Greenmonster714's Grow Log 2017

[deluxestogie]

There are many species of aphids. The aphids on tobacco plants in the US do not die from nicotine ingestion. They actually adjust their feeding rate (how fast they suck the juice from the plant) to keep their nicotine intake tolerable. That is one reason they usually begin their foray on young, tender leaves and suckers. Prompt removal of small suckers reduces the aphid burden.

Neonicotinoids (like imidacloprid) kill by the same mechanism, but are far more potent than natural nicotine.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

I think I may have the aphids knocked down. I found many dead ones today. I'm getting some big leaf in the backyard.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I think I may have the aphids knocked down. I found many dead ones today. I'm getting some big leaf in the backyard.
View attachment 21040

Trés bien, monsieur. Big and dark.

 

[mwaller]

I think I may have the aphids knocked down. I found many dead ones today. I'm getting some big leaf in the backyard.
View attachment 21040

Which variety is that? Looks really nice!

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Isn't that "Bic Lighter Burley"?

 

[greenmonster714]

Which variety is that? Looks really nice!

That would be the Izmir Ozbas

Isn't that "Bic Lighter Burley"?

Its a cross between a zippo and a bic. Nice aye? lol

 

[mwaller]

That would be the Izmir Ozbas


Really?! It doesn't look like the Izmir Ozbas I've seen. Izmir Ozbas typically has more football-shaped leaves with turned edges. ???

 

[greenmonster714]

Its been a little while since I've done an update. My health is not that great lately. Some may remember back in March I mentioned I was struggling with pneumonia. Well, the breathing problems continue to today. I go to a lung dr early next month for a lung function test. At least the scans they did show no cancer. So, that is a plus. Just gotta get this breathing issue resolved. It's slowing me down a lot.

So, off to my update. Like I said its been a while. I think I have the aphid problem a in control a little better than before. Next year I will use a systemic solution to the problem and be done with it....lesson learned. Since my slow down mentioned above I have not been able to get out and hoe. So, both plots are a bit overrun with grass. Hell, the whole garden is. Veggies and all..lol. Anyways, they seem to be doing okay even in those conditions. It's sink or swim for them now cause I can't clean up the joint. I wish I had a small cultivator. That would help a lot. Here's some pics of the backyard. The best growing patch I have. The oriental plants are booming. Some are starting to show signs of the calcium def but for the most part they are growing well. Please just over look the weed garden I have planted alongside them..lol.


One pleasant surprise has been the Samsun 85. I thought for sure these were going to die but it looks as though they have come back to life and started to grow. I dug them up a last month and moved them to higher ground. They were in a part of the garden where water was laying and I could not find a way to channel it off. Another lesson learned.....check out the low spots with a hose before planting. Only a few germinated and this is all I have left of them. Maybe they will make it.


This is my organic grasshopper killer. He really loves the large leaves for staging an ambush. He is forever creeping around in there attacking anything that strolls or hops by..lol.


On to the front yard. My biggest disappointment in this years grow. Most all show sign of the calcium def. It is probably the ph level but for now they are growing. Just not like I'd like them to be. I read an article from NC State about the issue. It appears that my only real solution at this point is to top them as soon as possible. I've placed a link to the article below. It is a very good one for this issue. So, here's the frontyard in all its glory. I've got a lot of work to do on the soil if I plan on planting here next year. Another lesson learned....get a soil test.


NC State Calcium Deficiency
Every photo they have posted about this problem I can find in my garden. It is explains rather well and gives some solutions to the problem.

 

[greenmonster714]

That would be the Izmir Ozbas


Really?! It doesn't look like the Izmir Ozbas I've seen. Izmir Ozbas typically has more football-shaped leaves with turned edges. ???

Ya know, I thought the same thing. I got these beans from a guy off ebay. I compared the leaves to pictures provided at Northwoodseeds and it appears they resemble the Lebanese variety moreso than the Ozbas. Maybe the guy mislabeled the seeds. I dunno, check it out. I'm thinking its Lebanese but my leaf looks a bit darker. For this very reason I plan on buying only from NWS or seeds from members.

Izmir Ozbas

Izmir Lebanese

My leaf ?

 

[mwaller]

Definitely could be the Lebanese variety. Will be interesting to hear how it tastes!

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I like your cat.

 

[deluxestogie]

Izmir Ozbas:

My grow from 2011. Note the upturned leaf margins.

Bob

 

[Charly]

You can be proud of your plants they are looking good !
There are some little things you can do better next year (as you noted), it's good to identify what we miss to improve next time (I made some mistakes too)
Your crop is doing fine, you will have a lot of tobacco to play with

 

[greenmonster714]

I like your cat.

He is the coolest cat. Its funny to watch him entice a horse into chasing him. Then when they do he goes up a tree. Does the same with dogs as well.

Bob

It certainly is not anything like that beauty. I've been watching it grow and the name just didn't fit the picture in my head. It has to be a Lebanese Izmir.

You can be proud of your plants they are looking good !
There are some little things you can do better next year (as you noted), it's good to identify what we miss to improve next time (I made some mistakes too)
Your crop is doing fine, you will have a lot of tobacco to play with

Thanks Charly, it seems even the best laid plans go wrong sometimes. But like you said. I will have a bunch of leaf to play with this winter. Some are starting to bud already in the backyard and I don't have bags yet..lol. Always something.

 

[Charly]

Some varieties are beginning to bud in my garden too, namely the Adonis and the Xanthy. I have to prepare my bags

 

[deluxestogie]

The bags need to be placed before the blossoms open (or you can pluck off any open blossoms, then place the bag). From button stage to open blossom happens in slow motion.

Bob

 

[Charly]

The bags need to be placed before the blossoms open (or you can pluck off any open blossoms, then place the bag). From button stage to open blossom happens in slow motion.

It's a good idea to remind this important information : to get pure strains seeds (not cross polinated), the bags must be placed before the flower blossom
In my case, I have a few days left to prepare the bags, since the flower are not ready to open, but it will come soon.

 

[deluxestogie]

For a first year grow, you've taken on a colossal task. If it gets to be too much, it saps the joy from it.

Seed for many of the strains that you are growing are easily available commercially. One option to reduce your burden is to bag only those plants for which seed is not otherwise available, as well as those you definitely plan to replant next season. Although creating a personal seed bank is a worthy endeavor, it's also quite a bit of extra work and expense. Pick your battles.

Bob

EDIT: I would definitely not bag the mystery "Izmir" plant, since you will never know what Ebay has wrought.

 

[Charly]

I wonder if it would not be a good idea to bag this unknown "izmir"... if it's good you might have difficulties to find the same strain on commercial sites... whereas if you save seeds you are safe
It's easier to find again well known strains (a lot of members have seeds and you can find them easily on commercial sites).

And moreover : if this special "izmir" gives you fantastic leaves, you will be able to name it like you want, for example : "GreenMonster's delightful Izmir"

 

[deluxestogie]

In America, we use the term, "a pig in a poke," to suggest that some item can not be inspected or known. The effort of collecting and storing seed from an unidentified variety might be better spent on other activities (or on taking a nap). That "Izmir" doesn't look like any Izmir that I've grown. It could be anything. It could be one of those famous Ebay F1 hybrid, open-pollinated mongrels. And you can't determine its characteristics until you've grown, harvested, cured, and aged or kilned it, then finally decided how to use it.

As we approach July 14, I say, "Off with its head!"

Bob