tobaccotalk.myfastforum.org

Dan · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:17 am Post subject:

Hey Bob nice going. I hate those horn worms. They can eat a leaf in less than a day. What's even nastier about them is they don't stay on one leaf. Seems like they try to ruin as many leaves on a plant as they could and if the leaf of one plant is touching another plant they'll go to the next plant and do their thing. Fat SOB's. They'll even eat a plant after it's harvested and hanging. If you see little black beads under your hanging tobacco look for the worm, its there. I thought I'd mention something that you probably already know but some others may not be aware of. If I see one like the one pictured here I don't want to hurt that little bugger. I carefully pick them off and set them out far enough away so they wont have enough time to crawl back to my garden. Those white growths are the larvae of a little wasp that lays its eggs inside the worm. They eat the worm.

kenro · Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 10 Location: Monroe, Michigan

Dan received your package and i want to thank you so much. loved the puro and already started rolling my own, #16 has great taste. hope to do more business with you in the future....

russ · Joined: 02 May 2009 Posts: 29 Location: n.mi

how far away can i plant without cross breeding

Dan · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:20 pm Post subject:

I keep the ones that I collect seeds from at least 200 feet apart from the rest of the plants. That might be excessive but it works for me. Some growers put a put a clear plastic bag with small holes over the top as it flowers.

bob_kemp · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:56 am Post subject: Bob's Update

Hi --

We've been really busy here N. of Dallas, Texas with the crops coming in and I've been working hard to get the best crop of tobacco possible.

As I mentioned before, we planted in two stages because of the workload, and the second bunch nearly all went directly to flower. I haven't found any more worms on the tobacco now for a couple of weeks, or any more moth eggs. We're seeing a little grasshopper damage, that's all.

The rain has been intermittent and if we don't get at least 1 inch in a week, I hand water the plants.

I'm curious about one thing, however. The leaves are a little sticky and windblown grass seeds tends to stick to it. I can wash that off with the hose, but I'm wondering if it's possible or beneficial to wash the leaves off after you harvest them? Dan, do you have any idea about this?

I'm also wondering when I can expect to start harvesting. Some words of wisdom here will be appreciated. I've done it before but it was several years back.

Here's some pics of the flowers and plants.....this is Silk Leaf tobacco.

Bob

that's all folks!
bk

Dan · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:00 am Post subject: Sticky leaves

Hey Bob, They're going to get stickier. You really can't wash the sticky off. Its not water soluble. That is part of the plant, like sap is to a tree. I'm not into researching it now, I did once long ago but I forget what it's all about.
I would bet it has a lot of the tars, nicotine and probably a lot of the flavor.
I get an array of bugs, aphids and any seed that floats through the air like dandelion on my leaf. The rain does a good job washing them off. I guess a shot with a hose would get some debris off but after the leaf is cured and the sticky is gone you can brush the stuff off or give it a light rinse.
When you harvest your plants you're going to get real sticky. I tried paint thinner and laundry detergent but found a good dish washing soap works best to get it off your hands.
By the way, the plants are looking great. I'm surprised to see flowers already.

bob_kemp · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:36 am Post subject: flowers

Dan --

I waited too long to plant them out, especially the last bunch and I guess they got all stressed out by the heat, length of day, or something, switched from vegetative to flowering stage and off they go!

The ones that flowered that I pinch off the flowers are trying very hard to make suckers (branches) and I'm pinching them off daily to try to get the leaves to grow bigger. Have you ever smoked leaves from stunted plants which were allowed to mature? Smaller leaves? I imagine I'll harvest them and keep them as a separate bunch to see if they are any good at all.

The ones I planted early aren't blooming yet mostly, a few have and I pinched off the flowers. Those are the bigger ones in the one picture.
I count 8-9 mature leaves on almost every one of those, is that a reasonable number?

I'd like to know if you can tell me, whether I should start more seedlings soon to try to get a Fall crop in. We have a first average freeze at the start of November. So if I plant now, or soon, I'll be able to plant them out maybe first of August? August, September, October is 90 days after I plant them out. Is that enough time?

Thanks,

Bob

Dan · Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:15 pm Post subject:

Starting seeds now, hey give it a shot. I know I can't do it here in Pa. Even though the plant may not get hit with a frost they seem to go almost dormant when it gets cold. They just stop growing and wont mature.
What I can tell you is that you can use the leaf from stunted plants. If it dries brown and not green they should be okay. I mean they can't have the full flavor that a fully mature plant has but for filler, why not.

russ · Joined: 02 May 2009 Posts: 29 Location: n.mi

i got a few pics of my plants i can not figure out how to show them on this site help me out dan russ

Dan · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:37 pm Post subject: posting pictures

Russ, I put my pictures on photo bucket and take them from there to post here. There are other places where you can upload your pictures. They show you how to post them. I do know that you need a web address, one of those http// things in order to be able to post pictures. Photo bucket gives you that.