mrthing2000
Well-Known Member
I started out with a couple of packets of seeds--Burley and Virginia Gold, and later got some Yellow Orinoco and Lizard Tail. I struggled to get things going at first.
I found that seeds either didn't germinate well, rose too quickly and damped off, or would mold. Turns out I needed to use a humidity dome with lights, and problem solved! The plants grow a bit more robust and look less like alfalfa sprouts. They don't grow 3 inches with a tiny stem and fall over. Right now the second germination attempt looks a lot like little bits of clover. I'll have to thin them soon. I tried a couple in those expanding hockey puck things. They seem happy.
I started 10 in a hydro DWC setup to see how that would work... sort of a float tray thing using the Aerogarden type pods with a peat moss insert to hold the seeds. I'll see if I can get some decent results from this and go from there.
I was hoping to buy some actual seedlings or plants to start, but I think I started way too late to get them. So its all from seed then! I've got about 120 days until the first frost, and I'm building a cold frame if its not all done by then.
My main struggle has been figuring out what nutrients to use. I have a bunch of hydroponic nutrients from my basil and tomato grows. Supposedly they can be used in soil--but in what concentrations and how much, its not clear. And how often. I've managed not to 'burn' the plants yet, but they don't seem super happy either. Not very dark green and probably underfed. I did cut a few of the whimpy leaves off and that seemed to help.
I'm growing most in peat pots, I think the 5" ones. These dry out too quickly in the hot sun. I got some larger pots and will eventually transplant into 5gal ones. A few others will go in the ground.
I really wish I hadn't mixed up the plants that are outside. They could all be Burley, Virginia Gold, or maybe one of the other two. Or they could be a combination of all of those. My newest germination attempt will be a lot more careful, bottom-watering, getting the plants happier before moving outside, and getting the plants labeled before moving them around.
Plan is to try a few things--make a few cigs, make some pipe tobacco, and try my hand at a knockoff Copenhagen or Cherry Skoal. I watched a video on cigar rolling and it doesn't look especially difficult, but I might want to get some whole leaf stuff to even things out. Not a big cigar fan though.
I wish I had done a few dark plants. And some Turkish ones. It might make for better blending. At this point I'll just follow other people's recommendations on those.
Curing will be a tough one for me. I can air dry probably easily, but overdoing it may be a problem. Humidity here is maybe 40-50% most of the time, and it might dry out hard and quickly. I have a shady overhang that may help. I might build a flue eventually. I'm hoping that drying them in the garage isn't a problem. Mine is pretty well insulated but I don't want it to pick up 'off flavors'. Depending on when it is all done, it could be October or November. If I can do it outside I will certainly try.
I'll post some pics soon. Thanks for reading! Any suggestions are helpful
I found that seeds either didn't germinate well, rose too quickly and damped off, or would mold. Turns out I needed to use a humidity dome with lights, and problem solved! The plants grow a bit more robust and look less like alfalfa sprouts. They don't grow 3 inches with a tiny stem and fall over. Right now the second germination attempt looks a lot like little bits of clover. I'll have to thin them soon. I tried a couple in those expanding hockey puck things. They seem happy.
I started 10 in a hydro DWC setup to see how that would work... sort of a float tray thing using the Aerogarden type pods with a peat moss insert to hold the seeds. I'll see if I can get some decent results from this and go from there.
I was hoping to buy some actual seedlings or plants to start, but I think I started way too late to get them. So its all from seed then! I've got about 120 days until the first frost, and I'm building a cold frame if its not all done by then.
My main struggle has been figuring out what nutrients to use. I have a bunch of hydroponic nutrients from my basil and tomato grows. Supposedly they can be used in soil--but in what concentrations and how much, its not clear. And how often. I've managed not to 'burn' the plants yet, but they don't seem super happy either. Not very dark green and probably underfed. I did cut a few of the whimpy leaves off and that seemed to help.
I'm growing most in peat pots, I think the 5" ones. These dry out too quickly in the hot sun. I got some larger pots and will eventually transplant into 5gal ones. A few others will go in the ground.
I really wish I hadn't mixed up the plants that are outside. They could all be Burley, Virginia Gold, or maybe one of the other two. Or they could be a combination of all of those. My newest germination attempt will be a lot more careful, bottom-watering, getting the plants happier before moving outside, and getting the plants labeled before moving them around.
Plan is to try a few things--make a few cigs, make some pipe tobacco, and try my hand at a knockoff Copenhagen or Cherry Skoal. I watched a video on cigar rolling and it doesn't look especially difficult, but I might want to get some whole leaf stuff to even things out. Not a big cigar fan though.
I wish I had done a few dark plants. And some Turkish ones. It might make for better blending. At this point I'll just follow other people's recommendations on those.
Curing will be a tough one for me. I can air dry probably easily, but overdoing it may be a problem. Humidity here is maybe 40-50% most of the time, and it might dry out hard and quickly. I have a shady overhang that may help. I might build a flue eventually. I'm hoping that drying them in the garage isn't a problem. Mine is pretty well insulated but I don't want it to pick up 'off flavors'. Depending on when it is all done, it could be October or November. If I can do it outside I will certainly try.
I'll post some pics soon. Thanks for reading! Any suggestions are helpful
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