinate, I will transfer one tiny baby seedling to each cell, and then replace any that fail.
Bob
I've never used the trays with holes. To bottom water I remove a separated 4 cell tray from the insert, bottom water into the tray through that opening, replace the 4 cell pack. If I ever need to add water to top off before the tray is empty, that one 4 cell pack will make less mess than moving a whole tray with holes, plus I have less inventory of different trays. Just a different method to achieve the same results.
That sounds perfectly fine. That is the same as a flower pot with a tray at the base. With regard to inventory, storing a half-dozen nested trays requires nearly the same real estate as storing a dozen nested trays. And a supply of extra cell inserts just vanishes into the top of the stack of stored trays. Likewise with clear domes. They just all nest together.
To water, I remove a single 4-cell pack, and pour into the tray with holes. I attempt to add only as much water as I think the tray will need. The tray without holes just sits there, and maintains a small but helpful reservoir of water beneath. That helps me minimize waterlogged cells, while offering hours of reserve moisture, so the bottom soil doesn't dry out completely. That "hidden" water is not as inviting to a stealthy mosquito. Since each 4-cell tray will have its own wooden Popsicle stick label, I monitor the soil moisture by observing the moisture wicking up the stick.
Bob
To water, I remove a single 4-cell pack, and pour into the tray with holes. I attempt to add only as much water as I think the tray will need. The tray without holes just sits there, and maintains a small but helpful reservoir of water beneath. That helps me minimize waterlogged cells, while offering hours of reserve moisture, so the bottom soil doesn't dry out completely. That "hidden" water is not as inviting to a stealthy mosquito. Since each 4-cell tray will have its own wooden Popsicle stick label, I monitor the soil moisture by observing the moisture wicking up the stick.
Bob
The Penguins were Laughing at Me!
This morning, I transferred 20-ish Prilep 66-9/7 seedlings into a 1020 tray. I looked for a clear dome to put over it. Although I knew that I had two domes, the only one I could find looked fairly discolored and dirty. I washed and scrubbed and sanitized it. The crud would not come off. I re-washed it, then dried it with a paper towel. After puzzling over why my paper towel refused to dry the dome, and dismissing the increasing laughter coming from those flightless so-called birds, it finally dawned on me. I was holding both of my domes, tightly nested together. Doh!
Although a single one is still a bit discolored, it is discolored only half as much as before, and much cleaner.
Bob
This morning, I transferred 20-ish Prilep 66-9/7 seedlings into a 1020 tray. I looked for a clear dome to put over it. Although I knew that I had two domes, the only one I could find looked fairly discolored and dirty. I washed and scrubbed and sanitized it. The crud would not come off. I re-washed it, then dried it with a paper towel. After puzzling over why my paper towel refused to dry the dome, and dismissing the increasing laughter coming from those flightless so-called birds, it finally dawned on me. I was holding both of my domes, tightly nested together. Doh!
Although a single one is still a bit discolored, it is discolored only half as much as before, and much cleaner.
Bob
Homegrowngoodnes
Well-Known Member
have you tried washing the side of the dome that was stuck against the other?The Penguins were Laughing at Me!
Although a single one is still a bit discolored, it is discolored only half as much as before, and much cleaner.
Bob
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
What volume of soil goes with the 1/4 cup of dihydrogen oxide?Germination Set-up
These plastic Ball freezer jars and their lids were cleaned and sanitized. Each was filled with my starting mix (2/3 Miracle-Gro peat, 1/6 Miracle-Gro perlite, 1/6 vermiculite). Each jar received ¼ cup of water. With only 1 jar on the counter at a time, labels for the chosen variety were attached to both the jar side and the top of the lid. Then that seed was lightly sprinkled onto the surface, and the lid closed.
They now rest in a plastic-wrap lined baking sheet, on a heat mat, beneath which is a large bubble mailer envelope for insulation. This is on my enclosed back porch.
Corojo 99
Prilep 66-9/7
Ainaro
Machu Picchu Havana
"Pieate"
Bob
Those are 1 pint jars (~500cc). I loosely fill them with my starting mix, nearly to the top. The water settles the mix so that it ends up about 1+ inches below the top. I do not add more water until they have shown greenery, at which point I leave them in sunlight, with the lid ajar, until they are too tall for the lid. Those are watered as needed.
Bob
Today is day 8, since I first sprinkled tobacco seeds into their respective cups. I have now transferred Prilep 66-9/7, "Pieate" and Ainaro to 1020 cell trays. The Corojo 99 seeds are now showing a bit of green. And lastly, my 2012 seed for Machu Picchu Havana has produced radicles, after sleeping for a decade. I'll transfer the Corojo 99 to its tray tomorrow, and wait on the Machu Picchu Havana for a couple of more days.
Bob
Bob
Burn Ban
During the springtime here in Virginia's Blue Ridge, many counties enact a ban on open burning until 4:00 pm each day. Reason? The grasses and shrubs and trees tend to still be brown from winter, the relative humidity swings wildly every 24 hours, and there are nearly always gusty winds until early evening. Great conditions to propagate a brush fire.
That also means that the hanging leaf in my curing shed seldom gets a chance to remain in case for long. I have to plan ahead, if I intend to strip and bag any leaf.
In that weather graph from weatherunderground.com, the center band shows a green line for relative humidity (RH). Wind is the blue line at the bottom. I wait for at least 36 hours (hopefully longer) of RH above 65%.
This morning, but only for a brief time window, conditions would be good for stripping leaf. So I awakened early, and went out to the shed before my morning coffee. I managed to strip and bag 5 stalks (2 bags) of leaf, before the remainder of the tobacco went out of case, and became too fragile to handle safely.
I have perhaps 300 primed leaves on wires, none of which was in case initially, so those, along with the remaining stalks will have to wait for another time. Here's what's left.
Bob
During the springtime here in Virginia's Blue Ridge, many counties enact a ban on open burning until 4:00 pm each day. Reason? The grasses and shrubs and trees tend to still be brown from winter, the relative humidity swings wildly every 24 hours, and there are nearly always gusty winds until early evening. Great conditions to propagate a brush fire.
That also means that the hanging leaf in my curing shed seldom gets a chance to remain in case for long. I have to plan ahead, if I intend to strip and bag any leaf.
In that weather graph from weatherunderground.com, the center band shows a green line for relative humidity (RH). Wind is the blue line at the bottom. I wait for at least 36 hours (hopefully longer) of RH above 65%.
This morning, but only for a brief time window, conditions would be good for stripping leaf. So I awakened early, and went out to the shed before my morning coffee. I managed to strip and bag 5 stalks (2 bags) of leaf, before the remainder of the tobacco went out of case, and became too fragile to handle safely.
I have perhaps 300 primed leaves on wires, none of which was in case initially, so those, along with the remaining stalks will have to wait for another time. Here's what's left.
Bob
Oldfella
Well-Known Member
Very nice looking leaf you have there.
Oldfella
Oldfella
Thank you. The past few years, I've allowed the leaf to hang there all through the winter, and have occasionally been forced to finally strip the remaining leaf in July, as my new crop demands an empty shed. My weather here usually cooperates, since the shed is well ventilated, yet its tin roof drives drives down the nighttime humidity by mid-day. A year in the shed can do a whole lot of mellowing.
Bob
Bob
