last date to transplant seedlings in Michigan

[SmokeStack]

This Spring I was plagued with work and I was not able to prepare the ground and transplant my seedlings. Tomorrow I plan on planting some of my seedling but I don't think that I will be able to plant the rest until the beginning of July. In Michigan, the frost date is October 1. If I transplant by July 1, will that be enough time for the plants to grow to maturity? I am growing the following:

BURLY
Yellow Twist Bud
Tennessee Red Leaf
TN90

FLUE CURED
Yellow Orinoco
Yellow Pryor
Italian Bright Leaf

CIGAR
Florida Sumatra
Connecticut Broadleaf
Zimmer Spanish

ORIENTAL
Black Sea Samsun
Izmir Ozbas
Xanthi Yaka 18A

RUSTICA
Indian
Aztec
Isleta Pueblo

It is taking a long time this year because I had to clear some property of trees and till the virgin ground. Next year this will not be an issue. I have about 700 seedlings and I would hate to waste them.

 

[BarG]

We are anticipating your progress Smokestack being uploaded into some pics.A pretty ambitious undertaking when your clearing timber, I hope you have a friend or local sawyer for all that timber to lumber thing. Its well worth it.

 

[Grundle]

I wish I was up your way so I could plank some of that wood for some of my non-tobacco projects

 

[LeftyRighty]

I grew a 2nd crop of turkish last year - went into the ground 2 & 3rd week of July, and my average first frost is October 15-20th. I topped all the plants on the first week of Sept, about 6 weeks before frost, whether they were ready or not. The intent was to mature whatever leaf I had before frost. Worked kinda OK. But the upper half of leaf on the Black Sea Samsun never did mature completely, and they were difficult to cure. Cool weather, relative low humidity, and a lot of dried-green leaf. I still got decent results overall, and call it a semi-success. I was also helped by a late first frost, but all was p[icked by then anyway.

This year, I'm trying the same with 8 strains of cigar tobacco, and am aiming to plant the first week of July. It's my understanding that these strains can be picked a bit earlier than most others, just showing a little brown on the tip, a full green, but ripe, leaf. Hoping it works.

It's a gamble, and it may be that only the lower leaf, which ripen first, is all you get. And an early frost may spoil everything. It's also worth noting that the cooler fall weather is not helpful for air-curing - I have trouble with drying green.
Maybe others have suggestions on curing in fall weather.

Good luck, if you decide to go for it !

 

[BarG]

I wish I was up your way so I could plank some of that wood for some of my non-tobacco projects

I hear Kansas is kind of prarieville, I could'nt live without my woods to prowl around in.

 

[SmokeStack]

Well, this is my first year planting tobacco so if things don't workout exactly like I planned, then at least I will have learned from my mistakes and I'll know what to expect for next year. At least next year, I won't have to worry about clearing trees and tilling virgin ground.

A pretty ambitious undertaking when your clearing timber, I hope you have a friend or local sawyer for all that timber to lumber thing.
-Bar G

I cleared all the timber myself with a chain saw and almost broke my back hauling it away since my tractor broke down. In fact, I wore out a brand new chain for my saw. At least I won't have to worry about having enough fire-wood. There are a lot of stumps, but I will have to plant around them. The trees were pine and the largest tree trunk was no wider than a foot in diameter - most smaller. My tiller kept getting tangled in the roots when plowing close to the trunk. Anyone know an easy way to pull out a stump and roots?

 

[jeapadrenaline]

Pulling stumps? Case of dinamite, use 1/4 stick or 1/8 per stump, dont forget to duck down. I have pulled many pine and spruce stumps, but i dont cut the tree off till the stump is out. I only have a 4x4 pickup. In your case, since dinamite isn't so easy to get, i'd say shovel and axe. Cut the main 3 or 4 large roots then hok up to tractor or truck and give it a few tugs..... they should ome out.

 

[BarG]

If you use a tractor Smokestack, hook the chain in front and use reverse to avoid having your tractor flip over backwards and crushing you. No joke. The poor fella that owned my property before me was from pennsylvania and had been retired 6 months before he did that very thing trying to clear this property. He was pulling yopon from the rear when the tractor flipped over backwards on him and crushed his skull. I buy the best chainsaw blades I can get Stihl mostly and I go through them like crazy. Keep them as tight on the bar as possible to barely be able to move with your hand while not running and they will stay sharp longer and not stretch as fast.

 

[BigBonner]

Borrow a friends backhoe , dig them out . Leave the stump laying over winter and the soil will fall off .

 

[BarG]

Borrow a friends backhoe , dig them out . Leave the stump laying over winter and the soil will fall off .

Or dozer.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

For future reference... Cut the tree about 4 feet above ground level. Come by with a backhoe and put your bucket up near the top of the 4 ft stump. Push and it will tip over, ripping up the entire root ball. Hall away!

 

[SmokeStack]

Pulling stumps? Case of dinamite, use 1/4 stick or 1/8 per stump, dont forget to duck down.

Jeapadrenaline, I thought you were joking when you said to use Dynamite. I did a Google search and I discovered that using Dynamite to remove stumps to clear property is considered to be legitimate according to the ATF. You can get a one-year permit for $50, but there is some paper work to fill out. I think you would need a license to transport explosives using your car or truck. Also, you need a special place to store the Dynamite - I don't think keeping them under you bed would be considered "proper" storage.

It would be definitely cheaper to use Dynamite than to hire someone to remove all of those stumps. And also using Dynamite would be much more fun!

 

[johnlee1933]

Of course, blowing things up are always fun. .

This may be a bit long but you might enjoy it.

When I was a kid of 6 or 7 I was on the farm for the summer. There was an old, large (~24" tree) stump in the middle of Uncle Lew's (farm owner) field. He had been pecking at it and complaining about it for years. His brother, Uncle Frank, was visiting and listening to complaints about "that damned stump" for the umpteenth time. He said "John, let's go to town. We did and went straight to the hardware store where Uncle Frank bought dynamite, a cap, and a length of slow fuse. Without telling Lew he got the crowbar and we and a few of my cousins went to the offending stump. Frank punched holes, put the dynamite (with cap and fuse) in the holes and lit the fuse. He herded all of us kids behind a stone wall a couple of hundred feet away. We waited for what seemed like forever. Finally there was a muffled THUMP and "that damned stump" went up in the air and up and up and up.

You know how when something high up is falling it appears to be falling right on you? Well, it's true. Frank and all us kids started running away as fast as little, and big, legs would take us.

As an aftermath the stump, when it finally came down, landed pretty near in the sudden, large hole it came out of. Frank got the tractor and hauled it to the fence line. We kids did our best to fill the hole.

Frank said "Well, I guess Lew won't complain to me anymore." and thought it was a great joke. To this day when we cousins get together somebody will always mention "the stump".

John

 

[SmokesAhoy]

I was one one of those kids who mixed up stuff to make big booms too. Back then it was "boys will be boys " now its 15 minutes of fame on every news network in the country and some time in jail. Big difference in not much time.

 

[Rayshields]

When I was in high school, if someone accidentally broke a mercury thermometer we would chase the mercury around on the floor and pick it up. Then we would rub it on silver money to make it shine...sometime we put the money in our mouths to feel how slick it was...now they evacuate the school and shut it down for a day for hazmat to clean it up...

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I thought they were coating that with something to make it difficult to use as an explosive?
I buy 35% Hydrogen Peroxide from a farm supply place. They sell it in 1 gallon and 15 gallon containers. I'm still waiting to be told one day that I can't buy it 'cause the FEDS deemed it dangerous. Not to get on a soap box here but there is nothing wrong with Peroxide or Ammonium Nitrate.. Our government ( and the American people) need to get a pair of balls and start enforcing the laws and prosecuting criminals that misuse this stuff.

 

[johnlee1933]

I thought they were coating that with something to make it difficult to use as an explosive?
I buy 35% Hydrogen Peroxide from a farm supply place. They sell it in 1 gallon and 15 gallon containers. I'm still waiting to be told one day that I can't buy it 'cause the FEDS deemed it dangerous. Not to get on a soap box here but there is nothing wrong with Peroxide or Ammonium Nitrate.. Our government ( and the American people) need to get a pair of balls and start enforcing the laws and prosecuting criminals that misuse this stuff.

Can I hear a quick AMEN.

j

 

[leverhead]

Our government ( and the American people) need to get a pair of balls...

I think they've dried up and fallen off from lack of use. Though it does keep allot of people employed on the "enforcement" side.

 

[SmokeStack]

I have some additional land that I want to clear that are filled with mostly pine trees - no more than a foot in diameter. I don't have the equipment to remove the trees and I don't think I would be able to afford it if I were to hire someone to remove the trees and stumps. So now I am seriously considering using explosives. As a chemist I could concoct something that would do the job, but if I got caught, I would be classified as a terrorist and spend some serious time in prison. From my experience from conducting chemistry research in the lab, I know all too well what happens to those who misuse chemicals. Those days of do it yourself explosives are long gone. So I must strictly adhere to all laws and regulations.

I did a little research on the web and came across the ATF website where it stated that you can get a permit to use explosives for the purpose of clearing land for farming/growing. I saw the form to obtain the permit and it costs only $50 I believe. They ask you some questions that are pretty basic - they just want to know if you are competent enough to handle explosives (not Hydrogen bombs - just a half stick to a stick of dynamite per stump I am estimating - never used dynamite before - just Black Cats). Actually, I started to fill out the form, but I got stuck when they asked how will I store the dynamite. Obviously, not under my bed.

Anyone familiar with how to legitimately store dynamite?
Is there a special steel cabinet to store them in?
Should there be a particular structure (pole barn or garage) to store it in?

If you have any (lawful) experience using explosives (for clearing land) and getting permits to use them, I would very much appreciate your suggestions.

 

[SmokeStack]

This thread has slowly gone off topic from "Re: last date to transplant seedlings in Michigan" to "using explosives to remove trees and stumps for clearing land for growing/farming." I am unsure how or where to move it.