Leaf Maturity

[Knucklehead]

Re: Immaturity

Thank you knucklehead!

That what im gonna do.

I think Boboro holds the unofficial record for one full crop started by seed, followed by two sucker crops from the same root balls. I think each crop was a little smaller and a little less quality than the one before. (if I remember correctly) but that is a tremendous increase in the amount of leaf produced, just by letting some suckers grow. He lives in Mississippi, in the Southern U.S. so he has a relatively long grow season. If you have the season and weather for it, go for it. Tobacco is a perennial, after all.

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

Yes I have a long season here, we are in the middle now.

Also I like to ask about another kind of suckers that growning in-between the leaves.
Im not sure its suckers, but its more amall leaves that start grow in-between in the upper third of the plant.

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Immaturity

Are they where a large leaf joins the stalk? If so, they are suckers. If they are suckers, pull them as they take energy from the plant that the plant could put to your big important leaves.

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

... Tobacco is a perennial, after all.

Perennial?
Did you mean that Tobacco can grown more then a year?

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

I hope you can see it here. they are already like small brunches.

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Immaturity

Perennial?
Did you mean that Tobacco can grown more then a year?

Yes. Deluxestogie just planted some tobacco plants that he kept alive for 2-3 years, bringing them inside during the winter. With the right weather conditions they will survive outside year round. Look at his grow blog.

I hope you can see it here. they are already like small brunches.

Yes, those are long suckers that have been growing for awhile. Where the big leaf joins the stalk is where the base of each sucker starts. Break the sucker off at the base. There seem to be several of them. If the plant is not ready to top or bag for seed, make sure not to break off the growth tip. (the very tip top of the plant where new growth happens. Leave that.)

 

[Mad Oshea]

Re: Immaturity

If You take a sucker, slice the side (of the plant) and inset it with the sucker of the other type? Or pop the sucker off and replace it with a ... say another sucker? Just take it and trow it in water and watch. Mad- Hatter......................

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Immaturity

A tablespoon of dish washing soap per gallon of water will kill those aphids. Safe to use.

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

Thank you!

So I understend that those suckers make the other original leaves weak? less Nicotine? weak in taste?

For me, I was very happy to see more and more leaves growing up. it will be sad to cut them...

What should I do with the suckers? cure or throw them?

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

If You take a sucker, slice the side (of the plant) and inset it with the sucker of the other type? Or pop the sucker off and replace it with a ... say another sucker? Just take it and trow it in water and watch. Mad- Hatter......................

I didnt understend you Mad, sorry... is it a kind of Experiment?

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Re: Immaturity

Keep in mind though you would get a better crop by starting a new batch of seeds so that transplant time coincides with harvest time. I've never read of anyone getting a sucker crop that could be compared with a seed crop. Most people do it for the novelty knowing that a killing freeze is around the corner.

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

I've never read of anyone getting a sucker crop that could be compared with a seed crop.

Please explain why, is a sucker crop will be less taste then seeds crop?

Or I'm missing a bigger point here...

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Re: Immaturity

My thought process is that if you have a long enough season to do 2 grows reliably you would be better served to plant, wait a month and a half, start more seeds, wait a month and a half, harvest and replant.

From all reports that I have read in addition to my own observations the sucker crop is less in every aspect than the seed crop. I don't know your climate but if you have, what is it 180 days of a growing season and not a lot of space you can grow double in the same space. The sucker crops that I harvested were all thin, small and bland compared to the main crop, and might be killed any day. But I grew it because to me it was free tobacco and that makes it taste awesome... But if I had the option to do 2 crops back to back and I knowingly chose to do a sucker over seed crop I would be disappointed in myself for being too lazy to do it right.

Edit to add: I should say we are far enough apart that my observations might be utterly meaningless to you. I might be getting that second crop with those characteristics because of the tilt. My days become pathetically short, days and nights are cool to cold and eventually tobacco is flash frozen if I don't get it in time. None of that might apply to someone in your part of the world. Why don't you log your sucker grow and report back? It might be great where you are. I am totally ignorant of your country.

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

Thank you for the long answer SmokesAhoy.

Now I understend the big picture. What I still dose'nt understend is, are those suckers injurious the "original" plant and leaves?
If the answer is YES, there is no question about the suckers. I should take them out.

I think I have here 6 month of appropriate weather for Tobacco. but now its too late to start sprouting for the second round.
So maybe i'll take your Idea and try to go with the sucker crop and report here. (Unless it will harm my original plant so i'll wait to understend it properly)

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Immaturity

Those big leaves are the important part of tobacco production. In allowing the suckers to grow, the plant is putting energy into sucker production that it could be putting into the big, important leaves. If you pull off the suckers your large leaves will become bigger and better. You will gain more poundage by pulling the suckers and allowing the big leaves to grow larger and better than you will gain by allowing the suckers to grow and producing many small leaves. The same is true for topping the plant, pulling off the flower head if you are not going to bag that plant for seed. Producing flowers and seed takes energy. Also, topping the plant induces the roots to produce nicotine for leaves. If you take of the top of the plant with the flowers, and pull the suckers, the energy that the plant was using to produce flowers, seed, and suckers will go to the big leaves. The big leaves are what you want to baby and care for.

In Virginia in the 1600-1700's when England controlled tobacco production, it was illegal to sell the bottom leaves (mud lugs), leaves produced from suckers, or leaves produced from a sucker crop. They were considered trash. The big leaves are the money crop. So yes, remove the suckers and remove the tops when they start to flower. (except on the plants you plan to bag and save the seed) You will gain much more than you will lose.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Re: Immaturity

An example of letting suckers go is without suckers the plant may have 10 large leaves, with suckers you will have many small leaves, branches etc. However it was once believed that once your ground level suckers showed up the plant was mature. I don't know if this is sometimes true, true or false. Has it been a few weeks since flower? If so you might experiment with one plant, cut the stalk above the sucker and keep only 1 sucker to see what happens.
If you have ground suckers before flower just remove them.

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

Thank you both.

I know the rules of dilution a plant or tree for fruits. for sure its the same with tobacco.
Untill now, for me it wasnt suckers, just branching of the plant. I take it netural... and I was sure that the plant will work out with it.
But it seems that the plant dosent take it so easy

So maybe i should take it off.
The flowers I took off a few weeks ago.

I'll leave just the sucker that growing from the roots for second crop.
I hope it wont be disappointing.

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

I take off the suckers, the biggest are 10 inch long.
Should I cure them?
They are very sticky and oily - Ligero like.

 

[COLIN]

Re: Immaturity

You should not be letting your suckers get that big in the first place that growth should going to the main leaf. Once main leaf is harvested cut main stork 300ml above ground leave two sets of suckers and grow out for six weeks and harvest. I use it as a filler for my cigg blends.

 

[Moshe Kassirer]

Re: Immaturity

Now I know it.
As I wrote above, for me those sucker were very netural, part of the plant, like Tomato.