desert_pioneer's first grow blog, 2020

[deluxestogie]

I've found that tobacco roots don't effectively penetrate a buried peat pot. Before I gave up using them, I would peel off as much of the pot as I could, prior to planting them. Then I would used a penknife to vertically score through any well adhered portions of the peat shell.

If the transplants are large enough to survive transplanting--and they all look fine in the photo--then they should grow well.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

View attachment 31017

The virginia in question is in the middle, surrounded by burleys on the four corners of the tray. It looks fine currently, but I'm more worried about the long-term for the plant, like whether it will be able to grow to near full height once it's in the dirt.

It should be fine. If you were to do a side by side comparison of seedlings that live from seed to transplant in a 48-72 cell 1020 tray and seedlings that were transplanted into larger pots along the way, the seedlings in the larger pots would be larger at transplant but would soon be overtaken by those in the 1020 cells and would be virtually the same size at harvest. These are some of BigBonner‘s seedlings raised in a greenhouse float tray. Tiny soil but roots are hanging out of the bottom.

 

[desert_pioneer]

I've found that tobacco roots don't effectively penetrate a buried peat pot. Before I gave up using them, I would peel off as much of the pot as I could, prior to planting them. Then I would used a penknife to vertically score through any well adhered portions of the peat shell.

If the transplants are large enough to survive transplanting--and they all look fine in the photo--then they should grow well.

Bob

I've seen lots of root ends poking out my peat pots. However, I do not know if the amount poking out is not enough.

 

[desert_pioneer]

It should be fine. If you were to do a side by side comparison of seedlings that live from seed to transplant in a 48-72 cell 1020 tray and seedlings that were transplanted into larger pots along the way, the seedlings in the larger pots would be larger at transplant but would soon be overtaken by those in the 1020 cells and would be virtually the same size at harvest. These are some of BigBonner‘s seedlings raised in a greenhouse float tray. Tiny soil but roots are hanging out of the bottom.
View attachment 31018

I should probably stop underestimating the potential of these plants that absolutely refuse to die

 

[Knucklehead]

I should probably stop underestimating the potential of these plants that absolutely refuse to die

Lol. Yeah, I killed more seedlings than nature did until I figured out to just stay out of the way.

 

[desert_pioneer]

I've found that tobacco roots don't effectively penetrate a buried peat pot. Before I gave up using them, I would peel off as much of the pot as I could, prior to planting them. Then I would used a penknife to vertically score through any well adhered portions of the peat shell.

If the transplants are large enough to survive transplanting--and they all look fine in the photo--then they should grow well.

Bob

Now that I think about it, the peat pots I'm using tear very easily when thoroughly wet. That may not necessarily be a good thing for the plants (drenched soil) but when transplanting into the arid weather outside, it probably can't hurt too much. So I might experiment and see if there's any difference in growth between peat pot plants and plants removed from peat pots before transplanting

 

[desert_pioneer]

Are virginias wimps compared to burleys in your experience? First time in the morning sun and my virginias were dog-ear droopy. Burleys still going strong though through almost an hour.

 

[desert_pioneer]

Finally ordered an electric tiller cause I'd rather keel over than try to dig up another row. Now, to wait...

Also, has anyone else had experience with an electric tiller? The one I ordered tills 16 inches wide and 8 inches deep.

 

[Oldfella]

Finally ordered an electric tiller cause I'd rather keel over than try to dig up another row. Now, to wait...

Also, has anyone else had experience with an electric tiller? The one I ordered tills 16 inches wide and 8 inches deep.

I fire up my tiller using a socket on my electric drill. It's easier for me. I suppose you could call it a hybrid

 

[desert_pioneer]

By any chance, would anyone take an educated guess at what kind the front three peat pot plants are?

I believe that it is either yellow twist bud or gold dollar, based off estimating when I planted those two varieties and the growth stage of these three plants. For comparison, the four plants behind the front three mystery plants are shirazi.

 

[Charly]

Too hard to guess, sorry

 

[deluxestogie]

Every growing season since the advent of this forum, we have been presented with photos of unlabeled or mislabeled or spilled and mixed up varieties, and asked to guess their identities. If the varieties are distinct enough, and the photos are of plants old enough to display their distinctive traits, then there is a chance. If you can be patient, and allow them to reach maturity, then the differences may become obvious. And even without their identity, you can make some nice tobacco.

The only caveat of questionable identity is that you will waste your effort collecting seed from them (or end up with a mystery seed to which you apply a confabulated varietal name, as was the case with "Silver River" and "Chillard's White Leaf"). Since new seed is cheap and easily available, just order more for next season.

Bob

 

[desert_pioneer]

My money's on gold dollar wish me luck

 

[Alpine]

Time to maturity can be of some help: according to @skychaser gold dollar matures in around 50 to 55 days, while YTB requires 60/65 days.

pier

 

[desert_pioneer]

Saw a fat mosquito inside the tent so I didn't feel like opening it

Regarding the three larger plants, the leftmost is a samsun. The second is a virginia, and the rightmost is a burley.

 

[desert_pioneer]

Had early struggles with the transition outside, or rather, the plants did. One day of not watering in the morning decimated the 9 plants (3 burleys, 6 virginias).

Thankfully, I had more than enough replacements for the burleys, which I started with replacing one plant as a test. Watering in the morning and evening seemed to do it good so I replaced the other two burleys today as well.

Unfortunately, I only had 2 spare virginias. I had 9 total, and 6 went into the ground right away, while I have 1 in my tent. If you see 4 plants that look rather raggedy, now you know why :')

 

[desert_pioneer]

Unfortunately, I only had 2 spare virginias. I had 9 total, and 6 went into the ground right away, while I have 1 in my tent. If you see 4 plants that look rather raggedy, now you know why :')

If the virginias don't recover, I'll replace them with gold dollars, since they're currently growing and are also a virginia variety.

 

[desert_pioneer]

Continuing the outside grow, I transplanted 7/9 shirazis. The last two will be backups if something goes wrong. The front four are peat pots and the back three were foam cup plants now transplanted in, without the foam of course.

I learned that I have to be extremely vigilant with watering. Once or even twice before it gets hot, and again in the evening as it cools down. Whenever I followed that routine, the burley and Virginia did fine. To not water them before noon seems to be a death sentence, however.

 

[desert_pioneer]

I didn't realize how shoddy my watering was until I took the flash photo, but I'm too tired to care for the night.

Made the jump to the big boy grow bags, where these three will be growing in for the rest of the grow.

The tent floor is dirty as well but i won't bring out the vaccuum till it's all dry.

Finally, the seedlings are just a bunch that I won't disclose yet, pending their survival outside. Theres no more space here.

 

[desert_pioneer]

I thought that, living in a desert, I wouldn't have to worry about hornworms or mold or some other grubby pest.

Furthermore, because of the extreme arid heat, I figured it would be wise to harden plants as soon as possible.

Then, my six gold dollars started exhibiting small holes throughout the leaves, and two appear to have been trampled on beyond recovery.

Turns out, some d*mn birds find it amusing to hop in the peat pots housing the gold dollars and have fun.

None of my previous plants have shown such damage, but at the same time, none of my previous plants were ever outside at such an early stage.

I'm thinking about sticking toothpicks in the soil around the still small leaves of the gold dollars...