Hi Bob i have not started mine yet, i was trying to find seeds and remembered about this forum. So i just ordered some and am waiting for it. I think i can still make the season over here in canada.
Down here in the US, the date today is 20 May. If you order seed today, and receive it by 27 May--and start your seed germination that very day, you should have transplantable tobacco by mid-July at the earliest, but more likely the end of July. You might squeeze in the 60 or so days to maturity, before first frost date, but even if you are lucky on the onset of cold, you will find color-curing challenging at that time of year.
In 2018, I transplanted two "orphan" seedlings to the garden on 1 August, just for fun. They were stalk-harvested the evening before first frost. As they hang still in my curing shed, they are both entirely green candela wrapper. Interesting, but not all that useful.
If you are the undaunted sort of person, then go for it. Otherwise, ordering ready starter plants that can be immediately thrown into the ground (even if not the varieties you would prefer) will probably give you a much nicer end result for this year. [Mont Calme jaune {yellow} and Mont Calme brun {brown} are Swiss developed varieties. The
brun is Havana derived, while the
jaune is burley derived. They make truly huge leaves. But either (or both) will make a passable cigar, as well as a pipe blender.]
For 2020, select and order your seed during the winter, and then begin germination indoors 8 weeks prior to your last frost date. I started my seed for 2019 on 28 Feb, and just transplanted them outdoors this weekend.
Bob
EDIT: Tobacco seed, stored in a totally dry environment, will be good for at least 10 years. Even if you start some seed now, you might also order a few ready starter plants, and grow those as well.
