First Time Grower - Tobacco Lover Looking to Learn: @Alexander & Co.

[Alexander & Co.]

Hello everyone,


I’m new to growing tobacco and looking forward to learning from the experienced folks here. I’ve been a pipe smoker for about 12 years, and tend to gravitate toward Virginia-based blends—for my fellow pipe smokers out there, some of my favorites include Orlik Golden Sliced, Vauen No. 14 Flake, Escudo, HH Old Dark Fired, and (of course) the legendary McClelland 5100.

This year, I’m planning to try my hand at growing Brightleaf Virginia, and if I can find seeds, some Red Virginia as well. My long-term goal is to become consistent in producing quality leaf to use in my own blends, and hopefully experiment with curing and processing methods that bring out the deep, tangy, and toasty-sweet characteristics I love in a good Virginia flake.

Right now, I’m reading up on the forums and trying to find a good source for seeds. I welcome any advice you have on selecting good strains, processing methods, or any resources that might help. Also, if any of you pipe smokers out there have leads on a reliable source for Red Virginia seeds, I’d be grateful!

Looking forward to learning from you all.


Best,

Isaac Alexander

 

[wruk53]

Northwood Seeds Providing organically grown seed for home gardeners

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Feel free to start your own grow log in our Grow Blogs forum, once you begin. Do read the New Growers' FAQ, linked in the menu bar. You may wish to scan through the topics in our Index of key forum threads, also linked in the menu bar.

So called "Red Virginia" is most often just the upper leaves of any of the flue-cure Virginia varieties. Upper leaf flue-cures to a darker color than the lower leaf. Sometimes it is lower leaf that has been "double" flue-cured, or has been flue-cured, then kilned. For any home-grown Virginia to resemble what you expect from Virginia pipe tobacco, you will need to construct your own flue-cure chamber, and flue-cure the leaf (5-10 day process), rather than air-cure it.

Bob

 

[Alexander & Co.]

Welcome to the forum. Feel free to start your own grow log in our Grow Blogs forum, once you begin. Do read the New Growers' FAQ, linked in the menu bar. You may wish to scan through the topics in our Index of key forum threads, also linked in the menu bar.

So called "Red Virginia" is most often just the upper leaves of any of the flue-cure Virginia varieties. Upper leaf flue-cures to a darker color than the lower leaf. Sometimes it is lower leaf that has been "double" flue-cured, or has been flue-cured, then kilned. For any home-grown Virginia to resemble what you expect from Virginia pipe tobacco, you will need to construct your own flue-cure chamber, and flue-cure the leaf (5-10 day process), rather than air-cure it.

Bob

Great information. Thank you, Bob. It's obvious I have a lot to learn. Not sure if you're a pipe smoker yourself, or if you'd happen to have any suggestions regarding a specific seed to start with. I wouldn't mind growing more than one variety of Bright Leaf to compare.

(p.s. I saw somewhere else on the forums that you "wrote the book" on the subject. If that's true, I'd love to pick up a copy somewhere)

God Bless,

 

[deluxestogie]

book

near the top of our Index of Key Forum Threads.

Bob

EDIT: A reasonable collection of varieties to grow for pipe blending would be:

• any flue-cure Virginia
• any burley
• any Oriental
• any dark air-cured (my favorite is Little Yellow)

The Oriental is sun-cured, and if you don't build a flue-cure chamber, the flue-cure Virginia can also be sun-cured. In addition, each of those four can be cooked into a Cavendish, and can be pressure-cured into perique.

Bob

 

[johnny108]

Welcome!
The place for seeds is definitely

Northwood Seeds Providing organically grown seed for home gardeners

The owner of the company is on this forum (Skychaser): VERY good, top quality, and we all order from him. You send him an email with what you want, and your shipping address, he emails you back with a PayPal invoice, you pay it, he ships, and you generally have the seeds in 10 days.

You’ve got choices to make! Seeds are usually started 2 months before your last frost date, and kept indoors (windowsills, lights, or both) for 2 months of growing, before being planted outside.

 

[Alexander & Co.]

Welcome!
The place for seeds is definitely

Northwood Seeds Providing organically grown seed for home gardeners

The owner of the company is on this forum (Skychaser): VERY good, top quality, and we all order from him. You send him an email with what you want, and your shipping address, he emails you back with a PayPal invoice, you pay it, he ships, and you generally have the seeds in 10 days.

You’ve got choices to make! Seeds are usually started 2 months before your last frost date, and kept indoors (windowsills, lights, or both) for 2 months of growing, before being planted outside.

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm looking forward to giving it a shot! Ordering seeds today.

 

[Alexander & Co.]

near the top of our Index of Key Forum Threads.

Bob

EDIT: A reasonable collection of varieties to grow for pipe blending would be:

• any flue-cure Virginia
• any burley
• any Oriental
• any dark air-cured (my favorite is Little Yellow)

The Oriental is sun-cured, and if you don't build a flue-cure chamber, the flue-cure Virginia can also be sun-cured. In addition, each of those four can be cooked into a Cavendish, and can be pressure-cured into perique.

Bob

Excellent information. Thanks again. I had no idea you were such a prolific writer, sir. I'll add you to my reading list.

 

[Alpine]

Welcome to FTT

pier

 

[Knucklehead]

Welcome. Thank you for joining us.

 

[Knucklehead]

My top four flue cured varieties.
Costello is a great flue that also has the rare ability to make a good stand alone enjoyable smoke but also plays well in a blend.
Reams 158 is my favorite.
GL939 is great.
Cherry Red also great.

 

[WillQuantrill]

Welcome to the neighborhood! I have found that when it comes to all things tobacco, rarely I get an idea or question that has not been brought up in these forums.

 

[deluxestogie]

...question that has not been brought up in these forums

If a tobacco² + b tobacco + c = 0,

then what is the tobacco variety?

Bob

 

[ProZachJ]

Broken Triange