Wombat's 2026 Grow Log

[Wombat_smokes]

And so I begin sun curing.

From left to right: Yaladag, Anatolian, Malatya, Shargo

These are from my indoor grow of spare plants.

 

[Wombat_smokes]

Today, I started bagging flower heads.
15 weeks after seed start; 10 weeks or so since transplant for the oldest plants (Frog Eye Orinoco and Trabzon #2). I used 5 gallon paint strainers tied with sisal twine. I discarded the small leaves at or below the crow's foot so I had enough stem to tie onto.

 

[Wombat_smokes]

Everything is going well. I just finished some early morning weeding of the Frog Eye Orinoco and took my first primings - mostly mud lugs that have been badly nibbled on.

The lugs are stacked in a brown bag to color cure and I'm planning to sun cure them to see if the flash dry yellow/green or turn a more Flue-Cured hue.

It's also time for the parasitic wasps to earn their keep. I have found 4 hornworm eggs, but neglected to take pictures.

 

[Wombat_smokes]

Mind you, I haven't seen but 2 hornworms in 13 years of tomatoes. Now, I see a good deal of eggs. Must be the tobacco. Glad I see lots of parasitic wasps in my yard. They like the sweet clover, carrots and fennel. Now their young may feast on the blood of my enemies!

 

[deluxestogie]

Parasitic wasps enter the picture after a hornworm has damaged a fair amount of tobacco leaf.

Bob

 

[Wombat_smokes]

Thanks for the heads up.... BT begins!

 

[deluxestogie]

This is from 2016, on one of my pepper plants. You can see how large the hornworm got.

Bob

 

[Wombat_smokes]

I have harvested my 1st priming of Trabzon

I collected and brought into case for handling the dried on the stalk Trabzon #2. The bug holes make it look like tangled flue-cured leaves.


I started some of my Frog Eye Orinoco sun curing. These outer leaves look & feel like they've flash dried yellow while the inner leaves are still "moist"

The Shargo, Frog Eye Orinoco, and other brightleaf are still growing well. Suckers on the Trabzon #2 are all growing from the mud lugs.

 

[Wombat_smokes]

My sun curing arrangement:

Two tripods made from Siberian Elm branches/trunks. I'll lash on additional hanging staves and/or clothes line as needed. I also added my Frog Eye Orinoco and 1st Prilep (an under performer who looked ready to cure).

 

[Wombat_smokes]

I lashed two poles together to make 1 long pole to span the tripods. #1 reason to be a Boyscout: resourcefulness - take what you have to make what you need. Amazing what you still remember after 30 years.

Hung my 1st Malatya to start sun curing. Only 14 more to go.

 

[Wombat_smokes]

All of my Malatya is harvested and hanging to sun cure and dry.


My sun cured Brightleaf is doing well, but when should I consider it complete? I assume I wait until all the stems are dried and no green remains.


The neighboring Prilep is also curing nicely.

While hanging the malatya, I enjoyed a sample of Trabzon #2 with 1 small leaf of Prilep from a few leaves that fell. An interesting flavor of sweet tea. Can't wait until it's had time to age.

 

[deluxestogie]

consider it complete? I assume I wait until all the stems are dried and no green remains.

Correct.

Bob