Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Richard (tzaddi) hooked me up with some seeds earlier this year. I started them and transplanted them so far.
They're doing great.
I held off doing this for lots of years because I read an old book that said growing tobacco was very difficult. It went so far as to say the seed was almost impossible to start and required a heat mat, and that the seeds had to be started on a brick sitting in a pan of water, then transplanted carefully with tweezers.
The book was from 1938 or somewhere thereabouts.
Turns out it was all crap.
Starting the seeds and growing the plants has been nothing more than super easy.
Here they are so far...
http://home.comcast.net/~shilala/plant1.jpg
A whole tray, there's 3 trays...
http://home.comcast.net/~shilala/plant2.jpg
My plant stand where I grow all my plants for the garden...
http://home.comcast.net/~shilala/plant3.jpg

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

That's very cool Scott, can't wait to see how it turns out for you.:tu

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Looks great.

I too am working on growing tobacco.
Why do my leaves look so different than yours?:rolleyes:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s.../HempLeafB.jpg

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Very cool Scott! :tu

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

You are not starting them too early are you? I made that mistake last year.

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Very nice! have you tried Richards tobacco? it is very good!

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

You should also consider trying to grow girl scout cookies :r

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

I think you are showing us only "half the picture" (oh, you have changed the pictures).

For purposes of cigar leaf, I understand that this is very labour intensive and difficult to get right. However, the plant itself is really easy to get to grow. But, when you want specific qualities to present themselves, then you have to deprive the plant in very specific ways in order to get your preferred results. Otherwise, it is like any other plant you may want to grow and smoke, with equally disgusting results (note, I am not talking about Spiderman's girl friend here....she is always easy to grow and always gives you the result you are looking for).

That's why Cuba is "it", and many other climes are close to "it". Its the right combination of hospitable air and moisture, with the right combination of inhospitable soil and sun. So, you may want to try to up the light, and make the soil more sandy. But, I am not a horticultural/botanic type, so I can't be certain.

Cheers

Cy

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Nice looking leafs you got there Scott. :tu

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Very nice!!!

I don't have a sweet garage garden because I don't want my neighbors calling the cops... so I will plant my seeds when the sun starts shining again!!!:tu

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Nice pics as a friend of mine from another forum sent me a ton of seeds of every type of tobacco. From what I read he sent enough seeds to grow acres of tobacco. I wish I had the energy and the resources to grow this,,,and then roll them,,,surely a dream thing to do.



Lol,,,where da buds at?

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Is that a Maple Leaf? Must be the tropical version. ;)

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Dood, chill. :)
I just want to see the pretty flowers. :tu

I still haven't made any plans about what I'll do with the plants once they've grown. It's completely secondary.
I have at least six months before I even have to run that thought through my head. Right now I just hope I can grow them and watch the flowers bloom through my kitchen window and watch the hummingbirds drill them.

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

:r

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

So, what you are saying then is that you are going to need me to start photoshoping you a special "Shilala Edition Limitada" cigar bands? Oh good, I didn't know how I was going to accomplish the proper embossing to ensure people could tell between the real thing and counterfeits.

You had me worried there

Cy

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Dude that's funny ship..... :r :r

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

No. Dood. FLOWERS.
We're just gonna look at the pretty flowers. :r
I might take pictures of the bees, too. I think the flowers are pretty gooey and nectarlicious, so there should be lots of critters.
There's a great big black ant filled pine tree nearby that should supply sufficient pollination, so there should be lots of hardcore critter action.
If the plants live, I might even pick some of the tobaccy.
I'd like to find out how they make chewing tobacco so I can chaw on it. That'd be the coolest. That's why I was gonna grow it years ago. To make snuff. :)

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

OK the, I guess I am back to building the Special Anniversary Vitola Select Bands for Juan IceHog's new line of Nic/Hond Corojo/Maduro/Oscuro, Ligero/Volando cigars.

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Scott,
That is what I say about the ones I am growing.
I strictly want the "flowers".:r

Re: Taking my first shot at growing tobacco.
 

Keep us posted on this Scott, can't wait to see how it turns out.