Old Gasman's 2022 Blog

[Old Gasman]

Well chaps, the longest journeys start with the first step, so with that in mind I sowed my tobacco seeds today. I've sown an unknown EBay Virginia, Basma, Maryland 609 and Yellow Twist Bud. I've stood them on the kitchen table where there's a chance of them getting some sun.
Tomorrow I'm off to Tenerife for 7 days so hopefully when I get back there might be signs of life although I didn't sow all of my seeds just to hedge my bets in case something goes wrong.

 

[Old Gasman]

Well then, here I am back after a lovely little holiday in Tenerife. I managed to bring back half a kilo of Golden Virginia as well. I paid £90 as opposed to the UK shop price of £260 so it's a big win for me.
I sowed my seeds the day before I left and here's what they look like 8 days later, so far so good.

 

[Old Gasman]

Oh, it seems that as well as bringing back some duty free tobacco I also bagged a dose of Covid

 

[Oldfella]

Oh No!! Hope you get over it soon. Are you in hospital or just isolating at home? It's a nasty bug that somehow got lose on the world.
Oldfella

 

[Old Gasman]

Oh I'm fine thank you very much, just a bit of a headache and tickly throat, just carrying on as normal.

 

[Old Gasman]

Well, that's the Covid kicked into touch I'm pleased to say so on with my little grow blog. Here's my little seedlings at 25 days, so far so good. I transplanted these ones the conventional way by separating them and I've done a similar number following a tip I read on here, namely putting them in a bowl of water to wash the potting compost off then transplanting them with bare roots. It'll be interesting to see if there's any difference between the two methods.

 

[Oldfella]

Well, that's the Covid kicked into touch I'm pleased to say so on with my little grow blog. Here's my little seedlings at 25 days, so far so good. I transplanted these ones the conventional way by separating them and I've done a similar number following a tip I read on here, namely putting them in a bowl of water to wash the potting compost off then transplanting them with bare roots. It'll be interesting to see if there's any difference between the two methods.

I hope that you have the different varieties marked. You will be unable to tell which witch is which at transplant time.
Oldfella

 

[Old Gasman]

Oh yes I most definitely have got them marked, you can just see the labels in my photo. I can hardly remember what I did yesterday so I'd stand no chance of remembering which plant is which.

 

[Old Gasman]

Woke up this morning to discover a strange light in the sky, the sun at last. The first warm and sunny day means that it's time to empty the greenhouse, evict the over wintered spiders and get everything ready for a new summer.
It also means that I can move my little seedlings into the greenhouse, here they are.

 

[Old Gasman]

It's remarkable how quickly these plants grow, it's only a week since I put them in the greenhouse, now look at them.

 

[Old Gasman]

A quick question for you chaps. My little plants have another 4 weeks to go before I dare put them out in the garden. Would you transplant them into flower pots first or would you leave them where they are?

 

[deluxestogie]

I personally would not move them.

Bob

 

[Old Gasman]

That's good enough for me then, thank you Bob.

 

[Old Gasman]

Here's my not quite so little now seedlings at 7 weeks, seems to be coming along OK touch wood.

 

[Oldfella]

Here's my not quite so little now seedlings at 7 weeks, seems to be coming along OK touch wood.

Looking really nice. Keep up the good work.
Oldfella

 

[Old Gasman]

Hopefully next week I intend to get my plants outside so with that in mind I spent an hour or so emptying my compost bin and filling my growing buckets. I think I'll buy a couple of bags of ready made compost to add to the mix as well.

 

[deluxestogie]

Do your buckets have drainage holes?

Bob

 

[Old Gasman]

They most certainly do Bob, I wouldn't want my little babies to get the Tobacco equivalent of Trench Foot.

 

[Old Gasman]

Let me ask you a question chaps. I think I mentioned before that I don't have a lot of space in my little garden so I'll be growing in buckets and large flower pots. I usually smoke a roll your own blend called Golden Virginia, I would say it's quiet a bold blend.
I also used to enjoy a pipe on occasion back in the day. I don't have the facility for flue curing and kilning unfortunately.
I have grown four different varieties, Virginia, Yellow Twist Bud, Maryland 609 and Basma.
So having said that, what percentage of what variety would you suggest I plant out?
Thanks chaps.

 

[deluxestogie]

How many plants total?

Bob