docpierce 2020 Tobacco Garden

[docpierce]

Here is the next shot. 6/19/20
I seem to have eradicated the grasshoppers for now. The Cucumber Beetle is the next pest in the batter's box. The holes they chews are smaller. I looked and could not detect any hornworms. Although I saw them last year; so I know we have them.
The weather is warming more now and it's not uncommon to see wilted leaves in the heat of the day. Sometimes whole leaves don't recover their moisture and turn to crisp. Little Dutch (not pictured) has shot up their seedheads already. I bagged the most true individual plant.
After Little dutch, Costello Negro is the most aggressive in growth so far. They are just so full of life force. Silver River is totally different in appearance. More yellow and long, broad pointed flat leaves. NWSeeds said SR in probably a white stemmed burley type. And the Japan 8 in a low, squat silvery plant. Very square and symmetrical to my eyes. Cherry Red is less aggressive but growing well, bright green. Broad, umbrella like leaves. I like resting my eyes on the plants, discerning the differences and puffing my pipe.

 

[deluxestogie]

My impression of Silver River, from leaf that I did not grow, is that it is more likely related to Bolivia Criollo Black, Venezuelan Guácharo and Paraguay Flojo, based on its leaf shape and taste, and its peculiar terpene aroma.

Bob

 

[Oldfella]

Here is the next shot. 6/19/20
I seem to have eradicated the grasshoppers for now. The Cucumber Beetle is the next pest in the batter's box. The holes they chews are smaller. I looked and could not detect any hornworms. Although I saw them last year; so I know we have them.
The weather is warming more now and it's not uncommon to see wilted leaves in the heat of the day. Sometimes whole leaves don't recover their moisture and turn to crisp. Little Dutch (not pictured) has shot up their seedheads already. I bagged the most true individual plant.
After Little dutch, Costello Negro is the most aggressive in growth so far. They are just so full of life force. Silver River is totally different in appearance. More yellow and long, broad pointed flat leaves. NWSeeds said SR in probably a white stemmed burley type. And the Japan 8 in a low, squat silvery plant. Very square and symmetrical to my eyes. Cherry Red is less aggressive but growing well, bright green. Broad, umbrella like leaves. I like resting my eyes on the plants, discerning the differences and puffing my pipe.View attachment 31158

Looking good. Very nice plants. Do enjoy them in your pipe.
Cheers Oldfella

 

[docpierce]

Little Dutch as of 6/22/20.
By the way, all my plants were started March 1st on a heat mat in Happy Frog potting soil in small cells, under 4 foot florescent lamps.
The Costello Negro is just now starting to send up flower heads.

 

[docpierce]

6/30/20

 

[Oldfella]

6/30/20View attachment 31357

Nice, looking good
Oldfella

 

[docpierce]

Been hanging whole plants in the open sided shed this week as per the Semois air cure video.
so far I've cut Little Dutch and Japan 8.

 

[docpierce]

7/13/20

 

[Alpine]

Beautiful yellow leaves! Ready for harvest?

pier

 

[docpierce]

Are you suggesting that they appear ready for harvest in your opinion?

 

[deluxestogie]

The photo is truly lovely, with sunlight passing through the leaves. I can't tell from such a photo if they are maturing or not.

Bob

 

[docpierce]

 

[deluxestogie]

What variety are those? How were you planning to cure them?

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

A good post from Bob regarding immature, mature, and ripe:

When to harvest?

Grew a few plants this year and I think I may have harvested late. Harvested most a few weeks ago and just got the last little bit out of the ground. Problem will be color curing and drying the plants. Fall is wet and nights are in the 30's now. So how do you know the best time to harvest...

fairtradetobacco.com

Photo of mature leaf:

Ciennepi 2018 Grow Blog

Correct observation. Next blossom I will bag 3 flowers so I will be sure to have at least one pod of seed.

fairtradetobacco.com

He has a nice photo of a ripe leaf, but I can’t seem to find it.

 

[Knucklehead]

Photo from Bob of a mature to ripe leaf. A truly ripe leaf will be even more yellow and rugose.

deluxestogie Grow Log 2016

That swarr really impressed you last year right?

fairtradetobacco.com

 

[docpierce]

1sr pic is of a bright- Costello. 2cd is Silver River.

 

[deluxestogie]

For "Silver River", I would wait for leaves to look a pale yellow, like in the lower right foreground, then prime them for air-curing, or wait for a more rugose (corrugated) surface in the upper leaves, to stalk-cut them. For Costello, if you plan to flue-cure or sun-cure, then you can begin priming now, selecting leaves from similar stalk levels, with a similar of a similar degree of yellow.

That all sounds absolute. It's really just my best guess. Nothing to stress over, plus or minus a week.

For flue-curing, you want similar maturity within a single curing run. For air-curing, the yellower the leaf (or whole plant), the more easily it color-cures. Sun-curing may be thought of as a poor man's flue-cure.

Bob

 

[skychaser]

Silver River cures easily like most white stemmed burleys do. Wait until the leaves have turned a light green or yellow to pick it. I have always strung it instead of stalk curing it because it is such a gigantic plant. I've had leaves get up to 36 inches long. and plants 8-9 feet tall. Silver River and Ergo burley may be the same plant. Or at least very closely related. I had both growing 2 years ago but they were on opposite sides of the field so it was hard to compare them. But they sure did look alike. Someday I am going to grow them side by side and see if I can find any difference between them. But I am convinced Silver River is a giant white stemmed burley strain.

Costello Negro is a little harder to color that many other bright leafs. But worth the effort because of its sweetness. I grow it every year. You may notice some leaves on a plant are a very dark green compared to others. Pick those last when the color lightens some. It doesn't yellow on the plant as much as other strains. When it is a pale green it is ripe. Mine is just getting there this year. I had a very light frost last week but took a chance and didn't pick it yet. A lot of tobaccos got burned a little along with the tomatoes and squash but the damage was minimal and very spotty across my field. Usually I pick everything if frost is likely but everything is 2 weeks late this year so I took the chance. Some people here say tobacco can take some frost but that is definitely not my experience. I color cure mine in the greenhouse which usually takes about a week. Then I hang it out in the sun to dry down for a few days before moving it to the barn. Most of it ends up a bright golden yellow with the occasional dark cocoa brown leaf. The dark green leaves when its growing and the odd dark dried leaf is probably where the "negro"part of the name comes from. At least that is my guess.

 

[Davo]

@docpierce how’s the semois going? I have some in the garden now and excited to grow it this year/refresh the seed. Hey I just read today that in Europe you can buy semois like a small cigar nub to smoke while in your pipe as opposed to the shag/brick options we are used to from tabac manil. How were you going to process yours for smoking?

 

[docpierce]

@docpierce how’s the semois going? I have some in the garden now and excited to grow it this year/refresh the seed. Hey I just read today that in Europe you can buy semois like a small cigar nub to smoke while in your pipe as opposed to the shag/brick options we are used to from tabac manil. How were you going to process yours for smoking?

It did very well. Easy to grow and vigorous, with a distinctive flavor when smoked. There are few remaining growers of Semois in Belgium. Only Manil is willing to ship to the international markets. The good news is that growing your own from this strain yields similar results. This year's crop in now dry and maturing.