I'm glad to see that the frenching plants can recover. That gives me hope for my wrapper varieties. I removed the landscape cloth to help with the drying out between rains.
deluxestogie Grow Log 2013
- Thread starter deluxestogie
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I suppose that the key is that the condition causing the frenching be transient.
Bob
Comment on Prilep
I had never grown Prilep before this season. I received seed for two Prilep varieties from rainmax, for which I am grateful.
From an aesthetic standpoint, Prilep is about the prettiest tobacco I've grown. Its leaf count runs above 50 per plant (on a 4' stalk), and the blossom head is tightly held. P66-9/7 has nearly white blossoms, while the P79-94 blossoms are light pink. Rather than a huge plant that would take over a flower garden, Prilep is a tidy, nearly columnar plant with neat, closely spaced leaves.
In productivity, the two Prilep varieties seem similar to me. However, I just found a research paper from the Prilep Institute in Macedonia, in which the author looks at the ratio of green leaf weight to dry leaf weight. This sounds boringly technical, until you realize that the green weight is mostly water. What you smoke is the dry weight. (The author, Milan Mitreski, is responsible for developing both these varieties.)
http://www.tobaccobulletin.mk/pdfs/vol 61 1-6 2. 10-14p.pdf
In the study, more of the Prilep 66-9/7 was solids, when compared to the Prilep 79-94. Roughly 10% more of the P79-94 was water, compared to P66-9/7. So, even though they appear similar in productivity, less of the green P79-94 will remain after curing.
Some other interesting points in this paper:
Mind you, he is speaking specifically of Oriental tobaccos.
So, of all the varieties discussed in the cited paper (including both the varieties that I am growing), Prilep 66-9/7 is the most productive. In 2010, it accounted for over 80% of the commercially planted Prilep in Macedonia.
Prilep is medium in strength, sweet, aromatic and smooth. Cured leaf is golden for lower leaves, and a reddish gold in the upper leaf.
Seed for both P66-9/7 and P79-94 will go to the seed bank in the late fall. (ARS-GRIN lists two Prilep varieties that I'm aware of, but the two that I'm growing were developed within the last decade.)
Bob
I had never grown Prilep before this season. I received seed for two Prilep varieties from rainmax, for which I am grateful.
From an aesthetic standpoint, Prilep is about the prettiest tobacco I've grown. Its leaf count runs above 50 per plant (on a 4' stalk), and the blossom head is tightly held. P66-9/7 has nearly white blossoms, while the P79-94 blossoms are light pink. Rather than a huge plant that would take over a flower garden, Prilep is a tidy, nearly columnar plant with neat, closely spaced leaves.
In productivity, the two Prilep varieties seem similar to me. However, I just found a research paper from the Prilep Institute in Macedonia, in which the author looks at the ratio of green leaf weight to dry leaf weight. This sounds boringly technical, until you realize that the green weight is mostly water. What you smoke is the dry weight. (The author, Milan Mitreski, is responsible for developing both these varieties.)
http://www.tobaccobulletin.mk/pdfs/vol 61 1-6 2. 10-14p.pdf
In the study, more of the Prilep 66-9/7 was solids, when compared to the Prilep 79-94. Roughly 10% more of the P79-94 was water, compared to P66-9/7. So, even though they appear similar in productivity, less of the green P79-94 will remain after curing.
Some other interesting points in this paper:
- the highest percentage of water is found in the lower leaves (85-86%)
- the lowest percentage of water is found in the upper leaves (62-63%)
- the middle leaves are in between
- increased fertilizer (nitrogen) increases the protein in the leaves, which increases the water retention
Mind you, he is speaking specifically of Oriental tobaccos.
So, of all the varieties discussed in the cited paper (including both the varieties that I am growing), Prilep 66-9/7 is the most productive. In 2010, it accounted for over 80% of the commercially planted Prilep in Macedonia.
Prilep is medium in strength, sweet, aromatic and smooth. Cured leaf is golden for lower leaves, and a reddish gold in the upper leaf.
Seed for both P66-9/7 and P79-94 will go to the seed bank in the late fall. (ARS-GRIN lists two Prilep varieties that I'm aware of, but the two that I'm growing were developed within the last decade.)
Bob
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
Will definitely add priLep to my watch list for next year.
It seems like the tobacco grow should be winding down at this point, but about half the varieties still have a way to go.
I find it interesting that the Machu Picchu bed, against the side of the house, grew taller plants on the lower end, so it appears as though they've equalized their heights.
The Prilep has been one of my delights for this year. I've bagged 5 of them.
For comparison to the flue-cured Prilep, I have been working at sun-curing a tiny string of each of the two Prilep varieties. As you can see in the photo below, the P66-9/7 seems to have more substance than the P79-94, and is sun-curing more slowly. Both strings are from roughly the same stalk positions.
Another surprise has been the spectacular growth of the Bolivia Criollo Black. It's a variety that I stand behind.
Bob
I find it interesting that the Machu Picchu bed, against the side of the house, grew taller plants on the lower end, so it appears as though they've equalized their heights.
The Prilep has been one of my delights for this year. I've bagged 5 of them.
For comparison to the flue-cured Prilep, I have been working at sun-curing a tiny string of each of the two Prilep varieties. As you can see in the photo below, the P66-9/7 seems to have more substance than the P79-94, and is sun-curing more slowly. Both strings are from roughly the same stalk positions.
Another surprise has been the spectacular growth of the Bolivia Criollo Black. It's a variety that I stand behind.
Bob
bonehead
Well-Known Member
(Another surprise has been the spectacular growth of the Bolivia Criollo Black. It's a variety that I stand behind.) it looks more like stand under. man are those tall.
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
All I can say about the Crillo is WOW.
That Criollo has to be 11' tall. If it hasn't started to bud yet, you can lay it down, bury the stalk and the terminal bud will grow straight up within a day or two....then bag it.
The stress will likely encourage the flower head to produce.
The stress will likely encourage the flower head to produce.
The more I look at that Bolivia Criollo, the more it looks like Silver River....strange
skychaser
Well-Known Member
It looks very much like Silver River! I have been thinking that for the last month. The Bolivian Criollo has a little darker leaf and stem, but they have the same plant form, leaf attachment, growth pattern, giant pointed leaves and about the same time to flower. My Bolivian Criollo is approaching 7' now and I just bagged the first flower heads this week. I just saw the first buds on the Silver River starting a couple days ago. Bolivian Criollo Black is in my top 5 new plants for the year. It's pretty darn impressive.
Silver River cures and smokes like a mild flavored burley. Anyone know how this Bolivian Criollo cures or smokes?
I have already bagged the Bolivia Criollo Black (using a step ladder for them, as well as for Moonlight). It's stalk is nearly 3" thick at the base. The plant seems slow to sucker. It's bud heads are wide open and exceptionally tall--probably a 36" tall bag would be best for this variety.
I smoked some sent to me by BigBonner last year, which is why I planted it. Air-cured, the leaf color was a golden brown, and had the texture of burley, but with no burley aroma, and lower nicotine. It made an excellent, slightly edgy pipe tobacco straight. After kilning, the leaf was milder, and suitable for a mild cigar filler blender.
I have not smoked any of the Bolivia from this season.
The Bolivia Criollo Black is the leaf that has gone into my Perique press. It's so productive that I also have a lot of it hanging in the shed. My one caution is that its leaf stems are about as thick and juicy as I've ever seen, so mold is a greater risk if curing conditions are not dry enough.
I just measured the tall plant in the photo. I'm 5'8"; the topped plant is 8'. While the slight downward slope of the garden, combined with a low camera angle makes for dramatic, though deceptive photography, it's a bit misleading. But still, 8' topped is nothing to sniff at for a plant grown in full sun.
Bob
I smoked some sent to me by BigBonner last year, which is why I planted it. Air-cured, the leaf color was a golden brown, and had the texture of burley, but with no burley aroma, and lower nicotine. It made an excellent, slightly edgy pipe tobacco straight. After kilning, the leaf was milder, and suitable for a mild cigar filler blender.
I have not smoked any of the Bolivia from this season.
The Bolivia Criollo Black is the leaf that has gone into my Perique press. It's so productive that I also have a lot of it hanging in the shed. My one caution is that its leaf stems are about as thick and juicy as I've ever seen, so mold is a greater risk if curing conditions are not dry enough.
I just measured the tall plant in the photo. I'm 5'8"; the topped plant is 8'. While the slight downward slope of the garden, combined with a low camera angle makes for dramatic, though deceptive photography, it's a bit misleading. But still, 8' topped is nothing to sniff at for a plant grown in full sun.
Bob
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
I Thought the same thing but being the new guy did not want to speak out of turn.
Bob, do you yellow the leaves inside before sun curing? What's your process?
I don't really have a method. I think the tricky part is yellowing the leaf (like in flue-curing), and many growers in Turkey and the Balkans yellow the leaf in the shade of barn eaves. So I yellowed the Prilep leaf in my shed (several days to mostly yellow), then began taking them out daily to the clothesline. Since it has been overcast for much of that time, it hasn't gone very fast. I bring it in again at night, and if it's about to rain.
In the Macedonian growing area surrounding the town of Prilep, most commercial producers today sun-cure entirely beneath transparent plastic-sheet tents that are opened or closed based on the humidity. (Sounds smart.)
Bob
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
Dual purpose use of a small greenhouse......I like it.
Last Week of August 2013
While I can't say much yet about the smoking quality of Moonlight, as a wrapper, it has out-performed the sun-grown CT Shade from last year in height (Moonlight now over 8') and leaf size, and maintains a lighter leaf color as the leaf matures. Below, you can see the height and color differences between the Moonlight and FL Sumatra.
I have to look up to see the bagged head of Bolivia Criollo Black. Maybe it needs to phone home to some far away place.
Below is a closeup of the Agribon-AG15 bag on Vuelta Abajo.
Bob
While I can't say much yet about the smoking quality of Moonlight, as a wrapper, it has out-performed the sun-grown CT Shade from last year in height (Moonlight now over 8') and leaf size, and maintains a lighter leaf color as the leaf matures. Below, you can see the height and color differences between the Moonlight and FL Sumatra.
I have to look up to see the bagged head of Bolivia Criollo Black. Maybe it needs to phone home to some far away place.
Below is a closeup of the Agribon-AG15 bag on Vuelta Abajo.
Bob
It appears to be winding down there. Do you have any plans or the time to try for a sucker crop?
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