Spain, 2025 winter grow blog. KY17.

[Panosagr24]

Hi, Oriental that I have received has been good. Delivery to me in Spain has taken about 8-10 days.

Alright, Thanks a lot!

 

[oldfellainspain]

Alright, Thanks a lot!

You're welcome....... by the way, they are not the best communicators, but it has always worked well for me.

 

[oldfellainspain]

I left the plants out last night, as overnight temperatures aren't falling below 15ºC at the moment. Another half an hour and they'll be getting their first rays of morning sun. They all seem to have survived transplanting.
This is the first grow that hasn't had me in a panic. I'm definitely guilty of overwatering on the previous grows.
I'm not hopeful for much growth in February as there'll be minimal sunlight, and I expect soil temperature will stay around 15ºC, but hopefully March will see the start of warmer weather and a bit more sunlight on the roof terrace. Now I have to learn patience. Not my strong point.

 

[oldfellainspain]

Three weeks since transplanting. Growth is slow but steady. All plants look healthy.
Up until a couple of years ago, I had never grown a plant. I enjoy growing tobacco so much, that this year I have tomatoes, peppers, peas and mint growing as well. This forum has a lot to answer for.

 

[oldfellainspain]

Hailstorm. No warning, and they looked so good this morning.

 

[Skafidr]

Ouch :/ I've been there. You can still try to cure them.

 

[deluxestogie]

My hail-punctured tobacco (immediately prior to harvest) color-cured well. Just no cigar wrappers.

Bob

 

[oldfellainspain]

The newest two or three leaves on all plants aren't damaged, as they are all near enough vertical. Hopefully, they'll all keep growing okay, and I'll still get a good crop.

 

[oldfellainspain]

Well, the hailstorm sort of kicked off a growth spurt. Plants are now a couple of feet tall but, all are coming into flower. A shame as I thought I was going to get a really good crop. I guess I'll start another set of seeds in the next couple of days.

 

[MadFarmer]

Well, the hailstorm sort of kicked off a growth spurt. Plants are now a couple of feet tall but, all are coming into flower. A shame as I thought I was going to get a really good crop. I guess I'll start another set of seeds in the next couple of days.

If I had some plants flower earlier than I expected I would top them low as soon as possible and harvest all the leaves at the first sign of maturity. Then, I'd leave the roots in place and encourage sucker growth - your season may be long enough to get two harvests out of on plant. In my experience it's faster than starting a second round of seed.

 

[oldfellainspain]

I might try a sucker crop, as I have too many projects on the go at the moment (don't ask). Running out of time and space.
The hail damaged plants all survived, and I have primed the lowest couple of leaves on each plant. They are yellowing nicely, hanging indoors.
Tips of leaves at the top of plants are just beginning to yellow, so hopefully in a couple of weeks they will be cut and stalk curing in my little curing tent.
Behind the tobacco plants, tomato plants are flowering. I hope, this summer to be eating something I've grown myself, for the first time.

 

[MadFarmer]

I might try a sucker crop

I'm a sucker for a sucker crop.

 

[plantdude]

Man, I'm slacking this year. Two whole rusticas planted out this year in a pot and not a single baccy plant in the patch yet. Been some crazy weather here so I'm glad I waited though. Got the baccy patch tilled, maybe this weekend for planting a few dozen. I can't fathom having the luxury of a sucker crop at this point in time Maybe a true miracle will occur and I'll even get the rest of last years plants processed before they get overrun with spider webs in the garage. Sounds like a lot of work for one weekend, ambitions are best left to younger people I suppose... nothing like a little silk webbing for holding a binder together right?

Don't be too discouraged by hail damage. Kind of hurts the heart to look at after all the hard work, but still plenty of good leaf left if you use it right.

 

[oldfellainspain]

All plants stalk cut yesterday and hanging in my curing tent. I'll leave the plant stumps for a week and then choose what lucky suckers gets to go for it, for my sucker crop.
I'm waiting on an order for whole leaf from Germany. I'm smoking my home grown Burley KY17 on its own at the moment and it definitely needs taming with some Virginia.

 

[plantdude]

Burley straight. Now that's a mans cigarette!!!

 

[oldfellainspain]

Five days of smoking straight burly, and no surprise at all, I've got a taste for it.

 

[oldfellainspain]

The tobacco leaf has arrived from Germany. 1 kilo Burley, 1 kilo Virginia and 1/2 kilo of Oriental. The quality is good. I normally shred everything straight away, dry it to crispy and bag it, but this time there is such a large amount of undamaged Virginia leaves I decided to hang most of it. 110 leaves hanging and approx 25-30 broken leaves that I will shred tomorrow. The Oriental has a lot of complete leaves as well, but I'm not sure about hanging it. Are there do's and don'ts with hanging Orientals?
I haven't got to the Burly yet.
I would love to use WLT for buying wholeleaf tobacco. The choice and quality look incredible, but tobacco from the USA gets confiscated in Spanish customs more often than not.