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Manfisher’s Grow Blog 2024

deluxestogie

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I doubt the seeds are the problem. The only meaningful metric there is germination rate.

Any Nicotiana tabacum varieties can grow well in any geographic location within the US. So, it's not an issue of selecting the wrong varieties. As for the specific causes of stunting, there are too many variables for me to understand.

Go with @Knucklehead:
I recommend a soil test. Compost.
Proper start time.
Seedling lighting synchronized with sunlight timing.
Follow the weather forecast immediately prior to transplanting.

And...the second year is easier than the first!

Bob
 

cavedane

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I give the old gasman right . :) To try to make the right environment fore a growing plant ..I gave up ..3 different kind of light ...i dont use them. As soon as possible I pot them ( nice pastime).they only get a couple of days to get startet .Then they come out in the cold ..under glas the light from above is all they need. even when there is ice on the glass.This way the plant stay low and the root get strong and are ready to grow when the real spring come . Just my way doing it :)
 

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manfisher

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I recommend a soil test. Compost.
How are you fertilizing?
I actually did a soil test for these plants and the soil was practically nutritionless. Being the idiot that I am, I didn’t wait to get my result back before I planted. That would explain the ones in the ground. However, the plants I have in nutrient dense soil in pots on my porch are even smaller than the ones in the ground. Have been using water soluble fertilizer and applying once ever 2-3 weeks, though I am no longer fertilizing since my plants are budding.
 

manfisher

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I doubt the seeds are the problem. The only meaningful metric there is germination rate.

Any Nicotiana tabacum varieties can grow well in any geographic location within the US. So, it's not an issue of selecting the wrong varieties. As for the specific causes of stunting, there are too many variables for me to understand.

Go with @Knucklehead:

Proper start time.
Seedling lighting synchronized with sunlight timing.
Follow the weather forecast immediately prior to transplanting.

And...the second year is easier than the first!

Bob
thanks for the encouragement, Bob. Definitely learned a lot this year, hoping next year will be better!
 

manfisher

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I give the old gasman right . :) To try to make the right environment fore a growing plant ..I gave up ..3 different kind of light ...i dont use them. As soon as possible I pot them ( nice pastime).they only get a couple of days to get startet .Then they come out in the cold ..under glas the light from above is all they need. even when there is ice on the glass.This way the plant stay low and the root get strong and are ready to grow when the real spring come . Just my way doing it :)
Great advice, really appreciate it!
 

manfisher

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Are these fellas goners? I think I harvested them a little early and they’re very brittle yet still quite green.
 

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manfisher

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Looks like they're toast. Been there done that. Try not to harvest before they are ripe and don't let them dry out too quickly.
Thanks mate. I appreciate it. There are about two bundles that look perfect, they actually look dry enough to grind into some snuff or snus as is but the rest are green and, as you said, toast. Harvested some more today that i believe were perfectly ripe.
 

johnny108

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You could try leaving them in the sun for a week. After spritzing them with water to bring them into case (make them flexible again).
It’s worked for me with orientals and rusticas on my dashboard (wind would’ve taken them away, otherwise).
It does help the flavor.
 

manfisher

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You could try leaving them in the sun for a week. After spritzing them with water to bring them into case (make them flexible again).
It’s worked for me with orientals and rusticas on my dashboard (wind would’ve taken them away, otherwise).
It does help the flavor.
That’s great, thanks!
 

manfisher

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Has anyone made snus from cigar leaf? I have Semois and Madole growing and I don't think I am going to have enough variety in leaf to make cigars this season. The Madole and Semois are growing nicely so I thought I might try to make some snus from it. Has anyone tried this? If so, how did it turn out?
 

wruk53

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I made some a few weeks ago from Little Dutch and One Sucker. LD is described as a cigar/pipe tobacco but has a definite cigar smell/taste to it. I used 25% LD and 75% OS, and I like it a lot. I wouldn't go any higher on the cigar percentage. Everyone is different though.
 
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manfisher

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I made some a few weeks ago from Little Dutch and One Sucker. LD is described as a cigar/pipe tobacco but has a definite cigar smell/taste to it. I used 25% LD and 75% OS, and I like it a lot. I wouldn't go any higher on the cigar percentage. Everyone is different though.
That’s awesome to hear. I’ll give it a try. Might try doing one that’s 25% Madole, 75% burley to make sort of a Grov on steroids and then another 25% madole 75% Semois and see how I like it. Obviously I’ll record it here.
 

manfisher

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First smoke of my Virginia tonight. It’s fully cured but not aged enough. Regardless it was absolutely amazing. Can’t imagine how much better it’s going to be after several months of aging.
 

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manfisher

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Question on pressing a plug/cake. If I am going to press this into a plug/cake, do I need to let the leaf age first and then press or press and therefore let age via that method?
 

slouch

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Question on pressing a plug/cake. If I am going to press this into a plug/cake, do I need to let the leaf age first and then press or press and therefore let age via that method?
Don’t quote me on this but I believe the pressing will have a slight rapid aging effect, you could always age the plug after if it’s still not to your liking.
 

manfisher

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Don’t quote me on this but I believe the pressing will have a slight rapid aging effect, you could always age the plug after if it’s still not to your liking.
Thanks, Slouch. I might do that then. I air cured a bunch of my harvest but want to store it in a way that will prevent molding however, I would like to cure/age it a little more.
 
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