NewTobaccoGrower
Well-Known Member
Started a new grow on 21 June 2025, with a second batch starting two days later on 23 June, making this average Day #38 since seeding. Located in northcentral WV, about an hour and 15 minutes south of Pittsburgh.
Due to travel I was not able to start earlier. Planted over 20 varieties of tobacco, because I wanted to finally use aging seed, and wanted to see how many would survive (didn't think nearly as many would make it up here as opposed to my grow last year in Florida).
Of these, the Yellow Orinoco, Connecticut Broadleaf, and Silk Leaf never germinated. I should mention that this time I did not start them indoors strictly speaking, I started them in an unattached non-A/C garage, under the same VIPAR lights as gave me so much success last year in Florida. Not surprisingly, a couple of the pots were colonized by thick white fungus, but the seedlings seem to have "beaten" them and come out fine. However, I noticed that among those attacked by fungus were the "Hoss" seeds covered with the capsules, which only seem to retard germination. So, combined with the very slow to germinate Yellow Orinoco's never appearing, makes me believe that slow-to-germinate seeds don't do nearly as well in WV.
After the plants seemed too big for their small seedling pots, I transplanted them to Solo cups, just as I did before. This time, most of their roots were MUCH more entangled than they were in FL, and therefore even with wetting, I had to do MUCH more tearing which led me to believe many would not survive. To my surprise, ALL seedlings which went through my ordeal seem to have survived. Leaving me with a HUGE overabundance of plants (I kept about 4 of every variety).
A few I transplanted into the ground yesterday. But I noticed that the root structures were a LOT less developed and less massive than they were at this stage in Florida. So far they are doing well. The Connecticut Shade especially, is MASSIVE already.
If anyone is in the WV/southwestern PA/western MD/eastern Ohio area and would like some tobacco seedlings, I have many and of many varieties I am going to have to toss anyway.
If my calculations are correct, they'll be ready to harvest anywhere from late September to mid-October, which I'm hoping will still be warm enough around here.
(Cucumber, Luffa and Corn to the right of photo).
Due to travel I was not able to start earlier. Planted over 20 varieties of tobacco, because I wanted to finally use aging seed, and wanted to see how many would survive (didn't think nearly as many would make it up here as opposed to my grow last year in Florida).
Of these, the Yellow Orinoco, Connecticut Broadleaf, and Silk Leaf never germinated. I should mention that this time I did not start them indoors strictly speaking, I started them in an unattached non-A/C garage, under the same VIPAR lights as gave me so much success last year in Florida. Not surprisingly, a couple of the pots were colonized by thick white fungus, but the seedlings seem to have "beaten" them and come out fine. However, I noticed that among those attacked by fungus were the "Hoss" seeds covered with the capsules, which only seem to retard germination. So, combined with the very slow to germinate Yellow Orinoco's never appearing, makes me believe that slow-to-germinate seeds don't do nearly as well in WV.
After the plants seemed too big for their small seedling pots, I transplanted them to Solo cups, just as I did before. This time, most of their roots were MUCH more entangled than they were in FL, and therefore even with wetting, I had to do MUCH more tearing which led me to believe many would not survive. To my surprise, ALL seedlings which went through my ordeal seem to have survived. Leaving me with a HUGE overabundance of plants (I kept about 4 of every variety).
A few I transplanted into the ground yesterday. But I noticed that the root structures were a LOT less developed and less massive than they were at this stage in Florida. So far they are doing well. The Connecticut Shade especially, is MASSIVE already.
If anyone is in the WV/southwestern PA/western MD/eastern Ohio area and would like some tobacco seedlings, I have many and of many varieties I am going to have to toss anyway.
If my calculations are correct, they'll be ready to harvest anywhere from late September to mid-October, which I'm hoping will still be warm enough around here.
(Cucumber, Luffa and Corn to the right of photo).
