Ever grow your own Tobacco?

[Bedlam]

I found some tobacco seeds in the garden section of my local farm store. I was surprised you were allowed to do something like this, given the laws governing tobacco in general, but I figured I'd give it a try. I'm going to try to start some seedlings in containers here in the house, same as with herbs, then transplant outdoors when ready.

I'm in no way deluding myself that I can learn to roll a perfect cigar, but it would be nice to provide El Hubbo's pipe with some tasty organic nicotine from our very own soil.

I thought some of you folks might have tried this before...with us being the do-it-yourself type.

Any tips or tricks to know?

 

[lyacovett]

I was surprised you were allowed to do something like this, given the laws governing tobacco in general, but I figured I'd give it a try.

It is legal to grow your own, but its just like brewing, you are limited to the amount you can grow ... varies state to state.

That being said, I know someone who has grown some, I can see if I can ask him a few questions for you .... good luck.

 

[hoppymonkey]

I've been to the NC farms plenty. Just keep it away from the kids and take a look at the internet at harvest time as you do not harvest the entire plant at one time. Make sure to wear gloves during harvest. You WILL get a nicotine buzz from just touching the leaves with sweaty hands. Also check out google for home curing methods. I have only seen commercial size methods and am not sure how it would work at home. Let us know how it works out. I might give a try too. The whole cured leaves smell wonderful!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

they actually produce quit attractive flowers.

 

[stedtale]

but, can you brew with it?

 

[jgln]

I have been growing it for fun for the past several years. It grows well here with tall plants with large leaves. Aphids are a problem though. I don't grow it to smoke although I have and would if I did, I just do it for fun and it goes well in the flower garden as eventually it will have many white flowers which will produce enough seeds to plant an acre or more from just one plant. Problem is no body wants the seeds and growers have plenty of their own. I have tons of seeds, kind of a shame. I would recommend anyone that smokes and wants to save a few $$ try growing some. I did get that mellowing effect when I do smoke it. Expect 4-6' plants depending on your growing conditions and the seeds you have. Seems to respond well to rich fertile soil. Starting them indoors is the way to go, be sure to thin them out early to just one plant per section.

....I grow cotton for fun too!! I guess could make my own clothes if I really wanted to.

 

[Bedlam]

I have been growing it for fun for the past several years. It grows well here with tall plants with large leaves. Aphids are a problem though. I don't grow it to smoke although I have and would if I did, I just do it for fun and it goes well in the flower garden as eventually it will have many white flowers which will produce enough seeds to plant an acre or more from just one plant. Problem is no body wants the seeds and growers have plenty of their own. I have tons of seeds, kind of a shame. I would recommend anyone that smokes and wants to save a few $$ try growing some. I did get that mellowing effect when I do smoke it. Expect 4-6' plants depending on your growing conditions and the seeds you have. Seems to respond well to rich fertile soil. Starting them indoors is the way to go, be sure to thin them out early to just one plant per section.

....I grow cotton for fun too!! I guess could make my own clothes if I really wanted to.

If this pans out at all and I wind up with some seeds, I'm happy to mail them to whoever might want a few. I don't have enough space for all that 'baccer...that's a lot of seeds!

I'm grateful for your assistance. Keep the tips coming!

 

[jgln]

If this pans out at all and I wind up with some seeds, I'm happy to mail them to whoever might want a few. I don't have enough space for all that 'baccer...that's a lot of seeds!

I'm grateful for your assistance. Keep the tips coming!

Yeah, last fall we did not pull the plants so all that seed fell to the ground. I have a feeling we are going to have a tabacco "weed" problem this summer. We had about 12 plants last year.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Any idea of the cultivar? Burley, Virginia, etc....

 

[hoppymonkey]

Got me curious now. I am prepping my spot for hops now. I may try a tobacco plant or too just for the hell of it.

 

[jgln]

Any idea of the cultivar? Burley, Virginia, etc....

If you are directing that to me, no. I could try and find the original seed pack, I am sure I have it.

 

[jgln]

Any idea of the cultivar? Burley, Virginia, etc....

What I thought was funny was the last time I tried it I had it broken up in a clear plastic zip loc bag, about an ounce , and I was using rolling papers (that I bought just for this purpose) to roll "joints". I was doing this in my kitchen and anyone looking would clearly think I was doing something illegal. My next door neighbors are far away but not so far they might see enough through the window to get ideas.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

What I thought was funny was the last time I tried it I had it broken up in a clear plastic zip loc bag, about an ounce , and I was using rolling papers (that I bought just for this purpose) to roll "joints". I was doing this in my kitchen and anyone looking would clearly think I was doing something illegal. My next door neighbors are far away but not so far they might see enough through the window to get ideas.

I smoke a pipe as a ritual downtime every nite. A bowl and a bottle before beddybye.

 

[Alypius]

but, can you brew with it?

My friend wanted to see if tossing a Cuban into the secondary of his IPA would affect the flavor (he wanted the smokiness of the maduro).

We drank it three weeks later and I couldn't feel my legs after two or three. the flavor wasn't there, but the nicotine sure as heck was!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Hmmm. Plant the baccy with the hops and hope they cross breed. All the alpha and nicotine. None of the tar!

 

[android]

i tried this two years ago. got them growing nicely in trays, but once i started trying to select for the best plants, i got lazy and they needed to be transplanted before i could get them outside. so, they died before they got much of a chance. but if you do plan to smoke it, you need to fashion a way to kiln or air dry them and do somewhat of a 'cure' to the leaves, which is kinda difficult to find info on. here is a good link about growing and curing it (http://www.pipemakersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=2291), this is from a pipe makers forum, but these guys are good at all aspects of tobacco. this is just one thread there, there are a good 2 pages of threads all with good questions/tips on growing tobacco and curing it.

 

[imaguitargod]

I've grown Havana Tobacco for about 4 seasons. It's fun and if done right, the plants will get HUGE! Also, let one of them go to seed and you'll have seed for a lifetime. Watch out for Aphids, once you get aphids, release about 1,000 lady bugs (read up on how to keep them around), it's the best cure for aphids.

Read up on how to grow them and start them (can be tricky sometimes), and how to cure them. I age mine in a cedar closet but they are best dried properly (you can build a curing chamber for pritty cheap). Here's some from my first year half way through the season:

From two years ago, drying quickly the best way I knew how...in a hot car:

Here's the flower, aren't they pritty?!?!

 

[Bedlam]

They ARE purdy!

The seeds I bought from the local farm store are described as from a Middle Eastern type (the specific name escapes me at the moment...I've been drinking. )

Thanks muchly for the link to the forum...I'll make sure to check that out. Not to count my seedlings before they hatch, but I have about 20 little slender shoots poking up so far. Go, 'baccy, go!

 

[Bedlam]

All righty...found the package my 'baccy seeds came in. It says they are "Scherazi" tobacco seeds and describes the type as "a premium quality smoking tobacco from Iran with dark green strongly flavored leaves. Regal plants are adorned with sprays of captivating, pink, trumpet-shaped flowers that attract a wide variety of pollinators."

We shall see.

 

[zac]

Bedlam,

Apparetly I'm the only commercial tobacco grower here.

The tobacco here is strictly burley, we dont have the weather, nor the infrastructure for flu cured.

Homegrown tobacco is very, VERY harsh to smoke or chew. All the good carcinagens Phillip Morris adds mellows the flavor!

I suspect you bought enough tobacco seeds to cover several acres. They are microscopic. Our 7 acres takes less than 1/8th an ounce of seeds!

Good luck, watch out for blue mold, and have fun.

 

[bigdug]

I don't know about the variety you have but it is all around you here in NC. I have litterally been up to my armpits in it. Flue cured is grown here with the leaves picked progressively as they ripen (turn light green to pale yellow). Then hung in a bulk barn to dry slowly over several days in what is effetivley a large gas dehydrator. Dry to fast and it will stay green and the stem will not dry. Dry to slow and it will be brittle. I have heard that wrappers for cigars are hard to get right as you have to balance leaf size and moisture content.
The flowers and suckers (small plants that will start where the leaf leaves the main stalk) are broken off as they will draw nutrients and stunt leaf growth. Water, water and plenty of fertilizer. A good plant here will be close to 6 feet without the flowers and the bottom leaves may be a foot wide and 30 inches long

 

[zac]

Bigdug, you gotta be in the coastal plain, flu cured just dosent get that big here. Not enough heat & hot nights.

Burley is 100% of the crop in SW VA, East TN, and W NC.

 

[BBKing]

SWMBOs step dad tried last year but it didnt work out too well. He's concluded that he picked them too early or maybe didnt cure them right.

Hes done his research and is trying again this year.

I'm pretty excited about it cause I get a share of it in return for all the homebrew that guy gets!

Good luck!!

 

[bigdug]

Bigdug, you gotta be in the coastal plain, flu cured just dosent get that big here. Not enough heat & hot nights.

Burley is 100% of the crop in SW VA, East TN, and W NC.

I am east of Raleigh. I think it takes the good old black soil of the coastal plain (black jack they call it) to see more consistency in the large size that is a little further east of here, but it does seem to like the heavy clay soil around here as well. I have not worked in it since my teen years and I don't miss them cold "elephant ears" under my arm at first light. Back then we primed by hand (harvested) and I worked for one man who used stick barns (where the leaves are sewn to a stick and hung to cure).

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Aight. My interest is piqued. I you got seeds. Send em to me.