Wruk53 2022 grow log

[wruk53]

I have a whole lot of brown spot this crop, more so than I've had in the past. I've pruned off over a hundred leaves because off it. I'm going to try to cure them just to see how they turn out. Also, the plants and leaf are smaller in general than last years fall crop. I think next year I'll start about a month later than I did this time. It's just too hot and humid this time of year. Temps and humidity have been in the mid 90's and will probably stay that way at least for the next several weeks.
I topped the SSBM yesterday and bagged one of the Bucak. I'll probably top the Bucak next week.

 

[wruk53]

Little Dutch seedlings started on the 31st, thinned a few days ago.

 

[wruk53]

My Shirazi crop is a failure this time. I included a pic from last year's fall crop. The last year photo was at 31 days. Today's photo is at 39 days. The only thing I did differently this time was the type of mulch I used. I normally buy pure cypress mulch, but this time I bought pro cypress mulch, which contains a lot of other forest products along with the cypress. I'll be throwing these over the fence, probably tomorrow.

 

[deluxestogie]

Maybe they just need a bit of additional fertilizer. I assume you have plenty of rain. There's always time to throw them out later. Also, with some Orientals, stressful growing conditions lead to more intense aroma.

I should add that my Prilep 66-9/7 this year was kind of stunted—until the late summer. If you look at the latest photo in my grow log, you'll see 5'+ stalks that I just cut. The first stalk cuttings were much shorter.

Bob

 

[wruk53]

I think it's a combination of issues. We've had an extra wet rainy season, with the rain starting late in the afternoons and then drizzling 4 or 5 hours into the overnight period. I've had more diseased leaves than ever before. Also, the mulch I used is a finer cut with a lot of unknown added vegetation, it is decomposing rapidly. I believe this has put the ph outside of the desired range. I haven't checked it, so it's just a guess. The compacting of the decomposing mulch also affects the drainage and aeration of the roots. I'll never buy anything besides pure cypress again.
Anyway, I'll give them a few more weeks and see what happens.

 

[wruk53]

Hello everyone. Today is 10 weeks from transplant for the Bucak and SSBM. Six weeks for the Shirazi.
I've primed quite a few leaves early due to brown spot. They are at least mature, if not ripe, they snapped off easily.
The humidity is running very high, so I shouldn't have any problems color curing them. I'll probably have to dry the leaf inside the house. The air conditioner removes most of the humidity and in just a few days they will be dry as a bone.
My papayas are about 9 feet tall now and the female is loaded with fruit. It will be a few weeks before any is ripe enough to pick.
Bucak looks like it will be a heavy yielder, it's taller and has larger leaves than any variety I've grown so far.
My little dutch seedlings are doing good.

 

[deluxestogie]

I have only scant data on Bucak. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take a few measurements on your Bucak:

• Days to Maturity: (50% of plants with at least one blossom - from date of transplant)
• Plant Height: (average to the bottom of the crowfoot)
• Leaf Length: (of average 10th leaf)
• Leaf Width: (of average 10th leaf)
• Leaf Count: (average of useable leaves)

Bob

 

[wruk53]

I can't give you a good answer for the days to maturity because I topped them at the button stage at about 56 days. The one plant that I bagged was forming buds about a week before the rest of them, so it's not really representative. Same thing for the height. The average main stem height is 32 inches, but that's just where I decided to top them so they wouldn't get too tall and start blowing over. The average length and width of the 10th leaf is 18 inches by 9 inches. Average leaf count is 18. I have no doubt that they would be much larger if planted in good soil and in the ground instead of containers.

 

[deluxestogie]

Thank you. That is helpful. I now have a range of values for some measurements, rather than just a single number. A range is always more reflective of reality than a specific number. In some varieties, the leaf measurements I could locate look suspiciously like bottom leaf measurements, and plant height measurements to the tippy top of the seed head. Of course, they are all valid measurements. But without a standard approach, they cannot be compared.

Every bit helps form a better picture.

Bob

 

[wruk53]

This is a regular occurrence for this time of year. This was from 1.5 inches of rain.

 

[wruk53]

Today, 1.8 inches and still drizzling.

 

[deluxestogie]

Your tobacco is perfectly located on an island. As long as the roots are not submerged, tobacco loves plentiful of water.

Bob

 

[wruk53]

I think they're okay so far, a few more days of this and they might not be. There are a few things in play here. First of all, we've had so much rain this season that the water table is right at the surface. Second of all, my neighbor put in some fill between his home and mine, causing the runoff to go toward the back off the property instead of the front where it would drain to the canal at the end of the Street. I believe I'll plant a few months later next year and not try to grow 3 crops. If worse comes to worse, I could probably go ahead, and stalk harvest this crop and still get a decent yield.

 

[deluxestogie]

Isn't Naples only about 3 or 4 feet above sea level?

Bob

 

[wruk53]

I live 20 miles east of Naples in Golden Gate Estates, the average elevation in this area is almost 10 feet. I don't know what it is in the city.

 

[tullius]

Florida is the flattest state in the USA, and regularly has great takeoff angles of radiation for radio antennas, as well as a great ground plane with the saturation rate of the ground. Dunno what this does for tobacco, but I'd take it here

 

[wruk53]

I gave my Little Dutch seedlings a haircut yesterday and set up my containers this morning. I'll probably transplant them in about a week or ten days.

 

[Knucklehead]

I gave my Little Dutch seedlings a haircut yesterday and set up my containers this morning. I'll probably transplant them in about a week or ten days.

Henry Ford would approve of your tobacco assembly line. You have it down to a science.

 

[deluxestogie]

Time to make plans.

It's still 5 days out, so the path is vague.

Bob

 

[wruk53]

Time to make plans.

It's still 5 days out, so the path is vague.

Bob

I went out this morning and filled all my gas cans and refilled 2 propane tanks. My wife bought batteries, bottled water, canned goods, etc. yesterday. I have a small generator so we can keep our food cold and run some lights and fans. The projected path of the storm looks similar to Irma in 2017. I had to replace my roof after that one and we were without power for about 10 days. It's pretty scary to hear your shingles flapping in the wind and watching them sail away. I'm as ready as I can be, just have to hunker down and hope for the best.