KoceFF Grow log 2022

[koceff]

To early to start my grow for this year but not to early to prepare for it. And what better to do it...



A friend just brought it from Germany, no shipping to Macedonia. New Years gift from the wife. The mold and the book. @deluxestogie can't wait to start reading.

 

[deluxestogie]

It is quite strange to look at a photo from North Macedonia reminding of what my yard and house look like in summer time. (It looks like Siberia at the moment.)

Bob

 

[koceff]

Not to clutter another thread.
I am using my last years grow to roll cigars. So far 3 out of 3 are unsmokable. Hard to light, easy to go out and the draw is like sucking butter trough a straw.
I know the binder and the wrapper are in ok case, but the filler compared to what i see online is far to moist. I have a few more rolled like that, should i wait for them to dry or is a waste of time?
I don't know what else could it be, i think that is the reason.

 

[DIY Pete]

If you let them dry down they may be smokable. It is pretty easy to roll a cigar too tight when the filler is in high of a case. If they don't loosen up take 'em apart and try again, the tobacco is still good.

 

[koceff]

March 11th, the seeds were planted. So far l, 9 days, CT Broadleaf, my own seed from last year, is sprouting like crazy. The PA Red, also my own, not so much. From the other varieties i have
FL Sumatra - doing ok
Little Dutch - doing ok, beside droping the tray
Corojo - doing ok
Criollo 98 - nothing yet
Dom. Olor - nothing yet
They are all in the same kind of soil, in the same place, the conditions they are all growing in are identical. There is some extra moisture in some trays so they are soaking in the sun right now to get rid of that mold or whatever it is.

 

[deluxestogie]

Yes. Sunlight is the cure.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

Best of luck with your season!

 

[GIL]

I wish you success with the new season.

 

[koceff]

The Criollo 98 has sprouted and quite well I might add. The Dom.Olor is still refusing to wake up. It has been 13 days, maybe the seed is not good.

 

[koceff]

No signs of germination for the Dom.Olor. I have some (20-30) seeds left, I'll give it a try again.

 

[koceff]

The Olor has germinated. Not much but enough i think. I am not sure when to move them in to individual cups, they have been sharing bed for 20 days now.

 

[deluxestogie]

You can move them as soon as you can identify individual, germinated seeds. When they are somewhat larger (e.g. 2 leaves), they are easier to transfer than when just an emergent radicle. The longer you wait, the longer will be the length of the root. The longer you wait, the sturdier the seedling. The longer you wait, the more entangled with the roots of nearby seedlings they become. I use forceps to transfer a tiny seedling, grasping a small clump of soil with the seedling. The larger the clump, the greater the likelihood of additional seeds germinating within that clump (requiring subsequent thinning).

Bob

 

[koceff]

So these are the seedlings, 20 days old.
1. Pa red, almost nothing, my seed.
2. Corojo
3. Little Dutch
4. Florida sumatra
5. CT Broadleaf, my seed
6. Dom. Olor
7. Criollo 98

 

[Oldfella]

Looks like you'll have a good season. You sure have plenty of plants. I'm not sure what your climate is like but I would suggest that you wait another week or two before starting more seeds. The slow starts a probably just that, slow starts. Looking under magnification I see a lot of sprouting, I think that you will have plenty of plants.
Don't worry, it'll be good.
Oldfella

 

[deluxestogie]

Pa red, almost nothing, my seed.

I can count about 20 seedlings of PA red. Sometimes, seed collected from the previous year may sometimes be more sluggish to germinate than seed that is somewhat older. (This is an evolutionary selective advantage, to permit new, robust seed to spread its germination over a longer span of potential growing conditions. The seed gets more desperate after a few years.)

Bob

 

[koceff]

Is to soon to put them in individual cups ? No.6 and 7 are going to wait for at least another week but I think the other ones are good to go.

 

[deluxestogie]

Is to soon

No. Just keep the germination trays going, to serve as replacements for any failed transfers.

Bob

 

[koceff]

What if the soil PH is above 7? Will the tobacco still grow? What would be the effects? Can that be the reason for the tobacco not burning ?

 

[deluxestogie]

The problem with soil pH > 6.8 is that some nutrients and minerals that are present in the soil in adequate amounts cannot be absorbed properly. This can cause poor growth and the leaves to exhibit signs of various (unpredictable) mineral deficiencies. I don't know what impact this has on combustion of the leaf after curing.

Bob

 

[koceff]

I am measuring the pH of the soil with strips and it is 7 or 8,not so good with colours. I have seen online people lowering the ph levels with just regular white vinegar. Have somebody tried this?