Tips on Growing Tobacco and Making a Blend.

[Bosnian piper]

Yes, we used to have the guy who kept that forum going on here as well. It is a good resource.

We’ve actually had several other experienced tobacco growers on here over the years.

Also when did you plant your tobbaco plants before summer or in the middle of summer or in a specific time during the summer? When would be the most optimal time?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You need to get busy starting seeds in trays NOW. You will set them out after the last frost.
You cannot directly sow tobaccos, because the seeds are microscopic and so will be the seedlings for the first few weeks.

 

[Bosnian piper]

Yes, we used to have the guy who kept that forum going on here as well. It is a good resource.

We’ve actually had several other experienced tobacco growers on here over the years.

What type of container did you store it in? And if I'm storing it in a tin can should I pit it in a plastic bag then put it in the tin or should I leave the tobbaco straight in the tin?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I am talking about the storage of the leaf before you blend with it or even shred it. I stacked my leaves, which makes a huge stack that won't fit into a tin. I used an old Styrofoam cooler, but any box, cardboard, wood, etc... Or, you could just leave the leaves hanging from a line.

 

[Bosnian piper]

You need to get busy starting seeds in trays NOW. You will set them out after the last frost.
You cannot directly sow tobaccos, because the seeds are microscopic and so will be the seedlings for the first few weeks.

I'm gonna look for some seeds in my area shipping is around 2-3 days and last frost is in 50 to 70 days in my area looks like I just am barely gonna make it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You can also find a plethora of books about growing tobaccos.

 

[Bosnian piper]

I may look into

You can also find a plethora of books about growing tobaccos.

I may look into that to.

 

[BingBong]

I have a whole book on tobacco cultivation for home growers in the UK - and I apologise to the community for having been unable so far to go and scan the thing into a PDF, because it is such a good step by step guide.

Should I actually manage to do this, I will put the document in a public repository accessible to all. I will make it a project to get this done asap - there is still time before seeds need to go in (April?).

 

[jaingorenard]

I have a whole book on tobacco cultivation for home growers in the UK - and I apologise to the community for having been unable so far to go and scan the thing into a PDF, because it is such a good step by step guide.

Should I actually manage to do this, I will put the document in a public repository accessible to all. I will make it a project to get this done asap - there is still time before seeds need to go in (April?).

I think you'd generally be getting plants into the ground in April, having started them inside up to 8 weeks before. Careful if the book is in copyright, but there are a number of free PDF scanners you can download on a phone (Adobe make their own one, which is free to use).

 

[Bosnian piper]

I have a whole book on tobacco cultivation for home growers in the UK - and I apologise to the community for having been unable so far to go and scan the thing into a PDF, because it is such a good step by step guide.

Should I actually manage to do this, I will put the document in a public repository accessible to all. I will make it a project to get this done asap - there is still time before seeds need to go in (April?).

Yeah there is still 1month 3weeks till April you still have some time.

 

[anotherbob]

I am not familiar with a Virginia Long variety. When shopping for seed stock, keep in mind that "Virginia" in the name does not mean that it is a flu cured variety. There are Virginia Burleys also. If you are wanting to grow a flu cured tobacco, look for bright leaf varieties.
Also, if you are going to flu cure, you really need to do some research of building a flu, times and temperatures and humidity for the process. That is three things that you have to keep in balance. For a first crop, I would suggest a burley fit for your environment, or an oriental. Both of these could be cured in much easier ways with less potential for failure on your first try.


It may be a language thing, but I don't understand.

I think he meant how good are they to smoke. Could be wrong but that's how I read it.

You are going to want to plan for irrigation.

Also, keep in mind that you will grow it and cure it in the first year, and then prep it for storage and then wait a couple of years before anything you have is palatable. Just after curing the leaf, you're not going to get anything worth smoking till it has had a couple of years to loose a lot of the ammonias and things that cause harshness. patience is the key.

 

[Arbitrage]

I too am going to try and grow tobacco this year. Literally just planted the seeds yesterday indoors in a warming tray.
My dad grew up hoeing tobacco (yes, they used to grow it commercially near Vancouver in the 1940's) and I thought it would be something fun to try and do with him. Not going to shoot the lights out year 1; planning on three varieties, ten plants of each. Will see how it goes.
As far as information resources, in addition to the ones mentioned above, there is YOUTUBE! If I had a nickel for everything I have learned off of Youtube over the years I would be rich. I call it "getting my Youtube ticket".

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think he meant how good are they to smoke. Could be wrong but that's how I read it.

I have had a few batches come out of the flu that just had no flavor. That was early on, when I wasn't sure when to remove the leaf from the flu. I had kept it set back to see if anything good happened to it, but I eventually tossed them. Some burleys when picked too early, never cured the green out of the leaf. And, I had a whole crop of Semois grown from seed from the source that molded, and fast.

If a crop was very tasty, I kept it as a single crop to smoke. And, some I blended with other leaf to find a balance in taste. So far, I've been very happy with what I've grown. Whether someone else will, depends on whether someone appreciates an uncased leaf or not. If someone's idea of the absolute best leaf is based on European Virginias and such, nah, they probably aren't going to like uncased blends like I do. But, I'd think that if someone grew a blend and then cased it heavily like the Europeans do, they'd be crazy. It would be like holding a hand raised and home processed steak to McDonald's standards, IMO.

But, @anotherbob since you've had the opportunity to taste some homegrown, maybe you can offer a better critique.

 

[Bosnian piper]

I have had a few batches come out of the flu that just had no flavor. That was early on, when I wasn't sure when to remove the leaf from the flu. I had kept it set back to see if anything good happened to it, but I eventually tossed them. Some burleys when picked too early, never cured the green out of the leaf. And, I had a whole crop of Semois grown from seed from the source that molded, and fast.

If a crop was very tasty, I kept it as a single crop to smoke. And, some I blended with other leaf to find a balance in taste. So far, I've been very happy with what I've grown. Whether someone else will, depends on whether someone appreciates an uncased leaf or not. If someone's idea of the absolute best leaf is based on European Virginias and such, nah, they probably aren't going to like uncased blends like I do. But, I'd think that if someone grew a blend and then cased it heavily like the Europeans do, they'd be crazy. It would be like holding a hand raised and home processed steak to McDonald's standards, IMO.

But, @anotherbob since you've had the opportunity to taste some homegrown, maybe you can offer a better critique.

Also I have a greenhouse would it be better for the tobbaco plant during summer as it's more hotter inside. Also I forgot to mention this before but I'm planing to dry the tabbaco myself either under the sun or by letting it dry indoors as I want a more earthy taste with the tobbaco. plus I don't have the adequate facility or machines to flue cure tobbaco so I guees im going the old way.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

With the temperatures you sited, you do not need a greenhouse at all for tobaccos.

 

[Bosnian piper]

What about bugs when you grew tabbaco did caterpillars or bugs bite holes in the leaves?

 

[anotherbob]

I have had a few batches come out of the flu that just had no flavor. That was early on, when I wasn't sure when to remove the leaf from the flu. I had kept it set back to see if anything good happened to it, but I eventually tossed them. Some burleys when picked too early, never cured the green out of the leaf. And, I had a whole crop of Semois grown from seed from the source that molded, and fast.

If a crop was very tasty, I kept it as a single crop to smoke. And, some I blended with other leaf to find a balance in taste. So far, I've been very happy with what I've grown. Whether someone else will, depends on whether someone appreciates an uncased leaf or not. If someone's idea of the absolute best leaf is based on European Virginias and such, nah, they probably aren't going to like uncased blends like I do. But, I'd think that if someone grew a blend and then cased it heavily like the Europeans do, they'd be crazy. It would be like holding a hand raised and home processed steak to McDonald's standards, IMO.

But, @anotherbob since you've had the opportunity to taste some homegrown, maybe you can offer a better critique.

It's pretty tasty. It has some rough edges but in a good way.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

What about bugs when you grew tabbaco did caterpillars or bugs bite holes in the leaves?

Tobacco worms, yes, go out and pick them off every morning and stomp them. They can eat a whole leaf fairly fast. I never used any pesticides, but you can do as you like.

 

[Bosnian piper]

With the temperatures you sited, you do not need a greenhouse at all for tobaccos.

Il still need to make a small gated area as I have goats and if you know goats eat everything