2015 Knucklehead Grow Blog

[Knucklehead]

I sowed my seed today for germination. I have a lot of flue cure, burley, and oriental stock piled, so I'm growing mainly the other two varieties in my cigarette blend. Here is my variety list:

Variety	PI Number	Class	# Plants
Maryland 609	552452	maryland	48
VA355	604198	dark air	48
Seed Grow Out
TN 90 LC		burley	4
TN 86 LC		burley	4
Besuki		wrapper	4
Florida Sumatra	552631	wrapper	4
CT Broadleaf	552619	wrapper	4
Machu Picchu	116159	wrapper	4
Little Dutch	551282	filler	4
Comstock Spanish	552437	filler	4
Vuelta Abajo	405668	filler	4
Pennsylvania Red	552741	filler	4
Long Red	552693	filler	4
Lancaster Seedleaf	552689	filler	4
Zimmer Spanish	551284	filler	4

 

[POGreen]

The best of luck to you Knuck on this years grow !

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Hey Knucks, That's a lot of Maryland. Do you like Maryland that much?

 

[Knucklehead]

Hey Knucks, That's a lot of Maryland. Do you like Maryland that much?

My cigarette blend uses 20% Maryland.
40% flue cure. 20% burley, 20% Maryland, 10% Dark Air, 10% Izmir-Ozbas
I kind of want to put it back to age and to rotate between growing flue cure/burley one year and Maryland/dark air another year. I'll grow Izmir-Ozbas as needed. I won't have to grow dark air for awhile. Maybe I can even take next year off and rotate crops/grow a cover crop next summer.

 

[Rickey60]

Sounds like a good plan. Looking forward to following your grow.

 

[DonH]

My cigarette blend uses 20% Maryland.
40% flue cure. 20% burley, 20% Maryland, 10% Dark Air, 10% Izmir-Ozbas
I kind of want to put it back to age and to rotate between growing flue cure/burley one year and Maryland/dark air another year. I'll grow Izmir-Ozbas as needed. I won't have to grow dark air for awhile. Maybe I can even take next year off and rotate crops/grow a cover crop next summer.

That there is a man's smoke!

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Maybe I can even take next year off and rotate crops/grow a cover crop next summer.

Wanna bet?....

 

[deluxestogie]

The number of varieties you've chosen qualifies for the sanity category. Yay! Excellent cigar selection.

Machu Picchu Havana is Pi 116159 (1936).

My 2014 grow of Long Red produced huge leaves that kilned to a deep, reddish brown. Their leaf aroma resembles that of PA Red. I haven't smoked any yet.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

That there is a man's smoke!

It's not as strong as you would think. The Maryland does a good job of taming it down. Wonderful layers of flavor. Very smooth in the mouth and on the tongue, with a nice little nicotine throat hit. Give it a try and let me know how you like it.

I would put it in the "preference profile" of someone who likes Marlboro or Pall Mall, but better. No casings necessary.

 

[Knucklehead]

The number of varieties you've chosen qualifies for the sanity category. Yay! Excellent cigar selection.

Machu Picchu Havana is Pi 116159 (1936).

My 2014 grow of Long Red produced huge leaves that kilned to a deep, reddish brown. Their leaf aroma resembles that of PA Red. I haven't smoked any yet.

Bob

Thanks Bob, I've edited my list to include the Machu Picchu PI number. Don't let the reduction of varieties fool you, I'm still insane.

 

[Knucklehead]

I seed direct to soil in the cells. Then weed out and move around seedlings until I end up with one healthy seedling per cell. The seedlings will remain in the cells until transplant to the patch, given a haircut as they begin to crowd each other. Here's my set up:

 

[Ben Brand]

Wallace, your grow out varieties is a lot like my planned 2015 grow. Everything exept the Zimmer Spanish and Machu Picchu. Good luck.
Ben.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I seed direct to soil in the cells. Then weed out and move around seedlings until I end up with one healthy seedling per cell. The seedlings will remain in the cells until transplant to the patch, given a haircut as they begin to crowd each other. Here's my set up:

How is a haircut performed? How does it not cause branching?

 

[deluxestogie]

How is a haircut performed? How does it not cause branching?

Trim the outer 1/3 to 1/2 of each leaf with a small, sharp scissor. Do not trim the growth tip. Repeat as needed.

The leaves that are trimmed have no impact on the useful leaves that the plant will sprout after transplant.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

And, it's a dual purpose thing, no? To reduce crowding in the trays and to increase hardiness? Also, I'm not sure I understand how it wouldn't result in some oddly shaped leaves when the plants grow up. I don't disbelieve. I know it's common practice. I just wish to understand.

 

[Knucklehead]

And, it's a dual purpose thing, no? To reduce crowding in the trays and to increase hardiness? Also, I'm not sure I understand how it wouldn't result in some oddly shaped leaves when the plants grow up. I don't disbelieve. I know it's common practice. I just wish to understand.

The trimmed leaves will end up as the mud lugs. Low in nicotine, thin, and torn and tattered by contact with the ground. Some people save them, some don't. I saved them my first year to experiment with and decided they weren't worth the trouble. I usually pull them and discard them at topping time, if not before, I call it bottom topping. lol. They will stop taking energy from the good leaves once pulled and discarded. I do recommend to first time growers to save them and get a head start on learning about curing, before priming the good leaves. Plus, at transplant, I snip off the lowest two or three leaves from the seedlings and bury the plant deeper, up to the next leaf. After I do this, there will only be one or two trimmed leaves left on the plant after transplanting anyway. They still end up as mud lugs.

You are right, trimming the leaves back thickens the stems and stimulates root growth. It triggers a defense mechanism in the plant.

 

[Knucklehead]

Wallace, your grow out varieties is a lot like my planned 2015 grow. Everything exept the Zimmer Spanish and Machu Picchu. Good luck.
Ben.

Your grow season confuses me. lol. Will you be able to plant the seed I sent this year, or will you have to wait till next year? Give that Swarr filler a try, I think it's a keeper. When does your 2015 season start?

 

[Knucklehead]

Maybe I can even take next year off and rotate crops/grow a cover crop next summer.

Wanna bet?....

Nope.

 

[Chicken]

Ive.got enough seed.trays this year..im skipping a.hole in between plants

 

[Ben Brand]

Your grow season confuses me. lol. Will you be able to plant the seed I sent this year, or will you have to wait till next year? Give that Swarr filler a try, I think it's a keeper. When does your 2015 season start?

Will def use your seeds. Will sow in late July or early August. Plant end November. Will give the Swarr a try. Thanks again for the seeds