Tutu's Year 2026

[Tutu]

It's been a long time since I've posted anything here. I think my last Tutu's Year blog was 2020.
That doesn't mean I haven't been growing tobacco, and I thought it'd be fun to post some images again.
From the different things I've grown, the latest H-2000 came out really nice.
I'm currently fermenting that and will make a couple of cigars in a few weeks time.
Will post some pictures of that later on.

My current growing set-up is as follows, let me sum things up.
I live in the Dominican Republic, moved to a new apartment about one year ago.
I'm growing in containers my rooftop. One location is the balcony, the other a shared area.
On the balcony there is limited space, as part of it is covered.
The uncovered part is a good location but the sun-hours are slightly fewer than the other location.
Currently I have 5 containers there which is are
1x CT Broadleaf (N. tabacum)
1x Sumatra Shade (N. tabacum)
1x Corojo x Sancti Spíritus (N. tabacum)
2x Limonka (N. rustica)

I will split up the post into two parts, so here first some of the images of the balcony setup.


*Setup of the shielded balcony


* First five plants good to go


* CT Broadleaf transplanted three days ago


* Corojo x SS transplanted three days ago


* Limonka transplanted three days ago


*Limonka transplanted yesterday


* Sumatra transplanted yesterday

 

[Tutu]

The other location is a shared area. It's less shielded, but has more sun hours.

Here I also grow in containers. The containers are a soil mix with I've experimented with over time.
Here I have going at the moment
1x CT Broadleaf (N. tabacum)
1x Sacred Wyandot (N. rustica)
1x Istela Puebla (N. rustica)
2x Limonka (N. rustica)
2x Aztec (N. rustica)

At the same time I have other seedlings going in smaller containers which I will soon transplant.
Also, I am trying to germinate a lot of seeds that I have kept for many years.
Most of it has not been successful although it does seem like I have one Wanokaka seedling going ( see the Sumba Grow Log).
I also have one seedling of a CT Broadleaf x Samporis hybrid that I crossed about 8 years ago.
Unfortunately my large amount of Kasturi seeds do not germinate.
Had been really hoping to grow some of that.


* Shared rooftop setup early morning


* Zoomed edition of the setup


* CT Broadleaf


* Limonka


* Istela Puebla


* Aztec


* Sacred Wyandot


* Limonka


* Aztec that has started to bloom early

 

[StoneCarver]

That's a rustica for you. and it does almost no good to try pinching the bloom. They'll just pushout flower buds from every nook and cranny. but you probably already know that.

 

[Tutu]

Yeah you're right, that's what they're good at.
Planting them in containers you just need to be soo much earlier with transplanting to avoid the flowers coming out when they're little.
Anyway, I'm back to my earlier attempts of crossing rustica with tabacum.
This time setting up to grow seedlings in vitro to bypass some of the difficulties.
Saw that the old post N. Tabacum x N. Rustica has been closed.
Not sure if its possible to re-open, would love to pick up that discussion once again.

 

[deluxestogie]

its possible to re-open, would love to pick up that discussion once again.

Done.

Bob

 

[Tutu]

Thanks Bob! Appreciate that! Looking forward to talk more about the matter once I get closer to sitting down and working on the crosses.

In the meantime since I did not make a grow log for 2025, I might as well share some images of the leaf I grew last year.
Although I used to prime leaf, I switched to stalk curing a few years ago.
Here and there I will still prime single leaves but overall I've gotten good results with curing stalks.

 

[JungleGhost]

Anyone have extra rustica seeds around? I'm having trouble growing them...

 

[JungleGhost]

@Tutu do you grow you rustica any different than your tabacum?

 

[Tutu]

What I do differently is that I transplant much earlier and there's way more suckering throughout growing.
I would send you some but that's kinda impossible from here, there's not even regular mail in this country.

In the meantime I have transplanted 1 Sumatra and 1 Corojo x SS to the roof.
I'm quite pleased with how some of the rusticas are doing.


* New additions on the far right


* Limonka


* Istela Puebla


* Aztec

 

[Tutu]

Back on my 2025 crop of H-2000.
It's been fermenting quite nice and is starting to develop a nice color.
Really looking forward to make some cigars with it but resisting the temptation to do it now.
Would like to still give it a bit more time but let's see!

 

[PvtPublic]

That looks beautiful!

BTW, what are those stacks? Pilons?

 

[Tutu]

They are alright although lacking somewhat in thickness to really get dark.
But let's see how far I can get them.

Yup they are all piles of tobacco where I stack my homegrown stuff to ferment in.

 

[Tutu]

I had mentioned I have been trying to get some old seeds germinated.
Haven't had much luck as many are 10+ years old and stored in tropical climates.
I initially had three little plants going.

Samporis x Broadleaf
A cross that I made in 2020. Therefore, seeds were not that old.
I talked about it more in Tutu's Year 2020.
I would say that at this point this is the only plant I am quite excited about to get going.
Samporis is a Jatim variety from Indonesia and Broadleaf being CT Broadleaf.

Wanokaka
Even though I thought I had one plant going, its quite obvious that it must have been a misplaced rustica seed.
It's somewhat strange as I did not sew any rusticas on the same day so I'm thinking it must have been misplaced after a splash of rain.
Initially I was very excited about getting something started from Sumba.
I don't think I will transplant this seedling as I have many rusticas of which I do know which variety it is.

CT Broadleaf
From a much much older batch of Broadleaf seed that I had.
This seedling did not survive but I haven't lost much sleep over it as I have ample access to CT Broadleaf seeds.

 

[Tutu]

Back to the balcony. Things are going alright although I have a lot of stand around pots with specimen I will not transplant.
Its always hard to throw them out. But I think I'll do it when I get back from a trip to Arizona I'm making this week.
I won't be attending the plants for 6 days. We've had a lot of rainfall the past few days, I hope we have some rain in the weekend.
I don't have anyone set up to visit to water things but I'm thinking it'll work out.
I've also recently transplanted one Ainaro and one H-2000 to the balcony.


* Balcony overview


* CT Broadleaf


* Corojo x SS


* Limonka


* Ainaro and H-2000

 

[Tutu]

I drive by some nice fields twice a day going back and forth to work.
Thought you guys might appreciate the view so stopped and took a few shots.