Knucklehead's 2023 Grow Blog

[Knucklehead]

Beautiful day. Full overcast and high of 75. The plants spent about 5 hours on an outside covered porch enjoying swirling variable gusting winds. Then back to being coddled inside under light and a heat mat. The next several days will be similar weather and I hope to trigger a defensive response to the winds by putting out stronger lateral roots and thickening of the stalks.



I also gave them a "haircut". Clipping the leaves that overshadowed their neighbors' cells and to also trigger a defensive mechanism by tricking the plants' "instinct" mechanisms that they were under attack. I hope this results in a thickening of the stalk and more leaf production.

 

[Knucklehead]

I gave them another haircut and put them outside again today. We had some storms so they had to stay inside awhile. I need to let them dry out more completely between waterings. I believe overwatering is the cause of the yellowing. I also gave them a dose of fertilizer and epson salts yesterday.

 

[deluxestogie]

They look excellent.

Bob

 

[Anders A]

I gave them another haircut and put them outside again today. We had some storms so they had to stay inside awhile. I need to let them dry out more completely between waterings. I believe overwatering is the cause of the yellowing. I also gave them a dose of fertilizer and epson salts yesterday.

View attachment 44991

Hi,

The plants look nice. How soon after the seeds have germinated is it appropriate to fertilize them? Which fertilizer is best to use?

 

[Knucklehead]

Hi,

The plants look nice. How soon after the seeds have germinated is it appropriate to fertilize them? Which fertilizer is best to use?

Thank you.
Some don't add fertilizer at all. I use Miracle Grow Seed Starting mix potting soil that comes fortified with fertilizer. Due to the fertilizer already in the soil, I wouldn't recommend adding any additional fertilizer for a couple of weeks for fear of burning the seedlings. I added some because my lower leaves were starting to yellow, but as I noted in the above post, it was probably due to me not allowing the soil to dry up between waterings. Tobacco does not like it's feet to get too wet. I tend to react rather than anticipate (sometimes to my detriment). I will add some fertilizer if the leaves start turning pale. The more I baby the plants, the worse they look.
During the seedling stage, I use this fertilizer (sometimes). After they are in the ground I use a general purpose gardening fertilizer.

https://www.amazon.com/Grow-More-5270-Premium-1-25-Pound/dp/B000OVEB7I/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Urea+free+orchid+fertilizer&qid=1678154416&sr=8-5

Here are some fertilizer recommendations from major universities in tobacco growing regions here in the U.S.

Float tray recommendations:

https://tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Tobacco-Seedling-Nutrition-in-the-Greenhouse-Float-System.pdf?fwd=no

https://darktobacco.ca.uky.edu/files/floatsystems-greenhousesweba.pdf

Field Fertilizer Recommendations

Fertility - Nutrients

Nitrogen Nitrogen (N). Nitrogen has a greater effect on tobacco yield and quality than any other nutrient. Too little nitrogen reduces yield and results in pale, slick cured leaf. Too much nitrogen may increase yield slightly but may also make mechanical harvesting and curing more difficult...

tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu

https://www.uky.edu/Ag/TobaccoProd/FactSheets/PDF/Revised%20Nitrogen%20Fertilizer%20Recommendations%20for%20Tobacco.pdf

Organic Fertilizer Recommendations

Nitrogen Fertility Management in Organic Tobacco Field Production | NC State Extension Publications

This publication provides recommendations for managing essential nutrient concentrations when growing organic tobacco in the field.

content.ces.ncsu.edu

Nitrogen Fertility Management in Organic Tobacco Greenhouse Production | NC State Extension Publications

This publication provides recommendations for managing essential nutrient concentrations when growing organic tobacco in greenhouses using a float system.

content.ces.ncsu.edu

Organic Tobacco: Better Ways to Get Off to a Good Start - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Interest in organic tobacco farming has been growing in recent years, and at NC State University, researchers are taking the guessing game out of one of the most important steps in production: how best to fertilize seedlings.

cals.ncsu.edu

 

[Knucklehead]

A useful collection of links from the University of Kentucky.

Tobacco

www.uky.edu

 

[Anders A]

Thank you.
Some don't add fertilizer at all. I use Miracle Grow Seed Starting mix potting soil that comes fortified with fertilizer. Due to the fertilizer already in the soil, I wouldn't recommend adding any additional fertilizer for a couple of weeks for fear of burning the seedlings. I added some because my lower leaves were starting to yellow, but as I noted in the above post, it was probably due to me not allowing the soil to dry up between waterings. Tobacco does not like it's feet to get too wet. I tend to react rather than anticipate (sometimes to my detriment). I will add some fertilizer if the leaves start turning pale. The more I baby the plants, the worse they look.
During the seedling stage, I use this fertilizer (sometimes). After they are in the ground I use a general purpose gardening fertilizer.

https://www.amazon.com/Grow-More-5270-Premium-1-25-Pound/dp/B000OVEB7I/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Urea+free+orchid+fertilizer&qid=1678154416&sr=8-5

Here are some fertilizer recommendations from major universities in tobacco growing regions here in the U.S.

Float tray recommendations:

https://tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Tobacco-Seedling-Nutrition-in-the-Greenhouse-Float-System.pdf?fwd=no

https://darktobacco.ca.uky.edu/files/floatsystems-greenhousesweba.pdf

Field Fertilizer Recommendations

Fertility - Nutrients

Nitrogen Nitrogen (N). Nitrogen has a greater effect on tobacco yield and quality than any other nutrient. Too little nitrogen reduces yield and results in pale, slick cured leaf. Too much nitrogen may increase yield slightly but may also make mechanical harvesting and curing more difficult...

tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu

https://www.uky.edu/Ag/TobaccoProd/FactSheets/PDF/Revised%20Nitrogen%20Fertilizer%20Recommendations%20for%20Tobacco.pdf

Organic Fertilizer Recommendations

Nitrogen Fertility Management in Organic Tobacco Field Production | NC State Extension Publications

This publication provides recommendations for managing essential nutrient concentrations when growing organic tobacco in the field.

content.ces.ncsu.edu

Nitrogen Fertility Management in Organic Tobacco Greenhouse Production | NC State Extension Publications

This publication provides recommendations for managing essential nutrient concentrations when growing organic tobacco in greenhouses using a float system.

content.ces.ncsu.edu

Organic Tobacco: Better Ways to Get Off to a Good Start - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Interest in organic tobacco farming has been growing in recent years, and at NC State University, researchers are taking the guessing game out of one of the most important steps in production: how best to fertilize seedlings.

cals.ncsu.edu

I guess it is with tobacco as with other crops that you can tell when the plant is not doing very well. Too little moisture, too much moisture, too little nutrition and too much nutrition will be visible on the plant, and only then is it time to do something about it.

This is what my plants look like right now, four days after I moved them to the plug tray. I think they look healthy and beautiful

 

[Knucklehead]

 

[Anders A]

Hi,

How long after you sow the seeds do you start cutting leaves? I'm thinking of trying to cut down the plants quite brutally and hard, what do you think about that?
Is it important to wait a while until the plants have taken off properly or can you start cutting leaves quite early?

Will you keep the plant in these plug trays until you plant them out?

 

[Knucklehead]

I start trimming the leaves when they start crowding and shading their neighbors. Usually just one leaf per plant the first time. I have been rather aggressive before, trimming as much as 2/3 off the leaf. This year I started trimming about half on one leaf the first round, then the second round I trimmed back a second leaf and had to trim the half leaf back even further because it had grown so much it was shading the neighbor again. Make sure not to cut the growth bud. I liked trimming just a half leaf the first time because you want enough leaf left to catch the light. As more leaves grow, you can trim further back. It's really just necessary to keep the leaves from shading the next cells and to trigger a defense mechanism in the plant. When I set the plants into the field, I snip off the lower leaves that were trimmed anyway and bury the plant deeper into to the ground. The nodes where the leaves were snipped off will become roots after they are buried.

I don't repot into bigger pots. I just leaves them in the cells until time to plant. About 2 weeks before last frost, I start moving them a little bit more each day into the sun and don't water for those two weeks to harden the plants and start getting them used to the outdoor environment. In the beginning, they will easily sunburn and even die, so keep an eye on them and slowly get them used to being outdoors.

 

[Anders A]

I start trimming the leaves when they start crowding and shading their neighbors. Usually just one leaf per plant the first time. I have been rather aggressive before, trimming as much as 2/3 off the leaf. This year I started trimming about half on one leaf the first round, then the second round I trimmed back a second leaf and had to trim the half leaf back even further because it had grown so much it was shading the neighbor again. Make sure not to cut the growth bud. I liked trimming just a half leaf the first time because you want enough leaf left to catch the light. As more leaves grow, you can trim further back. It's really just necessary to keep the leaves from shading the next cells and to trigger a defense mechanism in the plant. When I set the plants into the field, I snip off the lower leaves that were trimmed anyway and bury the plant deeper into to the ground. The nodes where the leaves were snipped off will become roots after they are buried.

I don't repot into bigger pots. I just leaves them in the cells until time to plant. About 2 weeks before last frost, I start moving them a little bit more each day into the sun and don't water for those two weeks to harden the plants and start getting them used to the outdoor environment. In the beginning, they will easily sunburn and even die, so keep an eye on them and slowly get them used to being outdoors.

Ok thanks. I usually put the plug trays on a trailer that I have in a carport, and then pull the whole trailer out for a while every day, longer and longer each day, and I do that for a couple of weeks, it has worked well. But this with cutting off the leaves hard, it will be a premiere for me this year. Should be exciting. There are only two varieties out of 12 that I will do that with, meaning cut down hard, the other 10 varieties will not have had time to grow as much before it is time to plant them out.

 

[Knucklehead]

Ok thanks. I usually put the plug trays on a trailer that I have in a carport, and then pull the whole trailer out for a while every day, longer and longer each day, and I do that for a couple of weeks, it has worked well. But this with cutting off the leaves hard, it will be a premiere for me this year. Should be exciting. There are only two varieties out of 12 that I will do that with, meaning cut down hard, the other 10 varieties will not have had time to grow as much before it is time to plant them out.

View attachment 45052

These seedlings were given a haircut two days ago. The uncut whole leaves in the photo now were too small for trimming then but will need trimming tomorrow or the day after. Some of the half leaves will need trimming back some more away from the neighboring cells.



By keeping the seedlings from shading one another, the plants don't have to grow so tall and spindly to find light. Mine stay close and compact to the soil while still finding plenty of light. The stalks will also begin to thicken to help support all the foliage and new growth coming on. Once you start trimming, they will surprise you how soon you need to trim again.

 

[Redleaf]

They are all deer. One is a mule deer from Colorado. The other are local whitetail. I haven't hunted in six or seven years.
I do have a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser carbine made by Husqvarna that is a dream to shoot. (I'm sure you are familiar) 17-1/2" original miltary carbine barrel, sporter stock, and I added peep sights, no scope. Light, fast, and maneuverable for woods. Great cartridge. I have 7x57 and 7.92x57 but that Swedish cartridge is one of the best all time for deer size game. I'm an oddball around here, though. My friends tote oversized magnums mounted with oversized target scopes for some weird reason.

Your comments about magnum rifles reminds me of my experience with hunting friends who all tell me I need to upgrade my Parker hale ww2 sporterized 303. I bug them about hunting deer with an elephant gun. I got this moose close to home this year with the 303.

 

[Knucklehead]

This is my second dose of fertilizer. I use a conductivity/TDS meter to determine how much fertilizer to use. 900 for burley, 750 for all the others. A commercial tobacco grower in Kentucky we call BigBonner recommended the meter. He uses it in his float trays in his greenhouses. It's made by Hanna.

 

[Knucklehead]

Your comments about magnum rifles reminds me of my experience with hunting friends who all tell me I need to upgrade my Parker hale ww2 sporterized 303. I bug them about hunting deer with an elephant gun. I got this moose close to home this year with the 303.

If you can't hit your target, caliber doesn't matter.
If you can hit your target, caliber doesn't matter.

 

[Alpine]

Amen to that brother!

pier

 

[Anders A]

This is my second dose of fertilizer. I use a conductivity/TDS meter to determine how much fertilizer to use. 900 for burley, 750 for all the others. A commercial tobacco grower in Kentucky we call BigBonner recommended the meter. He uses it in his float trays in his greenhouses. It's made by Hanna.

View attachment 45057

How does it work? Is it only the PH value it measures, or something more?

 

[Knucklehead]

It me

How does it work? Is it only the PH value it measures, or something more?

It measures the Total Dissolved Solids. The nutrients added to the water.

Total dissolved solids - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Anders A]

It me

It measures the Total Dissolved Solids. The nutrients added to the water.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_dissolved_solids#Measure

Do you also use it after you have put the plants out in the field, so you know when it is time to fertilize?

 

[Knucklehead]

Do you also use it after you have put the plants out in the field, so you know when it is time to fertilize?

I don't. Previously when I planted in the ground I fertilized with pelletized garden fertilizer based on a soil sample. This past year when I grew in grow bags I did use soluable fertilizer but I went with a measured dose, starting light. The seedlings were about two months old then and not as fragile. I just use the meter on young seedlings in the 1020 cells. The first time I fertilize in the trays I look for yellowing of the bottom leaves. I know then that they have used up the fertilizer that came in the soil. That took about a month this season.

edit: this season I waited until the round seed leaves and first true leaf had started to yellow. The seed leaves were totally yellow. After fertilizer the yellow leaves became green again over a period of a few days. They started regaining chlorophyl went from yellow to splotchy yellow/green to green. They look good now.

The tester measures the water and fertilizer, not the soil.