RbwGeorge's Blog 2023: Growing "Rustica/Machorka" and a Cigarette Blend

[RbwGeorge]

Hello everyone.

This is the second time i am growing tobacco.
My first attempt was semi successful.
I managed to get some nice plants, but because lack of knowledge, i didnt know what to do with the leaves.
Now my seeds for this project have arrived from tabak-pflanzen.de

My goals and roadmap:

Goals:
-Produce my own Machorka Papirosas out of Rustica made of:
-Rustica Asiatica

-Produce my own German/American Blend Cigarettes made of:
-Virginia Gold
-Oriental
-Rot Front

Roadmap:
-Grow 4 varieties of Tobacco in the garden (probably in big pots)

-Air cure until brown

-Fermenting in a Klin for 2-3 weeks
(So far my idea for my klin is a water bath at 130°F/50°C, the tobacco in water and airtight glasses or plastic bags plus boveda packs at 70% Humidity or so)

-Shredding (Maybe with a meat grinder)

-Ageing

-Producing Cigarettes/Papirosas


Hopefully someone finds this Blog interesting, can learn from my inevitable mistakes, and maybe you guys have some tips for me along the journey.


George

 

[Chumco]

Do keep us updated. I am curious about your kiln idea, but offhand (and without any knowledge) I think you might have to go with slightly dryer bovedas, or maybe let the jars sit for a while you monitor them and "kiln" them when they hit the right humidity. Something tells me that heating it up with a 70% might make it a bit more humid in there, but perhaps that is fine for that process.

 

[RbwGeorge]

Late start, but i think its okay, because we can still get temperatures below 0°C in April.

My setup:
18 Plants of Rustica
6 plants of Virginia, 6 of Oriental and 6 of Rot Front

 

[RbwGeorge]

Quick Update:
Weather has changed to sunny, and my little box has turned into a finnish sauna.
The seeds seem to feel comfortable, they are starting to swell.

 

[RbwGeorge]

The Machorka is presenting the first green leaves,
all nicotiana tabacum seeds are swelling up still.

 

[RbwGeorge]

Hey everyone.
It seems like the nicotiana tabacum plants dont really want to grow.
I think it might has to do with the lower temperatures we are getting.
Maybe i should try to insulate my tray a little?

 

[Knucklehead]

Hey everyone.
It seems like the nicotiana tabacum plants dont really want to grow.
I think it might has to do with the lower temperatures we are getting.
Maybe i should try to insulate my tray a little?

They are putting all their energy in producing and expanding the root system. They will sit there for a couple of weeks. All the action will be underground and then they will take off. They will act like that again when you transplant into the garden. Once you move them into more space, and they are no longer bound by the cells, they will build and strengthen the root system so they can support the heavy stalk and leaves. It's normal. They look good.
Insulating won't hurt. They like it warm.

 

[RbwGeorge]

Ive put the tray on an old Bundeswehr insulation mat we still had,
and rolled it into a space/emergency blanket.
Looks a bit funky

 

[RbwGeorge]

Well, it might have helped a little. The Golden Virginia is hatching

 

[RbwGeorge]

Hey everyone.

I got a cheap growing lamp from Amazon to give the plants more light during the night.
My Machorka/Rustica plants have gotten quite big already.
When is the right moment to select wich ones to keep?
Thank you all for reading and replying!

George

 

[Knucklehead]

Hey everyone.

I got a cheap growing lamp from Amazon to give the plants more light during the night.
My Machorka/Rustica plants have gotten quite big already.
When is the right moment to select wich ones to keep?
Thank you all for reading and replying!

George

I thinned mine down once I was able to tell that some were clearly doing better than others. Stronger and larger. Some cells were empty so I moved others there from other cells. (this is after thinning)



I then thinned them down to one per cell photo below. I moved several from the edge of the cells to the center of the cells.

 

[RbwGeorge]

I thinned mine down once I was able to tell that some were clearly doing better than others. Stronger and larger. (this is after thinning)

View attachment 45547

I then thinned them down to one per cell photo below. Some cells were empty so I moved others there from other cells, I moved several from the edge of the cells to the center of the cells.

View attachment 45546

Thank you so much for your advice!!!

 

[Knucklehead]

You did good buying a light. The seedlings were stretching up searching for more light. They will be happier now.
Have all your seed sprouted?

 

[RbwGeorge]

You did good buying a light. The seedlings were stretching up searching for more light. They will be happier now.
Have all your seed sprouted?

Yeah, the Orient Xanthi, Rot Front and Golden Virginia have sprouted too!

 

[RbwGeorge]

Hey everyone.

Quick update: Everything looks nice and my plants seem to feel cozy.
The more i look at my setup, the more it reminds me of the Skylab space station.

Peace.
George.

 

[RbwGeorge]

Hey everyone,

My plants have been very busy growing over the weekend.
Im uncertain when i should start to thin them out, kind of feels bad to think about.

Peace
George

 

[Knucklehead]

View attachment 45650
Hey everyone,

My plants have been very busy growing over the weekend.
Im uncertain when i should start to thin them out, kind of feels bad to think about.

Peace
George

I would thin them now, selecting your most vigorous plants and move them around so you have one per cell. I did mine in two waves, ending up with one per cell of my best plants and somewhat centered in the cells.

This was after the first thinning, making sure I saved a few in case some didn't survive the transplant (I had no losses), and spreading the extras apart from the others to reduce possibility of secondary roots englangling with it's neighbors.



This is the last thinning to one per cell. Two waves of thinning was probably unnecessary. I used tweezers but you can also just snip off the discards at soil level with scissors.




Your seedlings are growing tall and leggy seeking more light. If you can't provide more light, at transplant (in the garden), snip off the lower leaves and plant the seedlings deeper. That section of stalk will grow roots and planting deeper will reduce the flopping around of the tall, spindly stalks until they develop better with good sunlight. They will be fine, tobacco is tough as boiled shoe leather.

 

[deluxestogie]

to thin them out, kind of feels bad to think about.

The robust plants in the tray originally came from (were transplanted from) that overcrowded germination cup. Overcrowding causes tobacco plants to remain "infantile". Feel good about thinning to 1 plant per cell.

Bob

 

[RbwGeorge]

Oh wow, ill do it tomorrow then!

 

[RbwGeorge]

Good day everyone.

I keep removing the smallest plants bit by bit.
They look quite happy, as long as i ignore their urge to lean towards the window.
I keep my light on at night and they get sunshine in the daytime.
The window is on the southern side of the house, so they can see the sun all day.

Peace
George