Dr.Pierce's Grow log 2019

[Dr.Pierce]

Well, It's that time again to germinate the seeds I've collected over the winter. A special thanks to the members that helped with that.On the roster for this year are the following:
Samsun Maden
Prilep P66- 97
Bursa
Yellow twist Bud
Frog Eye Orinoco
Semois (var. Martin)
Katsuri

 

[CobGuy]

Alright! Good luck on this year's grow!

~Darin

 

[Charly]

250 plants ! A good sized crop !
I wish you a good year

 

[Dr.Pierce]

Well, It's that time again to germinate the seeds I've collected over the winter. A special thanks to the members that helped with that.On the roster for this year are the following:
Samsun Maden
Prilep P66- 97
Bursa
Yellow twist Bud
Frog Eye Orinoco
Semois (var. Martin)
Katsuri

Tiny green sprouts for all the varieties. Not much to photograph, though.

I used the wet paper towel method. Then I used tweezers to place 2-5 geminatined seeds in each cell of Black Gold Seedling Mix. I'm excited about the potential of each of the varieties.

 

[Dr.Pierce]

250 plants ! A good sized crop !
I wish you a good year

LOL. I planted twice the number of plants that I hope to bring to maturity.

"One for the cutworm- one from the crow- one for the blackbird and one to grow."

 

[deluxestogie]

"One for the cutworm- one from the crow- one for the blackbird and one to grow."

It's always wise to raise extra seedlings of each variety. Back in the day, tobacco farmers often planned for 50% replacement of failed transplants. For years, I've started more or less 25% extra per variety (rounded to the next 4-cell pack). On rare occasions, 25% was not enough.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I've never started that many extras, and I have always regretted it.

 

[Dr.Pierce]

Due to the cool temps here, I decided to use an indoor HPS lighting setup instead of florescent 4 footers in the barn. 430 watts HPS. With the added benefit of a smoother transition to sunlight due to the higher lumens. So far, so good. The sprouts count is around 130 sprouts.

 

[Dr.Pierce]

I went to the nursery and brought home steer manure and gypsum for my hard clay garden soil. I also bought two bags of Foxfarm potting soil to transplant into. The idea is to set them into the ground around the second week of May.
Im planning on roto tilling in the next two weeks.
Today is transplant day. Since I've got my seedling under HPS lights- I need to transition them gently into full sunshine.

 

[CobGuy]

Looks like it's going along well so far!

~Darin

 

[Dr.Pierce]

The transition from artificial to sunlight is almost complete. I'm a bit apprehensive because I very nearly messed my crop up last year going straight from four foot florescents to sun and fried a whole lot of perfectly innocent seedlings.
I the potting soil that I am using and the seedlings seem to like is a brand called "Salamander" On sale for $7 for 1.5 cu. ft. It contains less perlite than the Black Gold starter mix. I repotted them from their cells into 4 inch square pots.
Also I am being better about tagging each pot, Last year, there was a bit of a mix up between all the Cuban varieties I was growing. The big thing now is: I have to roto till the garden plot. I was going to rent one but the nieghbor offered to loan me his and now he seems to have forgotten to retrieve it from his farm. Not big hurry because the seedlings now have a lot of leg room.

 

[Dr.Pierce]

I've working with our heavy hilltop clay soil today. The man at the farm supply suggested that I use small amounts of gypsum and large amounts of compost to improve the texture of the soil here. A decade ago I did a timberline Soil test.We sent out the sample to the lab and when the results returned- it showed high levels of Phos and P. They also suggested compost and Sulfur. 12 years and truckloads of compost and the adobe just seems to absorb it. Luckily the stuff does drain. And the truth is that I have raised a family on the produce out of that ground. So, no complaints. But now I know why the original settlers were so pick about where they would homestead. Best to start with deep, rich black river bottom loam. Too bad that's where they decided to build the parking lot for downtown Home Depot.

 

[Dr.Pierce]

I've working with our heavy hilltop clay soil today. The man at the farm supply suggested that I use small amounts of gypsum and large amounts of compost to improve the texture of the soil here. A decade ago I did a timberline Soil test.We sent out the sample to the lab and when the results returned- it showed high levels of Phos and P. They also suggested compost and Sulfur. 12 years and truckloads of compost and the adobe just seems to absorb it. Luckily the stuff does drain. And the truth is that I have raised a family on the produce out of that ground. So, no complaints. But now I know why the original settlers were so pick about where they would homestead. Best to start with deep, rich black river bottom loam. Too bad that's where they decided to build the parking lot for downtown Home Depot.

 

[deluxestogie]

That looks like good dirt to me. And a decent looking set of tobacco transplants.

Bob

 

[Dr.Pierce]

Here are two pics of my "pipe garden" thus far. The close up is some Prilep.

The slugs, earwigs and pill bugs seem to be under control. Night patrols are helping as that's when those pests seem to do their worst damage.

 

[tampadave]

Nice. In Tampa, I'm getting ready to start some seeds. We're about two months from weather friendly time, hurricanes not withstanding, . I'm also going to try some hydroponics. This will be quite the lab. Hydro/aqua-ponics are a space multiplier. I can use space other than ground for growing.
I'm also interested in the harvest and curing. Living in Tampa, Florida, this is a natural environment for tobacco and cigar production.

 

[Dr.Pierce]

Here is another pic of the tobacco today.

 

[CobGuy]

Nice ... looking good!

~Darin

 

[Dr.Pierce]

Here's a pic of the elusive Semois- var. Martin. I've heard tell that it's a kind of burley unique to The Semois region of Belgium. Very distinct flavor. Cigar like or so I've heard.

Thanks again to a very kind, well known and generous member.

 

[ArizonaDave]

Here's a pic of the elusive Semois- var. Martin. I've heard tell that it's a kind of burley unique to The Semois region of Belgium. Very distinct flavor. Cigar like or so I've heard.

Thanks again to a very kind, well known and generous member.

Interesting. What is the expected height of the plant when full grown?