Oldfellas 2020 grow blog

[plantdude]

No not yet I will need my daughter come up and help, she's doing a carpenter course so needs practice, I need help anyway. I'm not able to lift the cladding owing to health reasons. Once we get the walls and stuff hanging it won't take long to finish. I'm busy yellowing now and still have to get the last of crop in. I grow most of the year up here so there's no rush. I guess being surrounded by water gives us a microclimate. If I remember I'll try to get a pic of my patches tomorrow. I've done the first pick already, these are the leftovers.
Oldfella

That's good your daughters around to help you. I think one of the happiest days of my life was when I finally handed the lawn mower to my boy and said go for it. It's nice when the kids are finally old enough to help out and actually be useful

Just out of curiosity since your are growing year round, do you rotate your growing locations from year to year or grow a non tobacco crop on them part of the year? Just asking since the area I'm planning to prep to grow in next year is going to be about the only place in the yard that is not shaded by trees and I'm wondering if I'm going to run into issues from growing in the same spot multiple years.

 

[Knucklehead]

That's good your daughters around to help you. I think one of the happiest days of my life was when I finally handed the lawn mower to my boy and said go for it. It's nice when the kids are finally old enough to help out and actually be useful

Just out of curiosity since your are growing year round, do you rotate your growing locations from year to year or grow a non tobacco crop on them part of the year? Just asking since the area I'm planning to prep to grow in next year is going to be about the only place in the yard that is not shaded by trees and I'm wondering if I'm going to run into issues from growing in the same spot multiple years.

If you are far enough South, you could possibly grow two crops or let a sucker grow from the base of each plant after harvest and let that sucker grow into another main stalk.

Regrow from Stalk or Plant new - sucker crop?

Hi, This is the one area I have not been able to find a clear answer to although I am not at this stage yet. Once all leaves have been stripped from the stalks which is my best option. (a) Pull out stalk and plant a new plant or (b) Let the suckers/leaves continue to grow on...

fairtradetobacco.com

 

[plantdude]

Thanks that thread helped. I've let a few regrow from suckers already - mainly for collecting seed. I figured leaf quality would suffer a little just judging by the way the plant looked, what Bob said confirms this. I still will save the leaves though. I notice some of the suckers actually look better than some of the main plants which had been mostly indoor grown in smaller pots. We pretty much have a little over a six month growing season here so if I get my act together next year and time things properly I should be able to do two plantings If I push it.

 

[Knucklehead]

Thanks that thread helped. I've let a few regrow from suckers already - mainly for collecting seed. I figured leaf quality would suffer a little just judging by the way the plant looked, what Bob said confirms this. I still will save the leaves though. I notice some of the suckers actually look better than some of the main plants which had been mostly indoor grown in smaller pots. We pretty much have a little over a six month growing season here so if I get my act together next year and time things properly I should be able to do two plantings If I push it.

In terms of quality, I imagine a cigar smoker to be a little more picky than a cigarette smoker. A cigar consisting of four or five leaves will see a greater quality difference if one leaf (20-25% of the cigar) is of lesser quality. A cigarette smoker that shreds dozens of leaves at a time in a blend may not notice so much if a few are a little less flavorful.

 

[Oldfella]

That's good your daughters around to help you. I think one of the happiest days of my life was when I finally handed the lawn mower to my boy and said go for it. It's nice when the kids are finally old enough to help out and actually be useful

Just out of curiosity since your are growing year round, do you rotate your growing locations from year to year or grow a non tobacco crop on them part of the year? Just asking since the area I'm planning to prep to grow in next year is going to be about the only place in the yard that is not shaded by trees and I'm wondering if I'm going to run into issues from growing in the same spot multiple years.

I have grown in the same place for about 7-8 years. I plant a row and the next season move one row over.
So effectively each row gets a three year rest. I use plenty of sheep's pellets and compost, so far it's worked out great.
I only need to get one grow per year and that's enough for me. The reason for two is, seed collection, new varieties to tryout, I usually test them in my pipe. I have about 36 or so varieties so it's going to take a while, nevermind it's all good fun. As to advising you it's depending on your growing conditions, others closer to your area maybe more help. You could maybe place a bit better description in your profile, I'm sure someone will help you with that. Oh yeah both my kids live almost at the bottom of the North island and they only come up to give me a hand. I still cut the grass and I like to do it.( Naturally I have a ride on, I couldn't push one.)
Oldfella

 

[plantdude]

In terms of quality, I imagine a cigar smoker to be a little more picky than a cigarette smoker. A cigar consisting of four or five leaves will see a greater quality difference if one leaf (20-25% of the cigar) is of lesser quality. A cigarette smoker that shreds dozens of leaves at a time in a blend may not notice so much if a few are a little less flavorful.

I was going going for cigar quality but I think most of that is out for this year. I'm not a big tobacco user, maybe a cigar every week or two. Once or twice a year I have a pack of smokes or a can of chewing tobacco (hunting season and birthday), but I find the commercial brands too addictive so I try to avoid them. I notice a huge difference with homemade chewing tobacco. It's pleasant and I don't feel urge to keep using more and more after I finish a can. I would love to make my own cigars. I can only imagine the growing (what must get sprayed on them) and storage conditions from some of the tobacco coming from third world countries...

 

[Oldfella]

Thanks that thread helped. I've let a few regrow from suckers already - mainly for collecting seed. I figured leaf quality would suffer a little just judging by the way the plant looked, what Bob said confirms this. I still will save the leaves though. I notice some of the suckers actually look better than some of the main plants which had been mostly indoor grown in smaller pots. We pretty much have a little over a six month growing season here so if I get my act together next year and time things properly I should be able to do two plantings If I push it.

Check out my 2019 Blog. There you can see what I have done re suckers. Unfortunately I lost track of it. Ambulance came and took me to the hospital for a 5 week holiday. When I got home I was unable to tell which one I done. Never mind
Oldfella

 

[plantdude]

Looks like the first part of 2019 was going well for you anyway. Gotta avoid those surprise vacations though. I hope you have fully recovered.

 

[Oldfella]

Looks like the first part of 2019 was going well for you anyway. Gotta avoid those surprise vacations though. I hope you have fully recovered.

Sorry for the late reply. I lost track of what I was up to. The holiday wasn't fun but as the country was in Lock down I was about the only patient they had to play with. I got all the specialists and I don't know what they done as I was out of it most of the time. Nevermind I have started my 2020-2021 Blog. And a kiln build so it's all good. Be a while before I can do too much as I crash in the afternoon, run out of steam. My steroids are being reduced monthly to my maintenance dose, it's going to take a while as they have do it slow. Any way enough of that.
Oldfella

 

[Oldfella]

Spent yesterday sorting out my baccy seeds. Got them all tucked up and into their little bottles.


I've got about 32 varieties so that's going to give me something to play with. Not sure what I will plant next season. I'd better make up my mind though as it will be time to start sowing the seeds soon. I'll have to give it some thought while I'm playing with the kiln.

 

[deluxestogie]

Fortunately, you are way more youthful than me, so you'll find it easier to remember all the info about your seeds. All of my hundreds of varieties of seed are labeled by variety name, year the seed was produced, and the source of the seed. They are stored in multiple water sport dry boxes (each with a packet of desiccant), inside a dorm size fridge. What I failed to do early on was create a written index of which varieties were in which of the seven or eight jam-packed dry boxes. The contents of the boxes were chronological (e.g. all my 2010 varieties are together), but I can no longer recall which particular year I stored seed for any particular variety. So it has resulted in a 20 to 30 minute search per variety, in some instances. One of these days...

Bob

 

[Oldfella]

Fortunately, you are way more youthful than me, so you'll find it easier to remember all the info about your seeds. All of my hundreds of varieties of seed are labeled by variety name, year the seed was produced, and the source of the seed. They are stored in multiple water sport dry boxes (each with a packet of desiccant), inside a dorm size fridge. What I failed to do early on was create a written index of which varieties were in which of the seven or eight jam-packed dry boxes. The contents of the boxes were chronological (e.g. all my 2010 varieties are together), but I can no longer recall which particular year I stored seed for any particular variety. So it has resulted in a 20 to 30 minute search per variety, in some instances. One of these days...

Bob

Ooopsy ,,!!! Guess what? Maybe I'm not as youthful as you think. I must create a written list of what is what and what was planted . Of course I was going to do that, yeah right. If I don't I'll end up planting the same ones that I had last season.
I don't know what we would do without you to keep us on track Bob, but it's much appreciated thank you.
Old forgetful fella.

 

[deluxestogie]

Well...it's the same thing with tobacco starts in a seedling tray, transplants in a garden bed or hand-rolled cigars in a humidor. We can all remember that Criollo is on the left and Corojo is on the right. But that never seems to clarify things when any uncertainty (Professor Murphy!) is introduced.

Bob

 

[Oldfella]

A real snoty day here in NZ, rain wind yuk.

What I done today,

Good job I did.


Probably only Lost
1lb (454g) so no drama. I will get another pick off them if the weather will let me.

 

[plantdude]

A real snoty day here in NZ, rain wind yuk.
View attachment 32139
What I done today,
View attachment 32140
Good job I did.
View attachment 32141 View attachment 32142

Probably only Lost
1lb (454g) so no drama. I will get another pick off them if the weather will let me.

All that digital,stuff make the plants look like they are on life support.
I certainly don't mean any offense but am asking for personal advice, the top leaf in the last two pics appears slightly moldy with white stuff. Am I seeing things or is that the leaf your are referring to as losing?

 

[Oldfella]

All that digital,stuff make the plants look like they are on life support.
I certainly don't mean any offense but am asking for personal advice, the top leaf in the last two pics appears slightly moldy with white stuff. Am I seeing things or is that the leaf your are referring to as losing?

MOLD that's what is. I put those ones up so you can see what mold looks like. The first one is white mold and the next one is blue. Don't know the exact name, Bob probably does. If I only had two leaves that would be great, but no I'm afraid I have 450 grams about half of my storage bag. All of the other bags are OK. So it pays to look at it often at least until you can be certain that all is good in hood. The digitals you see are just me playing with my kiln humidity and heat controllers, they just happened to be in the frame. Oh yeah
You could say that the plants are on life support.

 

[plantdude]

I didn't want to accuse of you moldy plants since pictures sometimes lie and I wasn't sure if that's what you were trying to show.. That sets my mind at ease, I've hand my share of moldy and green drying plats this year as well. I've been chalking it up to climate change and my pretend like open air curing kiln (i.e. color curing on the back porch).
I wish there was a use for wasted baccy besides bug spray.

 

[Oldfella]

I didn't want to accuse of you moldy plants since pictures sometimes lie and I wasn't sure if that's what you were trying to show.. That sets my mind at ease, I've hand my share of moldy and green drying plats this year as well. I've been chalking it up to climate change and my pretend like open air curing kiln (i.e. color curing on the back porch).
I wish there was a use for wasted baccy besides bug spray.

My moldy leafs is due to carelessness. I should have checked them sooner then I would have caught it in time.

 

[Knucklehead]

My moldy leafs is due to carelessness. I should have checked them sooner then I would have caught it in time.

Pssst. Dude. Blame it on a bad dehumidifier. I got away with it.

 

[plantdude]

My moldy leafs is due to carelessness. I should have checked them sooner then I would have caught it in time.

It sure doesn't take long to form under the right conditions. I notice some of my plants are a lot worse about it than others. My perique variety seems to be especially sensitive to it.