TMButler’s Grow Blog

[tmbutler]

Yesterday, my wife and I started our seeds inside of Jiffy Greenhouse Kits with the peat pods. I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews and this is my first go around. I’m notorious for obtaining enough information to go into paralysis and not doing anything at all, so this is my start.
I am starting this year off with three different types of tobacco from Victory Seed; Virginia 509, Black Mammoth and Hickory Pryor. While I do not have the information in front of me (I’m outside taking a break from repairing the garden beds), I do believe some may require light. Well, they’re altogether sharing a house with five kids, three dogs and two cats- so space is an issue lol. I will be tilling a few rows in my yard for the tobacco as well as a row or two for corn. I’m also going to order compost to blend in with them and let the rows settle for a few weeks in time for a slated early May transplanting.
I’m attaching two pictures; one of my wife’s greenhouse with light/moderate humidity and the other is mine with a heat mat under it. As you could imagine, the humidity is HEAVY. Do I need to be concerned? Should I crack the covers or leave it be? My home is maintained at appx. 70 degrees downstairs, ambient indoor humidity....I’ll have to get back on that. I live in Virginia and right now it’s dry and chilly, although these next few days are expected to be in the mid to upper 70’s!!!! Any feedback would be awesome. Thanks!

 

[deluxestogie]

The high humidity is fine, until the seeds germinate. Then I would suggest propping up the lid a bit. Once you have 4 leaves on the tobacco seedlings, then the lid can come off.

Bob

 

[tmbutler]

The high humidity is fine, until the seeds germinate. Then I would suggest propping up the lid a bit. Once you have 4 leaves on the tobacco seedlings, then the lid can come off.

Bob

Would you or anyone reading this have any input on any need to reapply a water mist at any frequency? Or should this sustain for the next few days?

 

[deluxestogie]

If you are seeing condensation, then the humidity is likely adequate for germination. Once you have seedlings, they need to be watered from the bottom.

Bob

 

[GreenDragon]

Tobacco is a very hardy plant. If you were not purposely planting it you would call it a weed! So don't stress, they will take care of themselves as long as you have warmth and humidity. Like Bob said, just keep the cover on until they germinate, then crack the lid for a few more days. When you see 4 leaves you should remove the lid entirely or you could get "damping off" disease. Have fun!

 

[Amberbeth84]

Is that 4 true leaves or do you count the cotyledons?

 

[GreenDragon]

I crack the lid for a few days once the cotyledons appear, then remove the lid unless it's really dry and windy. Really depends on your local conditions. When we grew tobacco in the Lab we never covered them and they grew fine.

 

[deluxestogie]

Is that 4 true leaves or do you count the cotyledons?

Tobacco cotyledons are often as large as the true leaves during the first 4 to 6 weeks. I count them for caring for seedlings, though they are not counted when determining leaf position and leaf count (ARS-GRIN data categories) on mature plants.

Bob

 

[tmbutler]

Okay, well it’s been only about five days since I began this blog and attached are my results. The first six rows (from left to right) are my tobacco seeds. Despite what appears to be the cilantro and dill not coming up yet, should I continue with raising the lid? I’m also looking into how I want to light these since I don’t want them taking off like the Basil is on the right. I have a few sets of hockey puck led lights that I can try to figure out mounting above them on the table. Any input absolutely would be awesome!

 

[Oldfella]

Hi, looking at your seedlings I think they are looking for the light as they're all leaning in the same direction and seem to be a little leggy. All I do with mine is, have the top of the jiffy pot above the top of the watering tray and rotate them daily.
Hope this helps. As for lifting the lid I can't help you with this one as I have never used one. We don’t need them here, someone else maybe able too.
Best of luck with your grow, looking good so far.
Cheers Oldfella

 

[Indianapiper]

Okay, well it’s been only about five days since I began this blog and attached are my results. The first six rows (from left to right) are my tobacco seeds. Despite what appears to be the cilantro and dill not coming up yet, should I continue with raising the lid? I’m also looking into how I want to light these since I don’t want them taking off like the Basil is on the right. I have a few sets of hockey puck led lights that I can try to figure out mounting above them on the table. Any input absolutely would be awesome!View attachment 35516

With tobacco seeds being so small, I can see why so many are in each pod. My question is, how do you intend to thin them out when it is time to plant them?

 

[tmbutler]

My intention on thinning the seedlings was/is to thin the pods out with tweezers. I've already begun thinning out the pods a little however there are SO MANY, SO CLOSE together that I think I want to give them another couple of days before I do anymore. I ended up removing the lid altogether this morning and I am going to see what happens. A few of the neighbors decided to raise the roof on the party already, so I went ahead and popped it off. The ambient temperature in my home is definitely on the line of suitability for these guys, so I am experimenting with bottom watering in combination with the heating pad. My theory is that will at least provide humidity to some extent at the soil level. I managed to engineer a lighting fixture over the two trays, consisting of two LED shop lights with 3k lumen a piece. That's what I've got to work with.
As always, any insight or recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[tmbutler]

Over the course of the last few days, I've been intermittently thinning out the pods! As you can see, I still have a bit more to do and these guys are starting to get their second pair of leaves (true leaves?). I'm debating whether to wait a little longer to do some more thinning or wait for them to get a little sturdier. Any input from out there?

 

[Knucklehead]

Over the course of the last few days, I've been intermittently thinning out the pods! As you can see, I still have a bit more to do and these guys are starting to get their second pair of leaves (true leaves?). I'm debating whether to wait a little longer to do some more thinning or wait for them to get a little sturdier. Any input from out there? View attachment 35603

They are so close together that I would keep thinning. At some point the secondary roots will intermingle and make it difficult to thin.

 

[tmbutler]

They are so close together that I would keep thinning. At some point the secondary roots will intermingle and make it difficult to thin.

I will definitely get to it then when I get back home!!

 

[tmbutler]

Almost ready for peat pot transplants?!

 

[Oldfella]

Almost ready for peat pot transplants?!View attachment 35663

Looking good, me I'd give them another week or two before planting out. They're still little babies at the moment so are very vulnerable to pussy cats, dogs, people, wind and so on. But I don't know what your patch is like, fenced sheltered etc.
Cheers Oldfella

 

[tmbutler]

Looking good, me I'd give them another week or two before planting out. They're still little babies at the moment so are very vulnerable to pussy cats, dogs, people, wind and so on. But I don't know what your patch is like, fenced sheltered etc.
Cheers Oldfella

Oh, I agree with you completely! I didn’t mean as in putting them out in the bed lol. That won’t happen til about the first week of May. I’m contemplating moving them up to either 3” or 6” pots with some soil to move on up. I’ve also got another batch of seed to start soon and I’m going to need the tray.

 

[Oldfella]

Oh, I agree with you completely! I didn’t mean as in putting them out in the bed lol. That won’t happen til about the first week of May. I’m contemplating moving them up to either 3” or 6” pots with some soil to move on up. I’ve also got another batch of seed to start soon and I’m going to need the tray.

That should be OK, I can't get used to all this transplanting from one pot to another. My system is, sow the seeds in a bigger pot and then thin to one plant per pot. (Remember to sow a few xtra in case you have a failure, ) I feel that the less you can disturb the root system the better the end result. Still those are just my thoughts, or maybe l'm just lazy
Cheers Oldfella

 

[MadFarmer]

Oh, I agree with you completely! I didn’t mean as in putting them out in the bed lol. That won’t happen til about the first week of May. I’m contemplating moving them up to either 3” or 6” pots with some soil to move on up. I’ve also got another batch of seed to start soon and I’m going to need the tray.

You may have a couple more weeks before you'd need to pot those up, if at all. I rushed a few of mine into 4" pots and they've stayed small.