Grow you own tobacco.

I think my rustica is getting pulled up and slung in the bin moyra,the leaves dont look good to me and if that all the leaf im going to get off them i might as well pull them.
Virginia and burley look ok and still growing i suppose all varieties and strains differ a bit,i think if i grow it again then i will use seeds recommended for the uk possibly or what oldhag says grows well(depending on weather ) hows are yours doing? ive fed mine comfry and seaweed but dont know what they do best on xx

 

Hi Joolz, I give mine an occasional dose of all purpose miracle gro. Seems to be ok. They are certainly growing tall now. Shame about your Rustica though. Live and Learn. Its all a big learning curve for us all.

 

I wouldn't throw anything away! Let your Rustica flower and then dry it. Rustica is only used in small quantities in a mix to lift the nicotine level. Hang plants from the top, not upside down. The leaves stick to the stem otherwise. I mostly pick the bottom leaves from about now onwards and thread them individually. They are better when a bit older - but it means too much picking at once for all my plants.

Mine is all rubbish still and I've had about ten decent plants trampled to death by the Fire Brigade today (long story). This year I might end up just hanging the whole plants.

 

Thanks Old Hag will do that then. How do you shred yours then by scissors or do you put them through a shredding machine? Somewhere, I have a small shredder that I had used long before I got my large paper shredder. I wonder if that would do?

 

I've just discovered that a garden leaf shredder/vacuum works really well. Before this I'd roughly chop dry(crispy) leaves into a bucket and then put small amouts into a food processor. I still use the processor, but I don't need to do as much.
I wouldn't go to the expense of buying the leaf shredder - it's just that we alreadsy had one. My husband used to use a paper shredder for his, but the leaf one is miles better.

 

I'll try the paper shredder and see how I get on and then put it through the food processor. All this and I don't smoke. Still if it helps the lad then I suppose what mum wouldn't do the same for their sons. Thanks a lot oldhag.

 

Hi,i didnt plant mine out until the 5th of june so they have only been in the ground 5 weeks,do i leave them growing til around week 12?
My rustica have a leaf problem aswell so im not sure whether its worth curing them ?? have you come accross this before with your rustica ?? x

 

Ive give them some miracle grow aswell now moyra x

 

That looks like a form of rust. I wonder if that is the desease that they speak of that affects tomatoes and potatoes if grown near tobacco? I don't recognize it Joolz. Sorry.

 

As an afterthought Joolz I wouldn't want that close to your good tobacco plants I would get shot of it.

 

Hi moyra,all my virginia and burley are fine,maybe its just a weather problem there are some good leaves at the top so i will keep my eye on them and like oldhags says keep them (good leaf) and blend them with the rest i hera the jetstreams on the move so im hoping for some sun weekend

 

Yep going to give it another couple of weeks then I plan to hang our crop. Have some leaves in the airing cupboard at the moment they have gone a real yellow and are drying nicely. Only sufficient for a couple or three smokes I would think, not enough to write home about. We shall see if it is smokeable.

 

Have moved half a dozen of the largest plants outside into the air as they were getting too big for the greenhouse. Have dried off some leaves and Steve has smoked some thinks he may rub it in with his own Golden Virginia to stretch it out.
The plants are certainly getting very sticky now. I am not sure I shall bother to grow them again next year unless Steve wants to get more involved. A lot of hard work if I am struggling on my own all the time. Still he did help move them out this morning so shall see when next year comes. Although I still have plenty of seed left. Must contact the friends who I gave plants to to see how theirs are going on. Only left ourselves the 10 plants.

 

hi moyra,i think its been 3 weeks since mine flowered so ive taken your advice but only taken the bottom leaves off for now,there isnt much on the top leaves so i will leaves them a week to see if they gain some width ive hung them in my potting shed
xx

 

I shouldnt have looked here.......now hubby wants to grow some (he'd given up, but recently started smoking again). Mind you, the shop price is horrendous! I guess he'll be growing his own starting next year.