Hello from Vancouver Island, Canada: @Lauraliejean

[Lauraliejean]

Hi, this is my first year at trying to grow some tobacco. Someone gave me some seeds and I gave it a go! I don’t know what kind it is but it looks much different than some pictures I’ve seen on here. I will post some pictures. If anyone has any idea what strain it could be I’d love to know. I am also having trouble deciding when to harvest. I have experimented with drying some of the small leaves I cut off from the flower bud growth points. Some worked, some didn’t. Is it common to bother with those? I was just anxious to try it! Some bottom leaves are turning yellow. I’ve heard you should not harvest when the leaves are still green? The rainy season could be starting in the next little bit here. Should I harvest the whole plant before that, even if some leaves are still totally green? So many questions! I will attach some pictures. There are 6 plants. 5 outside, 1 in the greenhouse. The one in the greenhouse is huge and totally green.

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Be sure to read the New Growers' FAQ, and scan through the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads. Both are linked in the menu bar.

The leaves appear to be petiolate (each leaf seems to have a bare stem at its base). Most petiolate Nicotiana tabacum varieties (though not all) produce smaller leaves. By contrast most if not all Nicotiana rustica varieties are petiolate. The deep green in the final photo suggests some variety of N. rustica to me. The simplest way to tell the difference is that N. rustica blossoms are a stumpy yellow, whereas all N. tabacum varieties produce longer, trumpet-shaped blossoms that are some shade of red (most often light pink, occasionally white).

Bob

EDIT: The significance of determining the species (N. tabacum vs. N rustica) is that the former could be harvested now, while the latter is best left growing until most if not all of the leaves have yellowed.

 

[SomeCigarGuy]

Holy moly kamole! That’s a gigantic leaf in the greenhouse.

 

[Havok]

I have experimented with drying some of the small leaves I cut off from the flower bud growth points.

Leaves will mature and ripen on the stalk from the bottom up, so best to leave the little top ones by the buds.

As Bob pointed out, most likely a rustica based on the elongated leaf stem.

I’m not as adventurous as I was in my youth, so I wouldn’t (personally) smoke something I was that unsure of. It could be a type of ficus or some other nightshade not meant for smoking.

 

[Knucklehead]

Welcome. Thank you for joining us.

 

[deluxestogie]

Another question for you. What is your intended use for the tobacco? (cigarette, cigar, pipe, smokeless)

Bob

 

[Alpine]

Welcome to FTT

pier

 

[Lauraliejean]

Another question for you. What is your intended use for the tobacco? (cigarette, cigar, pipe, smokeless)

Bob

I forgot to mention that! I will be using for home rolling cigarettes. Is this variety suitable for that?

 

[Lauraliejean]

Welcome to the forum. Be sure to read the New Growers' FAQ, and scan through the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads. Both are linked in the menu bar.

The leaves appear to be petiolate (each leaf seems to have a bare stem at its base). Most petiolate Nicotiana tabacum varieties (though not all) produce smaller leaves. By contrast most if not all Nicotiana rustica varieties are petiolate. The deep green in the final photo suggests some variety of N. rustica to me. The simplest way to tell the difference is that N. rustica blossoms are a stumpy yellow, whereas all N. tabacum varieties produce longer, trumpet-shaped blossoms that are some shade of red (most often light pink, occasionally white).

Bob

EDIT: The significance of determining the species (N. tabacum vs. N rustica) is that the former could be harvested now, while the latter is best left growing until most if not all of the leaves have yellowed.

Geeze, I didn’t really let them flower. I think they were yellow though.

 

[Lauraliejean]

Welcome to the forum. Be sure to read the New Growers' FAQ, and scan through the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads. Both are linked in the menu bar.

The leaves appear to be petiolate (each leaf seems to have a bare stem at its base). Most petiolate Nicotiana tabacum varieties (though not all) produce smaller leaves. By contrast most if not all Nicotiana rustica varieties are petiolate. The deep green in the final photo suggests some variety of N. rustica to me. The simplest way to tell the difference is that N. rustica blossoms are a stumpy yellow, whereas all N. tabacum varieties produce longer, trumpet-shaped blossoms that are some shade of red (most often light pink, occasionally white).

Bob

EDIT: The significance of determining the species (N. tabacum vs. N rustica) is that the former could be harvested now, while the latter is best left growing until most if not all of the leaves have yellowed.

Very helpful info. Thank you. In the case of them being N rustica, what could I do to help the drying process if Ihave to harvest green because of rain coming?

 

[slouch]

I forgot to mention that! I will be using for home rolling cigarettes. Is this variety suitable for that?

Welcome to the forum, most nicotania rustica varieties yield a much higher nicotine percentage compared to traditional tobacco. Also I’ve heard some users saying that particular varieties of rustica have somewhat pungent flavors that might be off putting. At the end of the day it’s all preference if you like the flavor and you like the high nicotine then they may provide a suitable cigarette for you, or if its too much it could just be a blending component to give other tobacco a kick. Anyways you have very nice looking plants.

 

[slouch]

Very helpful info. Thank you. In the case of them being N rustica, what could I do to help the drying process if Ihave to harvest green because of rain coming?

I’ve seen where people stack dry them green in a towel before. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but as long as the harvest is sometime after a couple weeks of topping when the nicotine peaks you should be ok to harvest green, I think the issue with the harvesting green is that people worry about it drying green but I believe as long as you make sure the leaves don’t dry out before they turn color all the way they shouldn’t flash dry green. Again I’m no expert so I may be completely wrong.

 

[Lauraliejean]

Leaves will mature and ripen on the stalk from the bottom up, so best to leave the little top ones by the buds.

As Bob pointed out, most likely a rustica based on the elongated leaf stem.

I’m not as adventurous as I was in my youth, so I wouldn’t (personally) smoke something I was that unsure of. It could be a type of ficus or some other nightshade not meant for smoking.

It is definitely tobacco. A friend gave it to me and they have grown and smoked it before. They are just also amateurs and said they didn’t remember what the name of it was.

 

[Lauraliejean]

Welcome to the forum, most nicotania rustica varieties yield a much higher nicotine percentage compared to traditional tobacco. Also I’ve heard some users saying that particular varieties of rustica have somewhat pungent flavors that might be off putting. At the end of the day it’s all preference if you like the flavor and you like the high nicotine then they may provide a suitable cigarette for you, or if its too much it could just be a blending component to give other tobacco a kick. Anyways you have very nice looking plants.

High nicotine sounds a bit scary. I am an occasional smoker, and prefer not to get hooked. I sometimes roll a tobacco mixed with [other ingredients] for relaxation at the end of the day.

 

[Lauraliejean]

I’ve seen where people stack dry them green in a towel before. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but as long as the harvest is sometime after a couple weeks of topping when the nicotine peaks you should be ok to harvest green, I think the issue with the harvesting green is that people worry about it drying green but I believe as long as you make sure the leaves don’t dry out before they turn color all the way they shouldn’t flash dry green. Again I’m no expert so I may be completely wrong.

Ok, thats helpful. Now I just need to figure out the best place to dry them slowly without them moulding in our wet climate!

 

[slouch]

High nicotine sounds a bit scary. I am an occasional smoker, and prefer not to get hooked. I sometimes roll a tobacco mixed with [other ingredients] for relaxation at the end of the day.

I’m definitely hooked but I have enjoyed mixing Mugwort with my cigs.

 

[burge]

Welcome head to the Island for pink salmon fishing at times.

 

[rgarym]

Very helpful info. Thank you. In the case of them being N rustica, what could I do to help the drying process if Ihave to harvest green because of rain coming?

Hi I am also on the coast and holding off the harvest, hoping the rain does not ruin it,

 

[burge]

Atmospheric river was just starting in the mainland. Not sure how the other one went. If the plants are still kind of covered I would have left them on Sept 2 but harvested by now.