Greetings from the PNW: @GrowUp

[GrowUp]

I always dreamed of growing tobacco and finally decided to do so late this growing season. I purchased seeds from Northwood seed co. and grew out Shirey, Greenbrier and N. Rustica (Rapa Nui) in Zone 8b.
I have smoked tobacco for about 25 years and still love it. However, I feel my relationship with tobacco isn’t a healthy one as I tend to abuse it. My goal is to correct that and use tobacco more ritually than habitually, especially with the sacred Rustica. I want to stop buying and smoking cigarettes and smoke my own tobacco that I know how was grown and processed. I use my own compost and no pesticides so I am confident in it health. Mass produced tobacco not so much..
This grow was supposed to be a test run just to feel out the plant but I have ended up with a more bountiful harvest than expected. I grew in pots to simplify my first grow and have more control over parameters. I am now harvesting individual leaves as I feel they are ready and am air curing them in a basement with good air flow. Temps are hovering around 70f, RH is unknown but I would guess it’s around 50% this time of year.
Usually I would do all my homework before starting a project like this but time was running out and I decided “what the heck”. Curing and drying is my current challenge, especially with the Rustica as there doesn’t seem to be much info on processing it. I know this isn’t the place to ask questions so I will try and post questions in the right forum soon. I am really struggling to figure out how to finish off these leaves so I would much appreciate any advice/opinions.
Here are some pics of my grow and harvest (there is another patch not pictured here). Happy to be here and happy to finally be growing tobacco!!

 

[jclif43]

Welcome! Looks like you are off to a great start.

 

[Knucklehead]

Welcome. Thank you for joining us.

 

[Skafidr]

Usually I would do all my homework before starting a project like this

I'm not sure it is possible to know and plan out every little detail before starting out this journey. There are so many things that can (and do) go differently than what is outlined in "text books", you have to adapt.

Looks like you handled this very well!

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. You may wish to scan through the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads, linked in the menu bar.

Your garden appears tidy and lovely, and the curing space well laid out. Nice job.

There are so many things that can (and do) go differently than what is outlined in "text books"...

Ditto!

Bob

 

[GrowUp]

Welcome! Looks like you are off to a great start.

Thank you so much

 

[GrowUp]

Welcome. Thank you for joining us.

Glad to be here! Thank you

 

[GrowUp]

I'm not sure it is possible to know and plan out every little detail before starting out this journey. There are so many things that can (and do) go differently than what is outlined in "text books", you have to adapt.

Looks like you handled this very well!

Good to see you here Skafid! Always love your input and updates

 

[GrowUp]

Welcome to the forum. You may wish to scan through the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads, linked in the menu bar.

Your garden appears tidy and lovely, and the curing space well laid out. Nice job.


Ditto!

Welcome to the forum. You may wish to scan through the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads, linked in the menu bar.

Your garden appears tidy and lovely, and the curing space well laid out. Nice job.


Ditto!

Bob

Very kind, thank you so much

 

[Alpine]

Welcome to FTT

pier

 

[GrowUp]

Welcome to FTT

pier

Thanks!

 

[Hemlock]

Hi @GrowUp checking in on your experience. How did the Shirley turn out? How did you cure it and does it taste good? I have a half dozen plants as a part of my first grow, and hope it's worth the effort. I'm planning to use for pipe tobacco.

 

[GrowUp]

Hi @GrowUp checking in on your experience. How did the Shirley turn out? How did you cure it and does it taste good? I have a half dozen plants as a part of my first grow, and hope it's worth the effort. I'm planning to use for pipe tobacco.

Hey Hemlock. My Shirey is still aging so I have not smoked it yet. I hung my tobacco to cure. It all cured well except for a few leaves that dried before completely curing (dried green). Other than that the leaf looks good. I anticipate a good smoke and think it would do good in a pipe. It is supposed to be Virginia that’s a bit more rich than gold. It is hardy and can handle late season frost. I am most excited about the Rustica. I want to incorporate this into my daily ritual. Possibly even make it my primary tobacco. You’ll have to let me know how yours turns out. Happy growing!!

 

[johnny108]

Hey Hemlock. My Shirey is still aging so I have not smoked it yet. I hung my tobacco to cure. It all cured well except for a few leaves that dried before completely curing (dried green). Other than that the leaf looks good. I anticipate a good smoke and think it would do good in a pipe. It is supposed to be Virginia that’s a bit more rich than gold. It is hardy and can handle late season frost. I am most excited about the Rustica. I want to incorporate this into my daily ritual. Possibly even make it my primary tobacco. You’ll have to let me know how yours turns out. Happy growing!!

If you want to make rusticas a “daily smoke”, you will want to go with the “yellow” varieties- INFINITELY easier to cure, and get a good flavor out of.
Yellow-109 (low yield, but stronger nicotine, and very fast)
Limonka- 2oz. Per plant, fairly strong, good flavor.
These are the 2 I’ve tried, and they work very well.

Welcome!

 

[GrowUp]

If you want to make rusticas a “daily smoke”, you will want to go with the “yellow” varieties- INFINITELY easier to cure, and get a good flavor out of.
Yellow-109 (low yield, but stronger nicotine, and very fast)
Limonka- 2oz. Per plant, fairly strong, good flavor.
These are the 2 I’ve tried, and they work very well.

Welcome!

I have a Rapa Nui variety. It was definitely harder to cure. It’s still aging but I did sample it and so far was pleased with it. It’s kind of nutty and earthy. Curious what inspired you to go for rustica. I went for it because it seems like this was the original “tobacco” you for healing and ceremony. Not a tabacum it has different properties and compounds. It taste little like a tabacum to me and looks very different

 

[johnny108]

I have a Rapa Nui variety. It was definitely harder to cure. It’s still aging but I did sample it and so far was pleased with it. It’s kind of nutty and earthy. Curious what inspired you to go for rustica. I went for it because it seems like this was the original “tobacco” you for healing and ceremony. Not a tabacum it has different properties and compounds. It taste little like a tabacum to me and looks very different

I chose them for speed (wrong! They aren't much faster than other normal tobacco) and low profile of the plant. I live in northern Germany, and no tobacco is grown here for a reason: this environment won’t even allow for tomatoes to ripen without a greenhouse.
Tobacco is even harder. I have the frost free days, but, wind, rain, and soil (heavy clay) all conspire against me, along with terrible weather conditions for curing the harvest.

 

[deluxestogie]

I went for it because it seems like this was the original “tobacco” you for healing and ceremony.

Tobacco Varieties Before Columbus

Ancient carving found at Tiahuanaco, Bolivia. Where did the various species of tobacco come from? Some are wild, others were cultivated and traded over thousands of miles, before the European discovery of America. Nicotiana rustica, which I had always assumed was wild, is apparently a...

fairtradetobacco.com

Buffalo Bird Woman's Tobacco Garden

Nearly 100 years ago, an anthropologist interviewed Buffalo Bird Woman, a very old member of the Hidatsa Indian tribe. The lengthy material was published in 1917. I have excerpted the chapter on tobacco, which discusses their cultivation and harvesting practices. The variety of tobacco has...

fairtradetobacco.com

Bob

 

[GrowUp]

Hi @GrowUp checking in on your experience. How did the Shirley turn out? How did you cure it and does it taste good? I have a half dozen plants as a part of my first grow, and hope it's worth the effort. I'm planning to use for pipe tobacco.

How are your Shirey coming along? Mine are taking root but seem a bit slow. They seem hardy though. I feel like they prefer a little more shade also. This is almost a week after transplant

 

[Hemlock]

How are your Shirey coming along? Mine are taking root but seem a bit slow. They seem hardy though. I feel like they prefer a little more shade also. This is almost a week after transplant

@GrowUp The Shirey have all reached the budding phase. Still very short, with narrow leaves. Relatively thick and resinous leaves but seems will have a low yield. On a north facing fence so not getting a full 6 hours of sunlight and they were started late. However they're very green and healthy, including bottom leaves... suggesting they will keep growing in weight over the summer after topping.

 

[GrowUp]

Hi @GrowUp checking in on your experience. How did the Shirley turn out? How did you cure it and does it taste good? I have a half dozen plants as a part of my first grow, and hope it's worth the effort. I'm planning to use for pipe

@GrowUp The Shirey have all reached the budding phase. Still very short, with narrow leaves. Relatively thick and resinous leaves but seems will have a low yield. On a north facing fence so not getting a full 6 hours of sunlight and they were started late. However they're very green and healthy, including bottom leaves... suggesting they will keep growing in weight over the summer after topping.

View attachment 56383

They look great!! Yes, I think after topping they will fill in. One of my plants last year kept producing buds. I just pulled them when they formed and the plant continued to bush out. Keep up the good work!!