Tobaccofieldsforever 2021 Grow Log

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

So I didn't think I would be able to grow anything this year because I didn't have any seed started in a reasonable enough time. Today I was at a farm market near my house and they were selling tobacco plants. I think they had 9 plants total for sale, I bought six (1.99/plant). 3 Virginia Gold and 3 Virginia Bright Leaf. So I guess that's what I'm growing this season. Anybody ever grown these (I assume they are pretty standard tobacco plants) and have any tips or suggestions? I will be limited to air curing this season as well unless I build a flue curing chamber in the meantime.

(Those are tomato plants on the top rack)

 

[Knucklehead]

So I didn't think I would be able to grow anything this year because I didn't have any seed started in a reasonable enough time. Today I was at a farm market near my house and they were selling tobacco plants. I think they had 9 plants total for sale, I bought six (1.99/plant). 3 Virginia Gold and 3 Virginia Bright Leaf. So I guess that's what I'm growing this season. Anybody ever grown these (I assume they are pretty standard tobacco plants) and have any tips or suggestions? I will be limited to air curing this season as well unless I build a flue curing chamber in the meantime.
View attachment 36606
(Those are tomato plants on the top rack)

I grew both and liked them. I’m awful at describing flavors, to me, describing flavors is like describing colors over the telephone. A better description than I could provide will be found on Skychasers seed website:

Northwood Seeds Providing organically grown seed for home gardeners

 

[Oldfella]

So I didn't think I would be able to grow anything this year because I didn't have any seed started in a reasonable enough time. Today I was at a farm market near my house and they were selling tobacco plants. I think they had 9 plants total for sale, I bought six (1.99/plant). 3 Virginia Gold and 3 Virginia Bright Leaf. So I guess that's what I'm growing this season. Anybody ever grown these (I assume they are pretty standard tobacco plants) and have any tips or suggestions? I will be limited to air curing this season as well unless I build a flue curing chamber in the meantime.
View attachment 36606
(Those are tomato plants on the top rack)

I also grow Virginia gold and like it. It's my main crop, sun cures easy and can be smoked straight away. Aging only improves it. Enjoy. Oldfella

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

I also grow Virginia gold and like it. It's my main crop, sun cures easy and can be smoked straight away. Aging only improves it. Enjoy. Oldfella

I've heard that about virginia gold. I think I watched a youtube video where a guy was harvesting (priming) some of his leaves and the bottom leaves were ready to smoke as he claimed while the rest of the leaves were still green...interesting.

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

Update: I will now be growing 13 plants this season. 5 gold, 5 bright, 3 burley. I know it's late getting them in but I'm happy to have something to grow at all:

 

[Oldfella]

Update: I will now be growing 13 plants this season. 5 gold, 5 bright, 3 burley. I know it's late getting them in but I'm happy to have something to grow at all:
View attachment 36697

Hi, I don't suppose you know what Burley you have, some of them are OK as soon as they are dried. I have tried Yellow twist bud, Harrow velvet, and Golden Harvest. Not perfect but acceptable. However all tobacco's only get better with curing and aging. Your plants are looking good get them in the ground (or in pots) as soon as possible and I'm sure that they will be fine. Best of luck with them.
Oldfella

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

Hi, I don't suppose you know what Burley you have, some of them are OK as soon as they are dried. I have tried Yellow twist bud, Harrow velvet, and Golden Harvest. Not perfect but acceptable. However all tobacco's only get better with curing and aging. Your plants are looking good get them in the ground (or in pots) as soon as possible and I'm sure that they will be fine. Best of luck with them.
Oldfella

I wish I knew what kind of burley it was. I was going to ask the worker at the farm market but I know she would have no idea because she had no clue about any of the other questions I had asked her already so I just let it be. I would have to get a hold of the owner of the place who purchased and started the seeds at their other location in the greenhouse. They said they initially started 500 or so seeds and not a single one of them came up AT ALL and that is why the plants are late this year. She said they are probably going to go with a different seed supplier because of that and I am going to recommend Northwood to her. As far as Burley goes, I will most likely use it in small amounts for blends or cavendish a lot of it for use. I will try to find out what kind of burley it is but I suspect it may have only been sold to them as "burley" otherwise they probably would have listed the name as they are very good about that kind of thing. It has been a strange year for them they said. They have had a lot of trouble getting seed that is usually very plentiful (king arthur bell peppers for example). Again, I'm thinking maybe telling her about Northwood for all of her seed needs...HA! I'm waiting for the ground to dry up a little bit before I plant my tobacco. We have had A LOT of rain lately and looks like we may get more in next 5 days or so so I will have to figure something out. Good luck with your crops @Oldfella !

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

I have had a few days of high winds and rain here. Two of my brightleaf plants had leaves that snapped near the main stalk. The main rib of the leaf is broken near the stalk but the leaf is still connected by lamina and whatever part of the mid rib that is holding on. I removed these leaves completely at the break but now I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't have. I'm posting this because I now noticed the same thing has happened to one of my VA gold plants larger leaves near the bottom. The leaf is just laying in the dirt while the others are positioned upright. I'm debating whether I should remove a leaf that I know will be trash so my plant doesn't waste nutrients and water/energy on it or leave it to help the plant gather light, be a pest decoy etc... What do people think?? Also, my dad said it sounds like I may have a cutworm issue but I spread DE before any of this happened. How often does DE need re-applied?

 

[deluxestogie]

I usually leave a broken leaf on the plant. It can always be discarded at harvest time. The plant itself regulates the distribution of nutrients, abandoning the lower leaves, as the upper plant grows. That's why we see maturation starting in leaves at the bottom of the stalk.

Bob

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

I usually leave a broken leaf on the plant. It can always be discarded at harvest time. The plant itself regulates the distribution of nutrients, abandoning the lower leaves, as the upper plant grows. That's why we see maturation starting in leaves at the bottom of the stalk.

Bob

Ah, thank you very much! Good to know!

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

I noticed this on one of my brightleaf seedlings that I haven't planted yet. It is kind of a backup for field mortality. So far I've had 100% survival rate though. Anyway, I keep these seedlings (they are around 5 inches tall now) on a rack with wheels and wheel them outside during the day and back into the barn at night. It was windy and rainy (1/2 inch) the day I noticed these spots. This is a lower leaf on the plant and the only leaf I noticed with these spots on it. I'm thinking maybe wind damage?? I don't know.

 

[Knucklehead]

Possibly blue mold:

blue mold Peronospora tabacina D.B. Adam

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

Possibly blue mold:

blue mold Peronospora tabacina D.B. Adam

maybe, I don't know. The edges of my spots seem smaller and more defined than those pics. It's almost a silverish color too. Should I be concerned? Will it spread to other plants? Should I destroy this plant or is it still usable? Sorry for freaking out, I've just never really seen anything like it and it happened all at once out of nowhere unless I just didn't notice it happening.

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

It's like it has eaten away at the lamina and made an indent where the spots appear on both sides of the leaf. The leaf is very thin where the spots are. Almost to the point of making it transparent.

 

[deluxestogie]

There are many possible explanations for the spots of chlorosis and necrosis that appear in your photo. Could be microbial. Could be sun-scald from water droplets. I would be inclined to ignore it, unless you actually witness expansion or spread to other leaves or plants. Plan B would be to just snap off that one leaf, and sleep well at night.

Bob

 

[Alpine]

I would simply cut that leaf, throw it away (it would be useless anyway for smoking) and, as Bob said, sleep well at night.

pier

 

[Oldfella]

I would say Sun scald. As Alpine says, if it's a bother then, cut it off and chuck it out. Sometimes things like this happen, for no real reason. Sleep well and have a great grow.
Oldfella

 

[deluxestogie]

I think that "for no real reason" is Kiwi shorthand for "a very real reason which will go unexplained, in the absence of a series of diagnostic laboratory tests, but doesn't look particularly worrisome at the moment."

We learn all sorts of lessons from each growing season. One of the most valuable bits that we eventually begin to feel more confident about is what signs are truly worrisome.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

I think that "for no real reason" is Kiwi shorthand for "a very real reason which will go unexplained, in the absence of a series of diagnostic laboratory tests, but doesn't look particularly worrisome at the moment."

We learn all sorts of lessons from each growing season. One of the most valuable bits that we eventually begin to feel more confident about is what signs are truly worrisome.

Bob

I‘m glad you explained that last part, I no habla Kiwi.

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

Ha, thank you everyone. Yes, I'm trying to not worry about every little thing that happens to them or about how the weather isn't how I would like it to be. I am however, developing a passionate hatred for slugs. My plants are doing very well though in spite of the nasty little things.