Mad Farmers 2020 Grow Blog (first time grow)

[deluxestogie]

Here is a bit of Mr. Lock's biography.

The Mining Journal, Railway and Commercial Gazette

books.google.com

Like most authors on the subject of tobacco growing during that epoch, he had little if any direct experience with it. He was a prolific writer of books, and a public speaker.

Bob

 

[MadFarmer]

The potted Vuelta and Little Dutch appear to be in the Goldilocks zone of my backyard. Only the Vuelta has flowered. I top it when I see pink in the flower or when a couple have opened?

 

[Knucklehead]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwi00vWO3bPpAhVMVs0KHbszDlkQwqsBMAB6BAgKEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DfKyJc9ywMFM&usg=AOvVaw0vWSknSIpawfZmtb5f2JwD

Old Tobacco video

I thought this was a interesting video . The worst thing is ,I remember a lot of the old ways of growing tobacco . Hand tying , hand tied sticks of tobacco , Sewing tobacco beds by hand , tobacco auction . The video shows some really old tractors and equipment that was modern machinery back...

fairtradetobacco.com

Tobacco getting over ripe

Wind has torn up some tobacco but my biggest problem is that some tobacco is over ripe . Leaves are showing browning , holes and splits from age . I just didn't have time to harvest like I should have . I did work my rear end off daylight to after dark trying to get my tobacco in my barns . I...

fairtradetobacco.com

Big tobacco

I would like to thank-as well as the rest of us- To the folks that make a living and have to sell to them(BIG BACCY). THEN DEAL WITH US LITTLE FOLKS. THANK YOU!! SOOOOOOOO Much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fairtradetobacco.com

A few threads featuring BigBonner, a commercial grower and member of this forum, with some discussions of topping. Included is his video of topping burley in the field. Interesting, but may not fully answer your question.

 

[MadFarmer]

Thanks Knucklehead, and BigBonner. I'll take a look at those posts soon.

This lone plant in a pot is the first to show a flower, everything else in the ground or raised beds is somewhat behind. I will post more about it a bit later.

 

[Knucklehead]

Thanks Knucklehead, and BigBonner. I'll take a look at those posts soon.

This lone plant in a pot is the first to show a flower, everything else in the ground or raised beds is somewhat behind. I will post more about it a bit later.

I should add that there is absolutely nothing wrong with that plant. It looks gorgeous and is going to produce some wonderful smoke. Taller doesn‘t mean better and shorter doesn’t mean there is a problem. You’re doing great.

 

[MadFarmer]

I put that Vuelta in the pot because it struck me as a good looking specimen. (it's my member icon) It started out as the last of a group of seedlings that I felt like saving when all my 1" cells were filled. It was the last one left in a 4" pot, and once I knew I'd be home for awhile and wouldn't be giving away my leftover starts as planned I kept it around. The leaves were just a shade darker and looked more mature than any I had transplanted out a couple of weeks before. So it ended up in a ~3 gallon pot. The leaves are larger than anything I have in the ground by an inch or more.

 

[Knucklehead]

I put that Vuelta in the pot because it struck me as a good looking specimen. (it's my member icon) It started out as the last of a group of seedlings that I felt like saving when all my 1" cells were filled. It was the last one left in a 4" pot, and once I knew I'd be home for awhile and wouldn't be giving away my leftover starts as planned I kept it around. The leaves were just a shade darker and looked more mature than any I had transplanted out a couple of weeks before. So it ended up in a ~3 gallon pot. The leaves are larger than anything I have in the ground by an inch or more.

I enjoyed having “pet” tobacco plants in pots on the edge of the porch. They did really well there. I believe I had the seven gallon pots. I’m not sure where they are anymore. Hmmm. I may have time to at least have a “pet” project or two.

 

[deluxestogie]

You can grow an Oriental in a container as small as a large coffee can (probably about a gallon), and have it achieve its normal size. I grew Havana 322 (a cigar variety) in a similar can, and it developed to a surprising 2/3 the size of a ground-planted Havana 322. I've found it difficult to get a large tobacco plant to reach its full size even in a 5 gallon pot.

I should note that a large coffee can full of dirt can be easily moved around with one hand.

Bob

 

[MadFarmer]

If you had to guess, is this Little Dutch or Comstock Spanish?

 

[deluxestogie]

Off the top of my head, it's Little Dutch. Little Dutch will reach about 3½'. Comstock Spanish, which has a less acuminate leaf tip, and a broader leaf at maturity, should make it to about 5'.

Bob

 

[MadFarmer]

This being May in Texas, May decided to give us more than a month of rain in 7+ hours and going. Got up this morning around 7 and checked the gauge. Last night's storm brought us just under 1/2 inch and I felt a little cheated. There were chances for rain all week that never panned out and last night we all waited up on the back porch as the storms came in from the north east. (rare in our part of the world at this time of year) Lots of sound and fury, but signifying little rain. 8 AM rolled around and it began to rain steady, then hard, and then it poured. And it hasn't stopped. It slacked. It paused. But it hasn't stopped. My rain gauge only measures up to 6 inches, any more than that and
I'll never feel gyped for rain again, until mid-August.

 

[MadFarmer]

How high's the water mama?

 

[Little Dipper]

How high's the water mama?
View attachment 30611

Lucky, we ended up with just over 3” for the last 10 days, ground still has cracks

 

[MadFarmer]

Lucky, we ended up with just over 3” for the last 10 days, ground still has cracks

We ended up with 5.5" in 24 hours. There is standing water all over. Luckily, it should be sunny and dry the next five days.

 

[MadFarmer]

12 hours later and not much improvement. If I hadn't stashed a *few* plants in the raised beds and pots this would be the end of this blog.

 

[Charly]

They are thirsty.
Give them some water and some time. Tobacco is a strong plant.

 

[Knucklehead]

They are thirsty.
Give them some water and some time. Tobacco is a strong plant.

Charley! They are drowning. What time is it over there in France? Have some coffee. Lol.
It is morning in Alabama and I just spit coffee in my keyboard. Lol.

 

[deluxestogie]

You will know their status in 2 to 3 days.

Bob

 

[MadFarmer]

Thanks Bob, is there anything I can do in the meantime? Also, 8 out of the next ten days show rain in the forecast.

 

[Knucklehead]

Sun scorched tobacco

Being summer in South Africa, its very, very hot, some days 40 deg C (104 deg F). We had some rain, but not much. Most dams are almost empty. I only planted Wrappers this season, as a commercial farmer planted my fillers. The only wrapper that is not sun scorched is Bezuki, well impressed...

fairtradetobacco.com

I am about to give up farming

It has been a rough two years on the farm and when I think I have things whipped and in order here comes another disaster . Who can fix this ?

fairtradetobacco.com

Too much rain

A year ago this week it was 102 F, and didn't rain for almost 2 months. Lucked out on color curing everything and only had about a half dozen leaves flashed dried green. This year the ground hasn't dried any deeper than maybe 3 inches. Almost got dry enough to hoe today, then heavy down poor...

fairtradetobacco.com

US Nicotiana Germplasm Collection 2013 Nursery

One Sucker is a dark air cured heirloom tobacco. It grows 4-5 feet in height. Its has dark green, sharply pointed leaves that can reach 3 feet in length. It produces 15-16 leaves on average and matures in 55-60 days. Mature plants have frost resistance and its low growth gives it excellent wind...

fairtradetobacco.com

Too much rain stunting growth!

Is it true too much rain/water can stunt a tobacco plants growth? So far we've had the wettest May/June/July since records began in the u.k. and my plants are beginning to slow right down growth wise. There all around 2ft tall and maybe 4ft wide, look lush and green but just not going...

fairtradetobacco.com