Rednekf350
Well-Known Member
Hello. This year is my second attempt at growing tobacco for loose leaf chewing. My first attempt was over twenty years ago and it was very half-assed and I had little to no knowledge of handling the tobacco after it grew. I was able to buy started plants back then and had no problem producing healthy tobacco. My problem was curing. I hung it in a three sided run-in with a dirt floor and some of the molds I produced might have held the cure for COVID today.
This year I bought Burley and Virginia Bright seed and I accidentally drowned my first trays of two-week old started seeds. I had watered the trays and then put them outside because it was a decent day. The pans were covered in plastic wrap. I went out for the day and when I came back the moisture had accumulated under the plastic and the plastic dropped onto the seedlings. I had almost no survivors. So, I started over. By the time I got plants in the ground, it was the third week in June. Our last frost date is May 15 so I lost a whole month of having them in the ground.
I started pulling bottom leaves as they yellowed in late September and I still have thriving plants now in November. I picked my last yellowed leaves on Saturday October 31 but the plants are still full and healthy. The plants have already survived a frost without damage. I air cured in my garage (concrete floor with gable end vent) and it worked pretty well, I think. I wanted to see some of them flower so I let several of the Burley plants run. My tallest is 7'-10". Not the way to grow tobacco I know but the flowers are fascinating.
I joined to learn a lot more about every phase and I will be looking for flavoring ideas for making loose leaf chew.
Thanks !
This year I bought Burley and Virginia Bright seed and I accidentally drowned my first trays of two-week old started seeds. I had watered the trays and then put them outside because it was a decent day. The pans were covered in plastic wrap. I went out for the day and when I came back the moisture had accumulated under the plastic and the plastic dropped onto the seedlings. I had almost no survivors. So, I started over. By the time I got plants in the ground, it was the third week in June. Our last frost date is May 15 so I lost a whole month of having them in the ground.
I started pulling bottom leaves as they yellowed in late September and I still have thriving plants now in November. I picked my last yellowed leaves on Saturday October 31 but the plants are still full and healthy. The plants have already survived a frost without damage. I air cured in my garage (concrete floor with gable end vent) and it worked pretty well, I think. I wanted to see some of them flower so I let several of the Burley plants run. My tallest is 7'-10". Not the way to grow tobacco I know but the flowers are fascinating.
I joined to learn a lot more about every phase and I will be looking for flavoring ideas for making loose leaf chew.
Thanks !
