AmaxB
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nice
Fisherman's grow blog; Port Lavaca Texas ,Gulf coast
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Fisherman
Well-Known Member
5-6-13:
Well. another tip for growers of tobacco..........................
Do not use insectidcidal soap either to often OR at reccomended levels on plants !
I sprayed mine on buds and a few looked like they were boiled spinach . Not the whole leaf but the top 35% at least.......... Haven't totally died yet but are just hanging there limp even at night.
I sprayed 2 times in week with 30% strength and then hit with full dose.
Package said [Safer Insecticidal soap] said not to spray more than 3 times in 2 weeks but what did they know? Good thing I didn't full blast all 3 times!
BTW the 30% did as good as the regular dosage. First was only green aphids not is brown also. Maybe is same group or species but only more advanced????
Got lots of lady bugs as well but they are patrolling the leaves and not the buds where I think most damage would be done.
Also most all the buckets are flowering.
So far the bags are not but tho they are same planting , they have 3 weeks less time after transplanting.
Have one bucket with 2 plants in it and they are some of the biggest pnes BUT have leaves 60% as big as rest of the plants.
Also, got my ph meter today. Results from inground test show I am ok in ph............... Our water is 7.2 and soils went from 6-5 to 7.1 which should not cause problem with nutrient intake. Problem could have been more the growing medium and fertilizer. Basically only the manure in the mix has any nutrient value and lacking both iron and magnesium for sure.
Also got 6 more varieties of seeds in today. The last bunch has been in tray for 3-4 days now and showing signs of germination.
Want to have some fun??? Get a jeweler's loupe and look at your seeds in germination tray! Everything looks weird. There is all sorts of huge logs and sheets of plywood and wet looking gel things etc
For sure screen your seed mixture..................... I think the Jiffy mix is better in that way as it is much finer textured. The Miracle grow just is to large for seedlings as small as tobacco IMO. Peices of peat take on a wet gel like appearance under the magnification too. I wish I could take a pic but I am thinking it would not work.
NOTE: Had a few of them gnats around seed trays and sprayed after checking if was safe with BT and no more gnats.
Plants are 3' at the bud and have full size leaves tho wind, my loving application of the iron spray, various cutworm attacks have taken their toll.
Still undecided about the gutter system.................................. if it keeps the soil to wet..................On that note tho the roots finally made it out the bottom of the grow cups and .................well that brings us to another "Do Not Do"
I was worried about ph causing the plants to suffer as I had heard that wood chips would cause acidity to rise.
First my mix =
1 part cow manure == which according to web is about 6-5 ph or nuetral at 7
1 part "composted forest products" == which is not compost and will test it in solution tommorow
1 part peat == which again according to web is about 4.5 ph
Well I decided to add more lime to the gutters...............
NOTE: DO NOT add lime and fertilizer at same time in solution. First lime will settle out and second it will cause other chemical actions that Lord knows what will do or are!
And despite this knowledge I proceeded to do just that , convinced my plants were in need. The result was the lime settled out in gutters. NOw the gutter system I have is always filled at most convenient end closest to water faucet and that end had less lime settling out........
When the leaves wilted from the soap , I went into overdrive trying to figure out what was wrong as I had also just filled the gutters with fresh stuff. This time with lime and fertilizer [miracle gro at 20% strength]
I tilted the buckets in the gutters over to see if roots were there and WOW they were.............. However.......... as I proceeded to far end of gutter, the roots were progressively burned and brown and last ones had only a few that were for sure burned............... The lime was settled out more on that end than the fill end BTW
Hard lesseon learned. The plants all chipped in and dropped a dime to my boss asking that more work be sent my way so that I had less time to devote to them I hear.........
At any rate I flushed system and will see if the roots grow back which I am sure they will.
And so the saga continues. I am seriously thinking to get a tiller and do a few rows to hide a few junk cars and beautify the place in the porcess but not sure I am up to the task of learning inground culture in gumbo muck and finishing education on container growing in same year..... Sure would love to have one of them TroyBilt tillers tho. Had one once and it was awesome
Will post some pics later.\
Mike
Well. another tip for growers of tobacco..........................
Do not use insectidcidal soap either to often OR at reccomended levels on plants !
I sprayed mine on buds and a few looked like they were boiled spinach . Not the whole leaf but the top 35% at least.......... Haven't totally died yet but are just hanging there limp even at night.
I sprayed 2 times in week with 30% strength and then hit with full dose.
Package said [Safer Insecticidal soap] said not to spray more than 3 times in 2 weeks but what did they know? Good thing I didn't full blast all 3 times!
BTW the 30% did as good as the regular dosage. First was only green aphids not is brown also. Maybe is same group or species but only more advanced????
Got lots of lady bugs as well but they are patrolling the leaves and not the buds where I think most damage would be done.
Also most all the buckets are flowering.
So far the bags are not but tho they are same planting , they have 3 weeks less time after transplanting.
Have one bucket with 2 plants in it and they are some of the biggest pnes BUT have leaves 60% as big as rest of the plants.
Also, got my ph meter today. Results from inground test show I am ok in ph............... Our water is 7.2 and soils went from 6-5 to 7.1 which should not cause problem with nutrient intake. Problem could have been more the growing medium and fertilizer. Basically only the manure in the mix has any nutrient value and lacking both iron and magnesium for sure.
Also got 6 more varieties of seeds in today. The last bunch has been in tray for 3-4 days now and showing signs of germination.
Want to have some fun??? Get a jeweler's loupe and look at your seeds in germination tray! Everything looks weird. There is all sorts of huge logs and sheets of plywood and wet looking gel things etc
For sure screen your seed mixture..................... I think the Jiffy mix is better in that way as it is much finer textured. The Miracle grow just is to large for seedlings as small as tobacco IMO. Peices of peat take on a wet gel like appearance under the magnification too. I wish I could take a pic but I am thinking it would not work.NOTE: Had a few of them gnats around seed trays and sprayed after checking if was safe with BT and no more gnats.
Plants are 3' at the bud and have full size leaves tho wind, my loving application of the iron spray, various cutworm attacks have taken their toll.
Still undecided about the gutter system.................................. if it keeps the soil to wet..................On that note tho the roots finally made it out the bottom of the grow cups and .................well that brings us to another "Do Not Do"
I was worried about ph causing the plants to suffer as I had heard that wood chips would cause acidity to rise.
First my mix =
1 part cow manure == which according to web is about 6-5 ph or nuetral at 7
1 part "composted forest products" == which is not compost and will test it in solution tommorow
1 part peat == which again according to web is about 4.5 ph
Well I decided to add more lime to the gutters...............
NOTE: DO NOT add lime and fertilizer at same time in solution. First lime will settle out and second it will cause other chemical actions that Lord knows what will do or are!
And despite this knowledge I proceeded to do just that , convinced my plants were in need. The result was the lime settled out in gutters. NOw the gutter system I have is always filled at most convenient end closest to water faucet and that end had less lime settling out........
When the leaves wilted from the soap , I went into overdrive trying to figure out what was wrong as I had also just filled the gutters with fresh stuff. This time with lime and fertilizer [miracle gro at 20% strength]
I tilted the buckets in the gutters over to see if roots were there and WOW they were.............. However.......... as I proceeded to far end of gutter, the roots were progressively burned and brown and last ones had only a few that were for sure burned............... The lime was settled out more on that end than the fill end BTW
Hard lesseon learned. The plants all chipped in and dropped a dime to my boss asking that more work be sent my way so that I had less time to devote to them I hear.........
At any rate I flushed system and will see if the roots grow back which I am sure they will.
And so the saga continues. I am seriously thinking to get a tiller and do a few rows to hide a few junk cars and beautify the place in the porcess but not sure I am up to the task of learning inground culture in gumbo muck and finishing education on container growing in same year..... Sure would love to have one of them TroyBilt tillers tho. Had one once and it was awesome
Will post some pics later.\
Mike
Fisherman
Well-Known Member
Garden composter and/or soil mixer idea:
There is a garden composter that is said to speed up composting that I want to build and use as soil mixer and composter later.
I think that an improvement will make it more efficient..
Where the builder has made holes in sides for aireation I think that soil mix will fall out AND that the holes would not be as efficient as it would not take much to plug them as you rotate the drum to turn the compost.
What I am thinking would serve 4 purposes.
1] keep soil and compost from falling out
2] reduce blockage of hole
3] provide added airieation to compost thru middle of drum
4] help mix contents when turning unit
My improvement would be to run a piece of pvc with holes drilled in it thru 2 holes in drum . Adding a cotter pin at outside end of pipe would be cheapest way to hold in place tho I had thought first of a "Splice" connection to hold it.
Also add a piece of another barrel or flat material around door opening on inside of drum to keep the door from flexing inwards with age or heat and also stop any spillage from it.
Havent thought which way to run the pvc pipes [longways or across drum diameter] Also a steel pipe may work better for compost but for soil mixing it would be good enuff.
This would sure save loads of back ache and result in as good of a mix as using the kid's wading pool and a shovel would make.
There is a garden composter that is said to speed up composting that I want to build and use as soil mixer and composter later.
I think that an improvement will make it more efficient..
Where the builder has made holes in sides for aireation I think that soil mix will fall out AND that the holes would not be as efficient as it would not take much to plug them as you rotate the drum to turn the compost.
What I am thinking would serve 4 purposes.
1] keep soil and compost from falling out
2] reduce blockage of hole
3] provide added airieation to compost thru middle of drum
4] help mix contents when turning unit
My improvement would be to run a piece of pvc with holes drilled in it thru 2 holes in drum . Adding a cotter pin at outside end of pipe would be cheapest way to hold in place tho I had thought first of a "Splice" connection to hold it.
Also add a piece of another barrel or flat material around door opening on inside of drum to keep the door from flexing inwards with age or heat and also stop any spillage from it.
Havent thought which way to run the pvc pipes [longways or across drum diameter] Also a steel pipe may work better for compost but for soil mixing it would be good enuff.
This would sure save loads of back ache and result in as good of a mix as using the kid's wading pool and a shovel would make.
Fisherman
Well-Known Member
Seed start update:
CHERRY RED, BAFRA, SHERAZI,BALIKESIR AND IZMIR OZBIS. palnted 5-2-13
Sherazi looks like 100% germination and full set of 2 leaves showing! 4 days.
The rest are starting somewhat.
Planted Rutgers tomatoes same flat same time and 100% germination also.
75-80 deg f full florescent lighting.
CHERRY RED, BAFRA, SHERAZI,BALIKESIR AND IZMIR OZBIS. palnted 5-2-13
Sherazi looks like 100% germination and full set of 2 leaves showing! 4 days.
The rest are starting somewhat.
Planted Rutgers tomatoes same flat same time and 100% germination also.
75-80 deg f full florescent lighting.
BarG
Founding Member
Ladybugs are your friends, I'm swarming with them this year as well as bees. I had a huge swarm of bees fly over a month ago and Was amazed how many and how loud. Ladybugs love aphids but I haven't seen any.
Fisherman
Well-Known Member
5-9-13:
Update on 2nd sowing. Some lose of germination success is due to hot spot in front trays from drying by heat lamp.
This month and year's weather has been wild so far. Lots of lower temps and periods of rain that our drought stricken area is not used to. Still havent reached the 90's yet and may plant more in shade the later strains and at least hope for successfull seed saving.
Went a lil wild and have 9-10 more varieties to sow.
Update on 2nd sowing. Some lose of germination success is due to hot spot in front trays from drying by heat lamp.
This month and year's weather has been wild so far. Lots of lower temps and periods of rain that our drought stricken area is not used to. Still havent reached the 90's yet and may plant more in shade the later strains and at least hope for successfull seed saving.
Went a lil wild and have 9-10 more varieties to sow.
workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
Tractor supply is clearancing the white plastic burpee name tags now. They are like 20 for $1.25 right now. My wife moved them for me and almost got mine mixed up.
Fisherman
Well-Known Member
Have no wife but girlfriend is pretty good leaving stuff where it lays when she is down. Will get some asap tho. ALso looking for flower bags or materials.
Not sure if these will work:
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/tulpiecbr52w.html
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/ivtuil54x50y.html
Nylon might make it hard to use the iron on seam tape which us non seamstress type use.
Fisherman
Well-Known Member
Ready mades
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WHITE-5PCS-...081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c7353a99
Mite work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WHITE-5PCS-...081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c7353a99
Mite work?
That's a really small size. Check these out. Supertuff is the name brand I got at Walmart. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...nkw=5+gal.+paint+strainers&_sacat=0&_from=R40
Hey knucks... What would the mesaurements be on that? (approximate)
Fisherman
Well-Known Member
5-9-13:
Update. Plants flowering already almost all in the buckets and some sign in bags............. Way to early
Got ph straightened out and is sorta late for fertilizer so will have to wait for next batch of seedlings to further experiment.
I think 3' between rows is to close! Always snapping off a leaf when scoping out the plants.
Update. Plants flowering already almost all in the buckets and some sign in bags............. Way to early
Got ph straightened out and is sorta late for fertilizer so will have to wait for next batch of seedlings to further experiment.
I think 3' between rows is to close! Always snapping off a leaf when scoping out the plants.
JessicaNicot
Well-Known Member
i think most field production systems use about 42" between rows, with 22" between plants within a row, so maybe a little extra space would be good, along with maybe being a little bit less of a mother hen. =P
this is my first time seeing an attempt at above ground production. its interesting.
workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
I'm way behind you! but if i get a season like last year i'll catch up. They are lookin good.
Fisherman
Well-Known Member
I am so shamed
I been called a mother hen!
Sadly it is true. I got a bad habit of mother-henning....
There was a member named Danial or Daniel that grew a super good grow 2 years ago.
Mine............ well it would have been better if I had not have mother-henned so much. The iron folliar spray cost a lot and whatever I did to hurry flowering pretty well put the icing on this cake so to speak.
But................. I am looking forward to the sucker crop and thinking about that, maybe I will let each sucker make one leaf and clip the sucker terminal bud and see if it will produce a reasonable leaf. Got some pretty healthy stems to work with....
I think my next obstacle will be high temps and again wind........... Will plant farther under the shade line I guess. Thats one good thing about containers........ heh heh
Actually they're not as big as I thought. 20" tall, 20" at the open end, tapering down to 12" at the closed end.
workhorse_01
Well-Known Member
With no danger of cross pollination?
It's a really fine mesh. I don't see how any pollinating insects could get through it. Good thread on bags: http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthread.php?1658-Bagged-Flower-Heads
Seanz
Well-Known Member
I used curtain netting doubled over and stiched into a sort of bag shape. worked well I reckon, no insect could get through
Fisherman
Well-Known Member
http://delstartech.thomasnet.com/vi...elnet/delnet-pollination-bags?&bc=100|3001152
This is a commercial bag and about $0.55 each by the 1000's. Shipping and tax would bring them to $0.65 or so.
that is cheaper and some government agencies use them as well.
Knucklehead's bag looks good and if I am not mistaken it can take a lot of abuse which it would not get in the field.
IF just keeping out insects is the goal it should work fine. If the goal is keep out pollen itself then something else should be used.
My reasoning is that if a group of commercial scientist/seed savers/tobacco growers use the ones in my link in this post and they cost only 6 bits, then thats what I want to use.
This is a commercial bag and about $0.55 each by the 1000's. Shipping and tax would bring them to $0.65 or so.
that is cheaper and some government agencies use them as well.
Knucklehead's bag looks good and if I am not mistaken it can take a lot of abuse which it would not get in the field.
IF just keeping out insects is the goal it should work fine. If the goal is keep out pollen itself then something else should be used.
My reasoning is that if a group of commercial scientist/seed savers/tobacco growers use the ones in my link in this post and they cost only 6 bits, then thats what I want to use.
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