Tobacco seeds and growing

[SheWoff]

Oh wow thank you so much! I try to learn to grow something new each year, usually veggies. But...this year it will be tabaccy! I can't wait to get my seeds and get them started.

We just recently started to roll our own ciggies. Now they want to tax it out of $$ reach for most of us who ryo. This will be a good way to cut them out of the picture with that. Maybe after the tax passes, with growing our own, we will be able to afford the rolling tubes.

Thanks so much squeeks for allowing us to learn a new skill, provide for ourselves and help us get rid of one more .gov intrusion on our lives lol.

She

[Cag3db1rd]

i'm not sure if you're just giving them away or if we are trading something for these little jems. you have a pm from me also.

[squeeksmom]

Just sending 'em out - their so teeny they don't take any more'n an envelope. Just send me an addy and I'll get em out to you.

squeeks

[Cag3db1rd]

done. and we're quite eager to get started growing them. I've got Ben and Rogue working on ideas for the kiln for curing them.

[squeeksmom]

Wanted to mention, again in here, in case yer not reading the thread on main anymore:
I write your name and addy down just one time, on the envelope I send you, then delete it everywhere on my puter. Just a precaution. But if your seeds don't get to you within a week or so, you may have to pm me again to re-send them. Sometimes things do get lost in the mail.

squeeks

[bosifus]

PM Sent. I would love to give this a try.

[SheWoff]

Woohoo got my seeds finally after a local delay in mail delivery!! Can't wait to get started on this...seems dh used to work helping grow tobacco here so he is a good resource. Thanks sooo much!

She

[Mrs Smith]

squeeks, I'd like to give it a try. We're planning our garden now, (although we've got 6 inches of snow still). There's no problem planting these next to veggies, is there?

I'll send you a PM with my addy.

Thanks for the offer.

[squeeksmom]

Many welcomes to all of you - let's all grow tobacco til it's coming out our ears - just to tell .gov to "go stick it."

squeeks

[Thunderbird]

Thanks for the seeds. dw

[Cag3db1rd]

i got little green sprouts!

[squeeksmom]

Gonna pop this back to the top for new people to find, cuz of the thread on main being brought back up.
As the big "taxes goin' up" day gets closer, I think we'll see more people looking for ways to grow their own.
My DD said she bought a pack of Marlboro yesterday - $5.72 - I can make two cartons for that amount - at least until April 1.
I did order another 2 cases of tubes - should last for a few years, then I'll be using corn husks for papers.

squeeks

[Sully]

squeeksmom, I can't believe I haven't seen this thread before now! It's such a coincidense..just last night I was at TOL and read a thread on growing your own tobacco, so I cruised the net, found some info and told my husband I would try growing it.
Just this week I got my garden spot ready to start planting after Easter and I have plenty of room for some tobacco plants....they can be planted in the same garden with vegs, can't they? With the instructions you gave I think I can do it...I hope...cuz with the price of cigarettes I've got to try!
Thanks for bringing this thread back up.
You're going to get a pm.

Sully

[ejagno]

Sqeeksmom;

If you don't mind me asking, where do you order your tubes and rolling machine from? Newbie here.
Thanks for all of your help.

[Sully]

I order mine from http://store.pipesandcigars.com/ryocigprod.html;
They're fast on delivery and reasonable on prices.

I'm sure other people have good results also from other places.

Sully

[squeeksmom]

Hi, all - sorry I was gone for a couple days - hope I've caught up with everyone.
ejagno: I order mine from the same place as Sully - I'm still waiting for my last order to arrive, but they've got notice on the website that they're running behind. Hope they can catch up, too. For years, I used the little hand held tube stuffer and it works pretty good. Then, the arthritis in my hands went ballistic, so I switched to a table top injector-it's much easier. I looked at ordering papers, with separate filters, to use in a little rolling machine, but it was actually cheaper to just order the tubes.
Good luck to all trying to grow - yell if I can help.

squeeks

[Cag3db1rd]

i don't understand. they're all still so very tiny. i'm scared to touch them. even the ones with 4 leaves.

[squeeksmom]

If you have 4 leaves, CB, you're doing great!!! And, yeah, they DO look so teeny and fragile yet. Now is the time to transplant them into individual pots, or a tray where you can get some space in between them.
Have their new homes ready. If you're putting them into individual little pots, like the little 6 packs, or peat pots, fill them about half full of potting soil and poke a hole into the soil with a pencil. Gently, I use a pickle fork, loosen the soil around the plants. Take hold of them by the leaves, the roots will be like little hairs, and put them into the ready to use holes. Don't worry if you have a little clump of soil stuck to the roots, just make the hole a little bigger to take it - trying to get it all off will just tear the roots from the plant and you'll lose it. You may lose a couple anyway, no matter how tender you handle them - I usually do. Tuck the soil down around them, and be ready for them to go dormant for a few days - just keep them moist and warm and out of direct sunlight. As they start to grow again, add more potting soil around them.
It sounds like you're getting them going just fine, and after this transplant, they'll start getting bigger and less fragile. Depending on your weather, you should be able to make the next transplant into the garden. I can't put mine out until early to mid June, so I have to do one more transplant. I use peat pots for the last one, then when I'm ready to put them in the ground, I just tear out the bottom of the peat pot and bury the rest. I've had too many peat pots that don't break down like they should, so tearing the bottom out allows the roots to spread out.
Hang in there, you're doing wonderfully!!!!

squeeks

[max_914]

I would like to know how much can you yield off an average plant or about how many plants to produce about a pound? How does tobacco hold up against bugs and deer etc.?
Also are they jacking up the price on the tubes too?
Thanks

[SheWoff]

squeeks....are you sure I need to transplant them now with those four little leaves? They aren't even an inch high lol....I'm scared to death I'll kill 'em off at this point. ACK! I am such a chicken lol...

She

[mudwrench]

You're all very welcome - it's an easy way to poke a sharp tobacco stalk in ,gov's eye!!

Still have seeds, if anyone else needs some - just pm.

squeeks

got mine today thanks so much will start them tomorrow

[squeeksmom]

The four leaves should be about dime sized when you transplant - large enough to handle the stress, and small enough to not rip the root off when you pick them up - so if your four leaves are still teeny, you can wait a bit.
max: I read somewhere that one full grown plant (leaves about 2'x3') will produce about one CARTON of cigarettes. And, yes, the tax is on every part of ryo - the tubes, I think, are supposed to go up to around $9. My plants have NEVER been bothered by any pests - the deer don't like them and bugs stick to them. Seriously, the leaves are sticky, and insects stick and die. Hummingbirds love the flowers, but that doesn't hurt, and little birds like to perch on the plants, but they don't hurt them, either.
I went to pipesandcigars.com to check on the status of my order - not looking good. They have a notice up saying they're way behind on shipping, and any orders shipped after 4/1 have to be at the higher prices, and they'll send an email to see if you still want them. My order was for 2 cases of tubes and 10 one pound bags of tobacco (about $255) - if they don't get it shipped in time, it will triple. They said they'd be working around the clock for the next few days, but I guess I'm not gonna hold my breath - even though I put my order in about 3 weeks ago.
It may be a thought (especially for those of you who live in larger areas) to call around to nurseries to see if they carry tobacco seedlings. Some do - I don't live anywhere near one, so I'm on my own. If you can find some, and have trouble getting your seeds up, it would give you a crop for this year, and you could save seeds from those plants, also. Just a thought - don't know how many places would carry them.

squeeks

[squeeksmom]

WHOOOOOOHOOOOOO!! Got email just now from pipesandcigars.com - my order shipped!!
Am experimenting with a couple different ways to get the seeds to germinate - will let you know if anything works.

squeeks

[Cag3db1rd]

okay, i'm gonna wait, cuz even the ones with 4 leaves are probably too small. the leaves are not dime sized yet.

[Sully]

squeeksmom..do you know how I could put a little moisture in a bag of tobacco? My husband went to the tobacco store today and they were trying to get rid of all their supplies before the 1st, had amazing sales but not very much left. He got 8 16oz. bags of tobacco for $6 a bag and 200 count tubes for $1 a box. Just last week he bought the only bag of tobacco left, at another tobacco store, and it was $17.for 16oz. Both stores said people were buying as much as they could afford.

Anyway, the tobacco he bought today is awfully dry, which makes it very strong, and I was wondering if there is a way to get it a little 'less dry'.

Sully

[Sully]

squeeksmom, I recieved my seeds today! Thank you so much for your generosity!
I'll be planting them tomorrow and I sure hope I do everything right.

Sully

[Flippper]

I just read in a horticulture book that if you grow tobacco, or smoke, etc., you need to wash your hands before doing any gardening, 80% of tobacco carries some kind of virus that potentially can severely damage your other crops. If anyone needs a quote, I'll try to dig it up.

[squeeksmom]

Sully, I just use a little spray bottle on mine when it gets dry. If it's store bought, I kinda spray the side of the bag and let it run down - only 5-6 spritzes. Then shake it a little. 'Bout the same for home grown, except I keep it in a tub, and spray and turn.
Some people use an apple slice in the bag, or a damp folded paper towel - I don't like the apple flavor, and don't like the 'baccy sticking to the towel, so I just spritz.
Flipper, I'd like to see that if you can find it. I'm wondering if they're referring to commercial plantings. I handle the plants, and go to other parts of the garden, and have never had any problems, but maybe I've just been lucky.

squeeks

[Sully]

Sully, I just use a little spray bottle on mine when it gets dry. If it's store bought, I kinda spray the side of the bag and let it run down - only 5-6 spritzes. Then shake it a little. 'Bout the same for home grown, except I keep it in a tub, and spray and turn.
Some people use an apple slice in the bag, or a damp folded paper towel - I don't like the apple flavor, and don't like the 'baccy sticking to the towel, so I just spritz.
squeeks

Thank you. BTW, I planted my seeds in the containers today. I had some black trays with clear plastic lids that I saved that mini eclairs came in and they worked perfectly. They're now sitting in a sunny window with newspaper over them.

Sully

[squeeksmom]

Sully, glad you could start yours - I still have a month to wait. sigh.

squeeks

[Publius]

You're all very welcome - it's an easy way to poke a sharp tobacco stalk in ,gov's eye!!

Still have seeds, if anyone else needs some - just pm.

squeeks

We had a thread on the main not long ago about this and I posted! Tobacco at one time could be found growing wild in this country as it is native to this continent. Is there any sorce of seeds other than you?
Ok I found a post be wild-T2 has a link for seeds, have to learn more on this.

[Publius]

squeeksmom..do you know how I could put a little moisture in a bag of tobacco? My husband went to the tobacco store today and they were trying to get rid of all their supplies before the 1st, had amazing sales but not very much left. He got 8 16oz. bags of tobacco for $6 a bag and 200 count tubes for $1 a box. Just last week he bought the only bag of tobacco left, at another tobacco store, and it was $17.for 16oz. Both stores said people were buying as much as they could afford.

Anyway, the tobacco he bought today is awfully dry, which makes it very strong, and I was wondering if there is a way to get it a little 'less dry'.

Sully

I picked up a pipe many years ago and I learned from a old hand at this! Put a 1/8 or 1/4 slice of a Apple in the bag and leave it on top of the frige for a day or two and have a look see and if its still dry give it more time, when done don't eat the apple just dump it the trash.

[Sully]

Thanks for the tip Publius.

Sully

[Hotshot]

Received mine yesterday.Thanks and wish me luck on getting them started

[Flippper]

Squeeks, since I ran across that darn comment about washing up after handling tobacco plants about 4 times prior to posting, do you think I can find it now??? It wasn't where I thought it was so...

Wow, listening to Coast to Coast am and Major Dames said 6 months to Armageddon...anyways, I planted my little 'baccy babies a week ago and just today noticed a few little spikes poking their grassy looking noggins up out of the dirt. I'm a mommie!!!

[SSTemplar]

thanks for the information on growing tobacco. have a place for it in my garden. look foward to the seed.

[squeeksmom]

Flipper, yer funny! I remember one time I was moving my seedlings from the house to the greenhouse, and it was pretty windy. I turned my back to the wind, and walked backward, about 30 yards, to the greenhouse, so the wind didn't hurt my "babies."
I recently tried germinating some seeds like you'd test germinate other seeds - in a wet paper towel inside a ziplock. In one bag, I folded the paper towel over the seeds. In the other, I just sprinkled the seeds on the wet towel. Both germinated, the uncovered ones better than the covered ones. HOWEVER, since I couldn't leave them on the paper towels, I had to try to transplant all the VERY TEENY seedlings - using tweezers and my bi-focals - and it looks like I'm gonna lose most of them. Just too danged little to transplant. It does make it much easier to see what yer planting when you use a white paper towel, though. Wonder if it'd be possible to initially use highly bio-degradable (like RV type) toilet tissue over the soil, and maybe they'd grow through it???
Anyway, hoping everyone has received the seeds that have asked for them.

squeeks

[Thyme]

Squeeks, thank you so much for the seeds. Mine have 2 leaves, there are none with 4 leaves. Have the larger tray with Miracle Grow soil ready to transplant them in a week or so.

The guy who farms my field is cutting me a large area for the baccy patch. I'm really looking forward to this, thanks again.


I've always ordered my tubes from http://www.cigarettetobacco.com/index.php?cPath=60

A case used to cost me $137 w/ shipping and handling, but is now $187. It's gone up $50 a case. The place is in NC and the service is great.

I'll probably call you again for advice along the way lol

[squeeksmom]

Wow, that IS a jump, huh? I get mine from

http://www.pipes4u.com/cigarettetubes.html

and they've gone up about $20 But I notice some of the other brands are up to $132 - that's a tremendous leap.
Glad your little plants are growing good. Anyone can pm or email if they need help. It seems like the l'il buggers either grow or they don't -I guess I've always been lucky - mine seem to do okay.

I had kinda, maybe, thought about not growing any this year - have quite a bit from years' past - but I think I should grow at least a few for the seeds. I'll be starting them when we return from our trip. Or maybe the 8 teeny transplants that are still alive will make it. sigh

squeeks

[Flippper]

I planted my 'baccy april 3rd. As of today, May 13, they are a quarter inch high. Is that normal? It will take them years to get a foot high at this rate. They are in an eastern window.