My plants, two sorts

[baccy]

Hi,

Here are some photos of my humble garden with Virginia Gold and Tennessee, all together 35 plants.





I started the seedlings mid April and transplanted them in the field mid May.

The Virginia Gold grew much faster and form flower buds 2-3 weeks before the Tennessee. But now the Tenneessee plants are bigger.. I cut the Virginia's buds as it is advised, but didn't noticed any changes except they started to form more buds and I had to cut more. The leafs didn't get bigger, I hope they will be higher in nicotine now.

I did not top Tennessee's as I want to collect seeds from them.

First row of pics are Tennessee, the second Virginia. In the next post I am posting few more photos of Tennessee and some hanged leafs.











I wanted to ask, are most of bottom leaves ready to be harvested, despite not being fully yellow? I want to pick them mature enough bacause last season I ended up with more than half of the leaves drying green. On other hand here the climate is getting cold and humid from September so I won't have good conditions to dry.

Also are these leaves with big brown parts good for anything and should I cut the brown bits before hanging. Is that a desease or just drying. I notice the edges of many other plants in the garden getting brown as well.

 

[baccy]

The bottle in the photos is half a liter for comparison. Next I will post lastly some more Virginias.

 

[baccy]

Virginia Gold

 

[GIL]

If it were my plants, I wouldn't harvest anything yet, I think they still need time. Don't worry about the healing, my climate is colder than yours, and yet I've never had any problems with the leaves healing.

 

[deluxestogie]

Your crop looks lovely. Regarding the brown portions of bottom leaf: It is perfectly good tobacco. The problem that it presents is that those dead portions of leaf will go into a curing shed that is high humidity because of all the other hanging leaf. So those areas of leaf may mold. You can just harvest it and hang it along with the rest of the crop, but watch it more closely for mold.

The risk to harvesting early, as you noted, is leaf drying green, and curing conditions may or may not be better. The risk to harvesting later is exposure to physical damage (rain, hail, wind), and curing conditions are usually not as favorable. The decision is always a balance of those factors—and always just a guess.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

Your plants look great. For pipe or cigarettes or both? Good job.

 

[baccy]

Hi, thank you for responding. I am not picking anything for now, only some of the muddiest mudders, will keep in touch how is going following weeks.

Your plants look great. For pipe or cigarettes or both? Good job.

Thanks, I smoke cigarettes, but I am curious to try a pipe, need to get some good quality wooden one.

 

[baccy]

Hi, I have something else to ask. The few yellow leafs I hanged turned crisp dry in only few days. The area I hanged them is enclosed from 3 sides. The temp is about
77-87 F / 25-30 C during the day and 59F / 15C in the night. Humidity arround 55-60%. From what I know is not that much to dry them so quickly.

I hanged there some savory to dry, and it's drying steadily, although I put it 2-3 weeks ago when was very hot during the days. I noticed this last season as well - The yellow leafs turning crisp quickly.

Also I got my hands on an old fridge I will use as a kiln. Can you suggest me some cheap thermoregulator from an EU website or Amazon/Ebay. Local sites I checked have only expensive ones like 150-200$. And do you put the crockpot cable into those thermoregulator and since its reach the given temp the thermoregulator stops the crockpot ? Is it how is working ? If so, doesn't crockpots have some button to press in order to start it, not just the electricity cable ?

I'm sorry if annoy you with these noob questions, but I don't have time atm to read the forum. I hope I make something at least smokable this year with your help.

Cheers!

 

[deluxestogie]

thermoregulator stops the crockpot ? Is it how is working ? If so, doesn't crockpots have some button to press in order to start it, not just the electricity cable ?

I will answer this part of your questions. You need to find a Crockpot with a dial—an analog switch, rather than a digital Crockpot. The digital Crockpots will not come back on, once the power is switched off. The dial-controlled Crockpot remains switched on, and returns to operation as soon as the power is restored.

For connections, I refer you to this thread:

Deluxestogie's Endoskeletal Wood Tobacco Kiln / Flue-cure chamber

PART 1 of 4 Endoskeleton. The foam board goes on the outside. Caveat The wood-built kiln discussed here has several advantages over using a dead, upright freezer for a kiln, but will require more work to complete, and will certainly cost more. it weighs significantly less it can be sized to...

fairtradetobacco.com

Bob

 

[baccy]

I will answer this part of your questions. You need to find a Crockpot with a dial—an analog switch, rather than a digital Crockpot. The digital Crockpots will not come back on, once the power is switched off. The dial-controlled Crockpot remains switched on, and returns to operation as soon as the power is restored.

For connections, I refer you to this thread:

Deluxestogie's Endoskeletal Wood Tobacco Kiln / Flue-cure chamber

PART 1 of 4 Endoskeleton. The foam board goes on the outside. Caveat The wood-built kiln discussed here has several advantages over using a dead, upright freezer for a kiln, but will require more work to complete, and will certainly cost more. it weighs significantly less it can be sized to...

fairtradetobacco.com

Bob

Your thread is very hepful, much appreciate it!

 

[baccy]

I just smoked one yellow leaf that was drying for about a week. And actually was not bad at all. Smooth throat kick, the taste wasn't best of course, but neither was too grassy/hay. Only that was biting slightly on the back of the palate. Can't wait everything to ripen and make the kiln.

 

[baccy]

Last 2 weeks I were picking 2-3 bottom yellow leafs a day from Virginias. Tennesees aren't moving.

Leafs I picked dried in just a few days and became very crisp. I sprayed them and put in a plastic bag for few hours. Then while pliable I straightened them and put under the carpet lol.



I rolled few cigarettes. They burn rather quickly but strenght is nice, also there is some scratchines and heating up the throat but not in an unpleasent way. After puffing them I feel not dizzy but kind of sedated and not bothered. I suspect these babies will became first class after kilning.



I noticed Virginias are making a lot of suckers from top to bottom. While cutting them i snaped 3 leafs by mistake, then I put them in plastic bag to cure. this is them after 3 days starting to yellow, they may need few more.

 

[BrotherJ]

Thanks, I smoke cigarettes, but I am curious to try a pipe, need to get some good quality wooden one.

If you don't mind buying used: Go to Etsy. Search for "estate pipe". Filter for "Ships to " Bulgaria. Browse at your leisure.
Note: Some of them will require repair, so don't order if you're not sure of what you'll get.

 

[baccy]

If you don't mind buying used: Go to Etsy. Search for "estate pipe". Filter for "Ships to " Bulgaria. Browse at your leisure.
Note: Some of them will require repair, so don't order if you're not sure of what you'll get.

Thanks, I will chek this site. But i have no experience with pipes and at the moment I'm judging them only by the price.

I was looking this local shop yesterday. https://kalimancaribe.com/bg/aksesoari/luli/lula-vauen-edgar-wp-smooth-grey-2.html

That one is looking very luxurious to me. I can't afford it yet. Maybe for Christmas.

https://kalimancaribe.com/bg/aksesoari/luli/vauen/lula-vauen-fuji-4286.html This one is for about $130


This little girls looking very neat too :

лула Vauen Quixx sand white

С корени датиращи от 1848 г Vauen е най-дългогодишният производител на лули в Германия Дължи зашеметяващия си успех на гарантираното качество и философията за баланс между традиция и авантюристичен дух Иновативните им идеи пораждат „страст която обединява хората“! Компанията е създател на

kalimancaribe.com

лула Vauen Quixx smooth light

С корени датиращи от 1848 г Vauen е най-дългогодишният производител на лули в Германия Дължи зашеметяващия си успех на гарантираното качество и философията за баланс между традиция и авантюристичен дух Иновативните им идеи пораждат „страст която обединява хората“! Компанията е създател на

kalimancaribe.com

And they are affordable, but as I said I'm not an expert, not sure if the cup isn't too small. Description says "ideal to smoke in between smoking

 

[Knucklehead]

Thanks, I will chek this site. But i have no experience with pipes and at the moment I'm judging them only by the price.

I was looking this local shop yesterday. https://kalimancaribe.com/bg/aksesoari/luli/lula-vauen-edgar-wp-smooth-grey-2.html

That one is looking very luxurious to me. I can't afford it yet. Maybe for Christmas.

https://kalimancaribe.com/bg/aksesoari/luli/vauen/lula-vauen-fuji-4286.html This one is for about $130


This little girls looking very neat too :

лула Vauen Quixx sand white

С корени датиращи от 1848 г Vauen е най-дългогодишният производител на лули в Германия Дължи зашеметяващия си успех на гарантираното качество и философията за баланс между традиция и авантюристичен дух Иновативните им идеи пораждат „страст която обединява хората“! Компанията е създател на

kalimancaribe.com

лула Vauen Quixx smooth light

С корени датиращи от 1848 г Vauen е най-дългогодишният производител на лули в Германия Дължи зашеметяващия си успех на гарантираното качество и философията за баланс между традиция и авантюристичен дух Иновативните им идеи пораждат „страст която обединява хората“! Компанията е създател на

kalimancaribe.com

And they are affordable, but as I said I'm not an expert, not sure if the cup isn't too small. Description says "ideal to smoke in between smoking

Corn cob pipes are great and low cost in case you find out that pipes aren't for you after all.
I like small bowls for winter time so I can rush out for a quick smoke and zip back inside where it is warm.

 

[BrotherJ]

I agree with Knucklehead. It would be best to start with some cheaper pipes and then make bigger choices when you have a little experience. If you want to buy new, this shop has some very affordable options, including cobs, and is located in Europe.

The Danish Pipe Shop

At the Danish Pipe Shop in Copenhagen, Denmark you find more than 5000 tobacco pipes, 350 different pipe tobaccos, lighters and accessories for smokers. Tom Eltang Pipes, Stanwell, Poul Winsløw, Neerup, Mac Baren, My Own Blend, Dunhill and more!

www.danishpipeshop.com

 

[baccy]

Allright, thank you both! I will grab a corn cob for beginning. Does it matter if it's straight or bent, or is just visual thing.

I bought before one pipe tobacco, wanted to roll it into cigarettes. But it was so sticky, wasn't burning, no strenght at all. I know pipe smoke isn't to be inhaled like cigarettes, but still that one was only smelling cherry from miles away.



Can you tell some commercial pipe blend that is not so sticky, and to look like these from Bob's pipe blends thread?

 

[deluxestogie]

Try "English" or "Balkan" blends. Many pipe tobacco listings will separate "aromatic" (sticky, usually sweet and flavored) from "non-aromatic".

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Give these a look:

Pfeifentabak von Dan Pipe - seit 1972

www.danpipe.de

Bob

 

[BrotherJ]

The style of the pipe (straight or bent stem, shape of the bowl, etc.) does effect the smoking experience, but you can smoke out of any of them. It's mostly personal preference.

Personally, I absolutely hate that thick cherry topping that smells so strong and gives almost no flavour. If there is a pipe shop near you where you can smell the tobaccos before buying them, that would be a great place to start.