Growing Connecticut Shade

[Jitterbugdude]

The nice thing about "real" shade cloth is that it is an open weave. When the wind blows, it blows right through it. I suspect Agribon, being a solid weave wold act like a parachute in a heavy wind.

 

[BigBonner]

Agribon shade spec's
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/assets/information/row-covers-comparison-chart.pdf

The Agribon that I used over my outside float beds is open weave . Air and rain goes right through it . I believe you can get it in different weaves , tighter shade and lighter shade .
This picture was take a few years ago .

 

[Smokin Harley]

see my 2016 grow thread...I just put up 2 pics of my shade structure.

 

[Smokin Harley]

see my 2016 grow thread..
http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads...grow-of-2016-is-now-under-way?highlight=shade
.I just put up 2 pics of my shade structure.

 

[Smokin Harley]

Since I have had some 15 years experience in Conn. Shade--grown in Connecticut and Massachusetts--it was suggested that I start this thread.

So, I will take any and all questions about how to raise Conn. Shade. But be warned, people have been trying to grow the plant elsewhere in the US, and it is never commercial quality, except in Fla-Ga up to the 1970s. Nobody knows why it grows so well in the Connecticut River Valley. It could be a lot of things.

But if you have sandy loam soil, not too clayish, not too peatish, and plenty of sun, you should be able to grow Conn Shade good enough for private consumption. It is wrapper tobacco, so every leaf is handled by hand at all phases of the growing, curing and sweating operations. Rips, spots, bruises, blue mold, calico and other tobacco pathologies are not acceptable, so it is better if the land that you are going to use has not been used for tobacco for five years. Keep as far as possible away from tomatoes and potatoes.

There is a lot of work and money that goes into the shade tent. It won't just grow under a shade tree. The tent is for retaining humidity and filtering sunlight, not for blocking the sun. Shade tobacco loves lots of sun. The plants get 10+ feet high and must be tied up to overhead wires running above each row. Cheesecloth is OK, and you will need #6 and #10 wire, and poles at least 15 feet long. I am sure that one can improvise with a small patch. A field is divided into square"bents," bounded by four poles. Each pole is 33 feet away from any other pole near it. Fourteen bents makes an acre, plants are 33 inches apart in the row. Every second row must be wide enough to provide access. There are 10 rows in a bent. If anyone uses a tractor, the rows must be carefully planned for wheel clearance.

But I will tell you how it is done, and you can make your own versions of tents, curing sheds, and sweat rooms. It's really a lot of work.

Im growing a patch of shade leaf. 18 Ct Shade, 18 Habano 2000 and an experimental most of a row (7)each of Havana 142, Coroja and Comstock Spanish .
Everything is growing well but the plants have started to lean over and need support . Can you explain, show close pictures or possibly video of how exactly to attach the plants to supports ,either wires or strings. Thanks .

 

[deluxestogie]

As I understand the process described by the late JohnLee1943 (several years ago), a wire is run from directly overhead, and staked to the ground beside the plant stalk. As the plant grows, the wire is gently wrapped about the stalk.

Bob

 

[Smokin Harley]

thats what I'd like to see close up or better yet -in motion,Bob. I think I understand the idea but the way the leaves are arranged on the stalk ,I'd be afraid I'd rip the base of a leaf in the process.

 

[rustycase]

Thanks Charley !
What a great presentation of valuable information !
...Really appreciate you expertise !

Larry, I've got AGC -15... which is probably too light for the blazing sun, here.
Which one of the Agribon row covers do you use ?

Best
rc

 

[Smokin Harley]

Update in my grow log: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads...-now-under-way?p=124460&viewfull=1#post124460

 

[wrapper]

This is a really interesting and informative thread. Thank you. I will try some CT Shade next season. But: are there any opinions or experience around treating other varieties the same way to make better wrapper? If so, which ones?

 

[Jitterbugdude]

This is a really interesting and informative thread. Thank you. I will try some CT Shade next season. But: are there any opinions or experience around treating other varieties the same way to make better wrapper? If so, which ones?

Yup, I've grown quite a few varieties under shade... but I can't remember them all. The ones I do remember growing were: Conn Shade, Florida Sumatra, Huehuetenango, Vuelta Abajo and Yellow Orinoco.

 

[Knucklehead]

I think I remember reading on the forum that CT Broadleaf doesn't work out very well as shade grown. It's much better grown in the sun.

 

[Smokin Harley]

I read the same thing Knuck. Broadleaf is better sun grown and Ct Shade is better in shade ,don't mix the two .
You grew Vuelta in the shade? How did that turn out?
My Havana 142 is just going gangbusters in the shade. Leaves like elephant ears. Almost as large as my sungrown Amarilla Parada,Perique and Olor which just amaze me. These plants have been in the ground barely 1 month. They've gone from proportionately tiny 3 inch plants to 3 foot plus plants.
I can't grow spinach or carrots worth a damn ,but I sure can grow the hell out of tobacco. I sure learned a lot (mostly what I DIDN'T know or what NOT to do) just from my first grow.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

The shade Vuelta turned out really nice. I use it to make Vuelta Puros

 

[wrapper]

Thank you for the extra info re other cigar varieties that work well in the shade. I will try some DR Olor, Vuelta Abajo and Florida Sumatra along with the CN Shade.

 

[Smokin Harley]

I've read that Ct Shade should not be topped in order to maintain leaf thinness and keep veins small. Anyone personally do this or see no difference. Haven't been out there this morning to look yet but my Ct S is barely 4 ft tall . Leaves aren't huge I have 3 rows to fiddle with ,so I may top one 5 plant row to see if it increases leaf size.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I always top my shade tobacco but the few times I let them bloom didn't seem to make any difference.

 

[Smokin Harley]

JBD, My Ct Shade is now over 6 ft , a few are approaching 7 ft and flower buds ,if present, are opening. I notice the flower buds are sparse on Ct Shade or is this because it is in shade? Like instead of a 8-10 inch /36 blossom flower head on a typical sun grown variety (umbrel?, my memory of flower terminology is lacking...im almost 49 yrs old, goes with the territory. )it is more like 6 inch /12-16 blossom flower head.
I'm wondering when best to start taking leaves.
Flowering (from the noticeable tight bud status)has been going on for over 2 weeks for the majority of the CtS patch. Within the last few days the heights are slowing down to a stable 6-7 ft and leaf size is very uniform within a single plant . I see no color changes (yellowing,mottling,leaf tip browning,definitely no gatoring ,but some edges are slightly "ruffled",some lower leaves are drooping) in undamaged leaf yet. Should I wait for a tell tale color change as per usual with sun grown varieties, or go by amount of time passed since flowering and start picking? Next week will be about 3 weeks since flowering started.

 

[Smokin Harley]

It is about 8ft tall. When I grew CT shade the plants grew to the top of the tent and then made a gradual bend when they hit the cloth. The leaf was thin, oily and elastic.

Sounds like just what I'm looking for here really soon. Bottom leaves are starting to droop, STILL very few have even shown any yellowing of the tips nor the edges....given the fact it has been heat indexing here at 100+ for the last 3 days. Plants are getting to the 7 ft mark and some yet to flower or even bud. Think I should prime them or let them go a little longer ?

 

[Knucklehead]

Sounds like just what I'm looking for here really soon. Bottom leaves are starting to droop, STILL very few have even shown any yellowing of the tips nor the edges....given the fact it has been heat indexing here at 100+ for the last 3 days. Plants are getting to the 7 ft mark and some yet to flower or even bud. Think I should prime them or let them go a little longer ?

Many of my cigar varieties are primed when they go from a darker green to a paler shade of green. Most times with no yellow. I let my cigarette varieties show quite a bit of yellow and allorgatoring before priming. Try a few at the paler shade of green stage for comparison with same varieties at same position showing a little yellow for comparison. Especially wrapper leaf may show some rugosity and thickening by the time they show some yellow. Curing seems about the same.