Growing in Wisconsin

[oatsmiller]

I've been perusing the very helpful posts here and compiled a good list of blends that I would like to try growing. I'm going to be using it exclusively for pipe smoking, and hoping to keep things as simple as possible. Would anyone that's grown some of these blends in the northern part of the country be able to share your thoughts and help me pare it down to perhaps 3 or 4 varietals?

I'm hoping for:
1) Simplicity in processing (including feedback on how stalk drying goes in Wisconsin)
2) Variety in leaf type (maybe a burley, a VA, and an oriental or three)

These are the seeds I'm looking at:

Yellow Twist Bud
Bulgarian Red Izmir
Okinawa
Samsun
Black Sea Samsun
Basma
Bursa
Limonka Rustica
White Flower
Big Gem
Silver River
African Red

Thank you very much!

 

[DaleB]

Not quite as far north as you, maybe, but Samsun and some Virginia did well enough for me here in Nebraska that I can’t imagine you’d have much trouble. One of my varieties was named Ontario Bold… because it’s grown in Canada. Go for it.

 

[johnny108]

For pipe, and needing something fast?
Little Dutch.

 

[oatsmiller]

Not quite as far north as you, maybe, but Samsun and some Virginia did well enough for me here in Nebraska that I can’t imagine you’d have much trouble. One of my varieties was named Ontario Bold… because it’s grown in Canada. Go for it.

I appreciate the suggestions! Thank you! There's definitely a lot of information to take in and sift through to get started, so I appreciate the recommendations.

For pipe, and needing something fast?
Little Dutch.

Thank you!

 

[plantdude]

I'd agree with Little Dutch, tough to go wrong with that one. Like the orientals you can plant them in a pot if you need to keep them mobile to move in early and they can take mild frosts. African red might be a stretch. For other longer season varieties in the ground top them early and grow them dry (once established) to make them fit your growing season or you'll end up with a lot of green leaf and unfriendly curing conditions in late summer/fall.
I've noticed a lot of the rusticas might be inclined to perform better with a shorter growing season based on how they perform with cooler springs and more moisture in my area but I have never tried them as far north as you are so that's just a guess. Curing rusticas is always tricky as you typically get a bunch of smaller leaves that do best naturally yellowing on the plant. The flavor is usually not bad for many of them and somewhat floral. I'm not sure if most pipe smokers would want the nicotine kick imparted with ublended rusticas though. Blending them with lower nicotine orientals (Samsun, basma, prilep) or other mellow varities like little Dutch or Virginias could be good - I've never tried that though, I'm not much of a pipe smoker so your guess is a good as mine. Maybe more experienced pipe smokers can chime in for blending rusticas.

 

[Farside]

For pipe, and needing something fast?
Little Dutch.

Damn straight. I trialed it last year North of you up in Canada in Zone 3.
It grows fast, it's aromatic, it cures nicely. It sucks for cigars because of how narrow the leaves are, but otherwise it's exactly what I've been looking for.

 

[oatsmiller]

I'd agree with Little Dutch, tough to go wrong with that one. Like the orientals you can plant them in a pot if you need to keep them mobile to move in early and they can take mild frosts. African red might be a stretch. For other longer season varieties in the ground top them early and grow them dry (once established) to make them fit your growing season or you'll end up with a lot of green leaf and unfriendly curing conditions in late summer/fall.
I've noticed a lot of the rusticas might be inclined to perform better with a shorter growing season based on how they perform with cooler springs and more moisture in my area but I have never tried them as far north as you are so that's just a guess. Curing rusticas is always tricky as you typically get a bunch of smaller leaves that do best naturally yellowing on the plant. The flavor is usually not bad for many of them and somewhat floral. I'm not sure if most pipe smokers would want the nicotine kick imparted with ublended rusticas though. Blending them with lower nicotine orientals (Samsun, basma, prilep) or other mellow varities like little Dutch or Virginias could be good - I've never tried that though, I'm not much of a pipe smoker so your guess is a good as mine. Maybe more experienced pipe smokers can chime in for blending rusticas.

Damn straight. I trialed it last year North of you up in Canada in Zone 3.
It grows fast, it's aromatic, it cures nicely. It sucks for cigars because of how narrow the leaves are, but otherwise it's exactly what I've been looking for.

This is great information! Thank you very much!
Here's a revised list of blends I'm considering, in case anyone has any further comments. I think I need to choose a few more to trim out - not sure which orientals I should settle on.

Little Dutch - Cigar/Pipe

Yellow Twist Bud - Burley

Little Yellow - Dark/AC

Basma - Oriental

Prilep P66-9/7 - Oriental

Yenidje - Oriental

Bulgarian Red Izmir - Oriental

Simox - Oriental/Flower

 

[plantdude]

I've grown little Dutch, yellow twist bud, basma, and prilep. I can't comment on the others. All are good in my book. I may be biased but prilep is my favorite on the orientals. If you had to pick one for the orientals Prilep would be my choice. It's a beautiful plant that's actually been bred for the purpose of producing a good yield and good leaf characteristics.
Yellow twist bud struggles a bit in my climate with the heat and my restrictive watering regime, but would probably do better where you are at - just my gut feeling on that, but worth trying.

 

[oatsmiller]

Thank you so much @plantdude ! Prilep and Little Dutch will be my main focus this season! I added a couple others, but I'll see how much garden space I'll have available to me.