deluxestogie Grow Log 2012

[leverhead]

The downside is that when I get a spectacular variety, there's never enough of it.

Bob

I started out growing to smoke, but I've been bitten by the growing bug. Unless nature deals me a cure, I think I'll always have 500 to 1000 sq/ft of "meat and potatoes". But an "herbs and spice" garden seems well worth the effort.

 

[Grundle]

Looking at your patch makes a rough morning so much more better. Your patch looks great

 

[deluxestogie]

Overall, my Sacred Cornplanter rustica has suffered the most from insects eating holes into the leaves. This surprised me, since I expected it to have knockout levels of nicotine. Today, I discovered a conclave of earwigs feasting on the young, tender leaves at the top of the plant (the silvery one on the left, photo on the previous page). They seem to stay away from the older leaf, but by then, the little holes become big holes.

Cornplanter is a noticeably viscid (sticky) plant, compared to the tabacums. Despite this, my suspicion is that the high rustica nicotine levels are minimal in the youngest leaf. Another possibility is that the top of this stocky plant is so close to the ground that the earwigs can't help but find the young leaf. (But earwigs seem to climb pretty high everywhere else, like up the wall, into the rafters, and out onto the leaf-hanging ropes in my shed.)

I'm hesitant to put out diatomaceous earth after the smokable leaf has developed. Even though, like President Clinton, I don't inhale, I still don't want that DE floating around in the air. So I'll probably just accept some moon craters in the Cornplanter.

As an aside, the Cornplanter doesn't smell like cat shit yet (maybe when its blossoms open), but it does have a distinctly off aroma as it grows. This comes along with the moistness onto my fingers when I touch it, which is a frequent occurrence due to my desire to remove all of its aggressive suckers.

At this point in the season, Sacred Cornplanter has been nominated as most likely to be voted off the island. (It's really only there for the Mt. Pima / Papante crossing trials.)

Bob

EDIT: Today I placed Agribon-AG15 bud bags on four plants (Samsun Maden, Little Yellow, Glessnor and WI Seedleaf).

 

[johnlee1933]

But regardless, seed will be available for each of them from the FTT seedbank in early winter. (If I experience bizarre shamanic visions while smoking the Machu Picchu, I may save that one for myself. Oh! Then there's the Sacred Cornplanter rustica.)

Bob

Bob, Do you also offer seed over on HTGT or other forums?

John

 

[BarG]

My new name for deluxes grow spot....STOGIE PARK! I recommend a nice sitting bench for visitors and looky loos.

 

[Grundle]

Is there a minimum height to enjoy the rides?

 

[deluxestogie]

Hornworm Prelude

Yesterday, I was bagging the bud heads of several varieties. As I was tying the final bag, I noticed the tiny, solitary, iridescent green sphere of a hornworm egg on the underside of a leaf. This triggered my intense NIMBY response. I spent the next two hours examining the upper and lower surfaces of nearly every leaf on every plant. The result was the removal of about two dozen hornworm eggs. I detected no varietal preference on the part of the moth. (I even found one egg on Sacred Cornplanter rustica. But then, taste is in the antenna of the beholder.)

Eggs showed up mostly on the second or third tier of leaves from the top, and always on the outer third of the leaf. None on the delicate six or so new leaves at the top. None on the thicker bottom leaves. My understanding is that the green iridescence only lasts for two or three days, after which the eggs become a more opaque red-brown. If that's the case, then this "middle tier" of leaf seems to be the chosen location for laying eggs. I imagine that the hefty moth selects the highest leaf that will support its substantial weight, then clings to the edge while depositing a sticky egg on the lower surface. (I'm just guessing here.)

In the process of searching for hornworm eggs, I also came across a small number of clustered eggs of various other critters, which I could not identify.

My remedy for any eggs is to carefully remove them from the leaf, then pop them between thumb and index finger. Some of the unidentified clustered eggs were hard as pebbles, so I crushed them between two rocks.

Given a choice, I would much rather spend the time scanning for eggs, than discovering coves eaten from the lamina by hungry worms.

Older literature suggests that hornworms appear in waves several weeks apart, usually peaking three times during a given summer. Because of my early start, most of the leaf will be harvested prior to the last wave. Hopefully, I have minimized the first wave. I feel fortunate to have spotted that solitary egg.

Bob

 

[BarG]

Bob, do you have any clue as to what leaves a cluster of about six to eight eggs that are glued to underside of leaf with a amber color tree sap like substance? I have encountered on tobacco and broccoli and potatoes? By the way I found my first newly hatched hornworm yesterday, his horn was bigger than he was, thats what I spotted, a black horn on a light green background underside of leaf. I will need to wear my glasses from now on when inspection duty arrives. Great post.

Tim

 

[johnlee1933]

Hornworm Prelude

Yesterday, I was bagging the bud heads of several varieties.
Bob

Bob, you seem to be on top of seeds for next year. Are there any you would like me to bag and harvest? I have got to make up some bags and want to know how many.

I am growing:

YTB
MCY
CT shade
PA red
Maryland 609
CT broadleaf
Comstock Spanish

I should have LOTS of CT shade seed from my friend

John

 

[deluxestogie]

Tim,
Not a clue. Something I spotted was "bird shit" on the underside of a leaf. On scraping it away, I found that it covered a tidy row of tubular eggs, aligned side-by-side. Dx: bug.

John,
Check the seedbank list. Anything on there should be covered, though I seem to recall a shortage of MCY. Any that are not on the list would be a boon. I would personally like some MD 609 seed.

Bob

 

[BarG]

Tim,
Not a clue. Something I spotted was "bird shit" on the underside of a leaf. On scraping it away, I found that it covered a tidy row of tubular eggs, aligned side-by-side. Dx: bug.

John,
Check the seedbank list. Anything on there should be covered, though I seem to recall a shortage of MCY. Any that are not on the list would be a boon. I would personally like some MD 609 seed.

Bob

I'll be willing to bet there will be some maryland 609 after this year. I plan on bagging up to 12 varietys this year, agribon bags purchased from Daniel.

 

[johnlee1933]

OK I searched for "seedbank", "seed bank" and "seed bank list" with no hits. Where and how do I find it?

Thanks,

John

 

[BarG]

OK I searched for "seedbank", "seed bank" and "seed bank list" with no hits. Where and how do I find it?

Thanks,

John

Give this a shot John; http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthr...co-seed-list-(Please-read-the-terms-carefully)

 

[johnlee1933]

Give this a shot John; http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthr...co-seed-list-(Please-read-the-terms-carefully)

Thanks Tim, did it. Doesn't look like you folks need anything I'm growing. I'll just bag a few for my own use.

John

 

[BarG]

That would be enough for you and several generations,to boot.[if stored properly] Those plants put out some seeds.

 

[Rayshields]

On your seed bank list I should have Black Mammoth seed, the Virginia Bright Leaf seed that I bought didn't have a number on it so don't know if they are of any value to the bank, also have Kentucky Burley 17. Out of curiosity what does "observations" mean on the list?

 

[BarG]

On your seed bank list I should have Black Mammoth seed, the Virginia Bright Leaf seed that I bought didn't have a number on it so don't know if they are of any value to the bank, also have Kentucky Burley 17. Out of curiosity what does "observations" mean on the list?

I may be bit out of my element here Ray but when you click on observations it gives you info on controlled grows and studys. It's helpful to me for a ball park on what to expect. That had to take a lot of time and effort to post.

 

[BigBonner]

I'll be willing to bet there will be some maryland 609 after this year. I plan on bagging up to 12 varietys this year, agribon bags purchased from Daniel.

I have comercial 609 plants and 350 to 450 lbs of 2011 whole leaf that needs a new home .

 

[deluxestogie]

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

I was kind of hoping that someone would ask, "What the Sam Hill is that bunny in the pot about?" I guess everyone regularly sees a rabbit sitting in a potted tobacco.

These are 4 varieties, each restricted to a two quart pot, to see what turns up. Well, the tallest one, a Xanthi Yaka 18A, had a dead, dried, yellow leaf lying at its base. Apparently, this juvenile bunny (like juveniles of any species) decided to give tobacco a try. It liked it, returning several times to consume all of the sun-cured lug.

I snapped a photo. After cropping and tweaking the photo, I showed it to my sister, who commented that it looked like a greeting card. So I added the text, and posted it.

Epilogue: The juvenile rabbit never tried (its luck on) any of the green leaf, but I think its experience may lead to harder stuff. The nearby brush pile does have its own juvenile hall. But the judgment of the local and ever wise barn owl might result in a sentence of something less benign than mere detention.

Bob