What should I do: growing burley

[Cougar9197]

I have 45 tobacco plants I believe burley. I have pick about a heaping pickup load off so far. I let the best half of the plants put on seed heads the other half I have picked the buds off all summer. I harvested up to about 5 feet so far. What should I do now?

 

[deluxestogie]

How are you planning to color-cure the leaf?

As a side note, all the seed pods on the bud head of a single plant will provide you with about ¼ million seeds.

Bob

 

[Alpine]

Uhmmm… doesn’t look like burley to me but, anyway, the longer you leave the leaves on the plant (I.e. the later you can harvest) the easier the cure. If the weather doesn’t collaborate, you can stalk cure the whole plants, usually this method guarantees good curing success even with slightly immature leaves.

pier

 

[Cougar9197]

How are you planning to color-cure the leaf?

As a side note, all the seed pods on the bud head of a single plant will provide you with about ¼ million seeds.

Bob

I am hanging it in a shed.

 

[Cougar9197]

Uhmmm… doesn’t look like burley to me but, anyway, the longer you leave the leaves on the plant (I.e. the later you can harvest) the easier the cure. If the weather doesn’t collaborate, you can stalk cure the whole plants, usually this method guarantees good curing success even with slightly immature leaves.

pier

What would your guess be? I got it off of eBay about 10 years ago. It was the first variety that I got to grow up here decent. It was sold as burley. Would you let the suckers and all the new leaves keep going until freeze up?

 

[Cougar9197]

I am hanging it in a shed.

The last time I grew it. About 5 years ago I saved a full gallon bag of seed. Figured I should grow it again this year to renew my seed.

 

[Cougar9197]

Uhmmm… doesn’t look like burley to me but, anyway, the longer you leave the leaves on the plant (I.e. the later you can harvest) the easier the cure. If the weather doesn’t collaborate, you can stalk cure the whole plants, usually this method guarantees good curing success even with slightly immature leaves.

pier

I have been picking as they start getting light spots on the leaves. If I don’t the grasshoppers or some kind of other bug that I can’t find eat them to nothing.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

The last time I grew it. About 5 years ago I saved a full gallon bag of seed. Figured I should grow it again this year to renew my seed.

You could air drop that seed on a strip from the Atlantic to the Pacific and we could call you Johnny Tobacco Seed.

I wouldn't stress about determining the tobacco variety until you smoke it. It's planted, picked, hung up, and there ain't much you would do differently if you figured out it wasn't burley; be even then, you might be wrong. So, I say go with the flow and see if it smokes like burley.

 

[Alpine]

What would your guess be? I got it off of eBay about 10 years ago. It was the first variety that I got to grow up here decent. It was sold as burley. Would you let the suckers and all the new leaves keep going until freeze up?

My SWAG is… dark air. But it’s almost impossible to determine what exact strain it is without seeing and smoking it in person (and even then, you can likely determine what CLASS of tobacco it is, rather than an individual strain). As @ChinaVoodoo said cure, kiln then smoke it and let us know what it tastes like. For your next year grow, I suggest to buy seeds from a reputable source like

Northwood Seeds Providing organically grown seed for home gardeners

Skychaser is a forum member and has the best tobacco seeds available on the market.

pier

 

[Cougar9197]

My SWAG is… dark air. But it’s almost impossible to determine what exact strain it is without seeing and smoking it in person (and even then, you can likely determine what CLASS of tobacco it is, rather than an individual strain). As @ChinaVoodoo said cure, kiln then smoke it and let us know what it tastes like. For your next year grow, I suggest to buy seeds from a reputable source like

Northwood Seeds Providing organically grown seed for home gardeners

Skychaser is a forum member and has the best tobacco seeds available on the market.

pier

As much trouble as I had finding a variety that did well here I’m going to stick with my saved seeds. I may in the future try some other varieties. Last time I grew it I only cured out a quart of finished tobacco. I honestly don’t know the taste difference between varieties.

 

[deluxestogie]

don’t know the taste difference between varieties.

Your curing area looks good. I would continue with what you are doing. If you enjoy the tobacco, then there is no need to give it a name. Some burley varieties (like Green Brior and Kelly Burley) look similar to your plants. And the reality is that the lines between categories are a bit blurry. @ChinaVoodoo has the right message.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

This is a photo of KY 190 burley:

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

I forgot to ask what use you intend for your tobacco. Most burley is smokable by late November, but much better if you can hold off until it has hung for 6 to 9 months. Kilning burley will magically improve it.

Bob

 

[Cougar9197]

How tall do these get? The seed heads on mine are close to 7 feet tall. And the ones that I pruned all summer are over 6 feet tall now. These do look similar.

I forgot to ask what use you intend for your tobacco. Most burley is smokable by late November, but much better if you can hold off until it has hung for 6 to 9 months. Kilning burley will magically improve it.

Bob

plan is whatever it turns out for. I like it in a pipe but most will go into cigarettes for ease of smoking on tractor or other work. Plan is to hang for about 8 weeks then ferment for 6-8 weeks. Maybe smoke some but should have plenty to age. Maybe flavor some of it.

 

[deluxestogie]

Sounds like a plan. Do keep us posted about how it goes. (Pics are always nice.)

Bob

 

[Cougar9197]

Couple of new pictures. Sure is growing fast right now. I am 6’5 so the plants are pushing 7 feet

 

[Knucklehead]

Nice field of plants.

 

[HillDweller]

I have a burley related question I wasn't sure where to ask. Maybe it's okay here. When it comes to hanging burley in a barn, what about below freezing temperatures? I could hang plants in my neighbors barn indefinitely, but not sure what freezing might do to it.

 

[deluxestogie]

Once tobacco has initially color-cured, freezing has no impact on it. (My tobacco hangs in my curing shed for the entire winter most years.)

Bob

 

[HillDweller]

Once tobacco has initially color-cured, freezing has no impact on it. (My tobacco hangs in my curing shed for the entire winter most years.)

Bob

Thanks, I appreciate the quick reply.