Bottenslams 2023 grow

[Bottenslam]

They all look perfectly maintained, as though you walk that tobacco twice each day.

Bob

Thanks! I go about once a week, I guess conditions there are quite favorable, no real pests, seldom hard winds, climate change has Been quite kind on Finland etc.
Weeds are controlled mainly by deep digging the fieald before planting, at the parts i started this year lots is popping up, but the once i started last year is quite under controll.

 

[Bottenslam]

Or, its been kind on tobacco growing atleast.


Speaking of weeding, I cant recommend this tool enough. Long handel(dont need to crouch down) and a somewhat sharp blade, used to whack the weeds just under the surface of the dirt, cutting plant of its roots. Very effective against most weeds, and for the ones that just shoots a new shoot from the roots I find that the simplicity of wacking them makes up for having to do it multiple times.

 

[Bottenslam]

About a week since last time, their still growing well. Thinking of topping them in an week or 2

 

[Bottenslam]

Picked the suckers, i will get better pictures when i manage to get there once its not raining. Lots of rainy here now.

Alida in The foreground, in background you can see latkia and rotfront growing significantly taler.
Mystery "Virginia" growing in a mosterous fasion, with bizare leaf shape. Its like the leaf is bigger than the rim of The leaf, causing it to turn invards. The "Virginia" has recived same nutrients as all other plants, and behave the same on all spots it has been planted.

 

[Knucklehead]

Picked the suckers, i will get better pictures when i manage to get there once its not raining. Lots of rainy here now.
View attachment 47334
Alida in The foreground, in background you can see latkia and rotfront growing significantly taler.
Mystery "Virginia" growing in a mosterous fasion, with bizare leaf shape. Its like the leaf is bigger than the rim of The leaf, causing it to turn invards. The "Virginia" has recived same nutrients as all other plants, and behave the same on all spots it has been planted.

My Virginias are doing the same thing. I gave up on trying to coax them back into shape. It doesn't seem to be affecting anything.

 

[Bottenslam]

My Virginias are doing the same thing. I gave up on trying to coax them back into shape. It doesn't seem to be affecting anything.

Yeah its strange, tho i think its probably genetic in My case, The "Virginias" Arent actually Virginia, all n. Tubakum is refered to as Virginiatobak in Swedish. Its seeds of some fast groving variety i took from the local botanical garden. they have most likely been openly polinated for no idea how long. Low yeald and lots of stem, but it was the first plants n. Tubakum i grew successfully so i Guess im a bit nostalgic about them.

 

[Bottenslam]

New toy

Since the season is short and tolerances narrow i decided to get a new light for starting the seedlings. 300w should do it i think.

 

[Bottenslam]

As we are about one month away from first frost around these parts i spent yesterday bagging and topping the plants.



The main crop of rusticas are sadly lacking behind, but hopefully they still have time to catch up, as I've been making My snus with 1/3 parts rustika. Last year i didn't harvest any, im running out soon.

Some stems broak of when I tried to straigten them, so i suppose curing season has started.

 

[Anders A]

Looks really great

 

[Bottenslam]

Had our first late summer storm, but not alot of damage. Only The rotfront has really been affected, but they where kind of beaten by the rain and wind already.

Its a bit of a shame tho. As Rotfront was one of my best growing varietys, anybody else had this problem with rotfront?

Sadly the plant i had bagged blew down, hopefully ill get some seeds Still.

The row of old Swedish tobaccos, Alida, Tofta and Per-Pers



Havested the yellow leaves.

It was said theres a big stom coming, hopefully the plants will be fine. Im away on a trip to Riga at the time of the storm, so that is horrifying.

 

[Bottenslam]

Storm thankfully didn't hit.

I would like the plants to be displaying more signs of maturity at this point, but hopefully they will be fine. I havent had time to go look at them during daylight, so hopefully they are better of than it has appered.

Rusticas are slowely coming along. Still got about a month to go here, so mabey theres a chance for them.

 

[Bottenslam]

Enjoying some Alida mudlugs with Tofta(Also mudlug) binder in the fieald. Makes for a unexpectedly smooth smoke.

 

[Homegrowngoodnes]

You're thankful the storm missed you. My area needs a good soaking rain. The weather has been unusually dry for the area! We need a steady rain for 3 to 4 hours, not torrential for 20-30 minutes and not light drizzle all day! After the soaking, it can resume its afternoon tstorm with torrents of rain!

 

[Bottenslam]

You're thankful the storm missed you. My area needs a good soaking rain. The weather has been unusually dry for the area! We need a steady rain for 3 to 4 hours, not torrential for 20-30 minutes and not light drizzle all day! After the soaking, it can resume its afternoon tstorm with torrents of rain!

I sure am. We have had quite a good summer here, to dry in the firsth month, after that quite okay, bit cold but a good mix of Sun and rain.
Sadly its starting to end now, always to soon...
I forgot to take pictures, but the plants are starting to show signs of maturation. That to is bitter sweet. Uff, enough of melancolic rambelings i suppose

 

[Patriotguy]

Enjoying some Alida mudlugs with Tofta(Also mudlug) binder in the fieald. Makes for a unexpectedly smooth smoke.

I always panic a little when I don't get much flavor out of the mudlugs but then I remember these are the bottom leaves, they haven't truly been fermented either. I do notice it is normally smooth with very faint hints of any flavor from any type I grow if I'm in the mood for a mudlug sandwhich.

 

[Bottenslam]

Exuse the poor pictures. Forgot to take some and it turned dark before i realiced.

Orientals blooming, and a bagged Rotfront behind them.

I think i broke new grund in the foreground therefore The pale alidas, i suspect. Per-Pers just out of picture is displaying similar problems in the beguinning of the row.

Yellowing leaves harvested and to be hang at the cottage.
2 rotfronts that broke of are also gettinge hanged. Anybody else had this problem with Rotfront? Seems like where their roots conect to the stem is clearly weaker than other tobaccos...
Its a shame, as it seems to be a really well producing tobacco, or atleast sutable for growing here.

 

[deluxestogie]

At the base of the stalk, where the Rot Front has broken, is there any indication of browning or tiny holes in the stalk? Is the color of the stalk pith light or dark?

I'm thinking of insect or nematode damage.

Bob

 

[Bottenslam]

Nothing out of the ordinairy that i can see. Pith looks healthy, light in colour.. might just be because i grow mainly in sand, they might not havet gotten a sterdy base, and being some of My biggest plants, wind might have affected them the most. Not as single one of them is standing up properly.

 

[ariev]

At the base of the stalk, where the Rot Front has broken, is there any indication of browning or tiny holes in the stalk? Is the color of the stalk pith light or dark?

I'm thinking of insect or nematode damage.

Bob

Nematode damage would be very unlikely in Northern Europe. The summers are too mild for it to reproduce. It is only present in some parts of the Mediterranean on this side of the Atlantic (Italy, Spain, Greece and southern France)

Edit: the ones that attack tobacco plants, I mean. Other nematodes are common

 

[Bottenslam]

Tobaccos hanging to colour cure at the cottage.
Trying it inside now, as outside is quite cold, it seems to take very long there. I got no heating on, only heat is from cooking.