There are many questions regarding growing your own tobacco. Should you? Is it legal? Is it worth it? The only question you should really be asking yourself is this: Do I want to grow my tobacco? If the answer to that one, simple question is yes, then you will want to take a peek inside this article. It will tell you everything you need to know to get started.

Before we begin, I want to preface this article by saying it is not a definitive guide; for something of that magnitude, you would need an entire book. I’ve got about three pages.

The intention of this article is to get you started down the path of growing you very own tobacco. With that in mind, let’s get started.

Step One: Pick Your Location

The first step you should consider is where you will grow your tobacco. The obvious answer is: in my backyard. That is one way to look at it. One thing to keep in mind is the amount of space required to grow your tobacco plants. When planting your seeds (a process we will get to in a moment), you need to keep in mind several things: First, how many trees are you going to plant? Depending upon the size of cigar you intend to make, each plant will yield roughly twenty cigars.

Secondly, keep in mind that when you actually plant the tobacco in your backyard, you will actually be planting tobacco trees, not seeds. For each plant, you will need to allow 24 inches in-between. And if you plant more than one row, your rows should be around 42-50 inches apart. As you can imagine, planting more than a few can get out of hand.

As for the location, it should be sunny, and the soil should be well-drained (otherwise your plants could very well die). Test the pH level in your soil and aim for a rate of about 5.8. If it is too low or too high, contact your local gardening store for some suggestions on how to level it out.

Step Two: How to Get Some Seeds and What to do with Them When You Do

Getting seeds is actually easier than you might think. I doubt that you will be able to find them at a gardening store or even at your local tobacconist, but I suppose it never hurts to ask. More likely than not you will want to try out some online stores.

Since there are many different types of seeds, I would say to read the manufacturer’s description of their seeds to see which best fits your needs. One thing I can tell you is that you should ensure you get seeds that are not hybrids, and that will produce their own seeds. Otherwise your plants may not adjust to your soil the following year and you will need to grow them in another location.

Once you have ordered the seeds and get them in the mail, be sure to carefully read the instructions, as they will provide you with a more in-depth guide to growing your tobacco properly.

Ones your seeds are in hand, you will need to germinate them. Your first step will be to soak them in water for twenty-four hours. Next, place them in a compost tray, roughly one centimeter in depth. Put the compost tray somewhere safe and warm, like a cupboard, and let them rest there for a few days, being sure that the compost does not become dry (you should keep it moist).

Once the seeds have begun to sprout, you can transfer the to pots. Place the pots inside of a greenhouse if you have one; if not, use a cold frame or something similar. You will want to leave them there for sixty days, or until they are between 6 and 8 inches.

One thing to keep in mind: Before you transplant your tobacco to your backyard plot, be sure that there is no frost on the ground (or won’t be any while your tobacco matures). If you have ordered your seeds and the cold is lasting longer than you expected, simply wait till the frost has passed before you germinate or remove them plants from the greenhouse.

Planting the Crop

Once the plants are between six and eight inches, it is time to plant them in your plot. As you will recall from the beginning of this article, you will want to give your plants ample room to breathe, planting them 24 inches apart, and separating your rows by fifty inches or so. Water your plants well as soon as you plant them, then as needed as they grow.

You might consider using plant food, and you will certainly need to fertilize your tobacco. Look for fertilizer suitable for peppers and tomatoes, with very little (or no) chlorine. You’ll want to fertilize the soil prior to planting, but not so much so that it overwhelms the roots of your plants. As the season continues, keep fertilizing the plants, keeping them green, but also being sure not to overdo it. If your plants seem to grow too rapidly or big, you are likely overdoing it. Once you see the first flowers bloom, quit fertilizing – your plants should not need any more.

Topping Your Plant

Once your first flowers begin to bloom, it is time to top your plant. Topping is the process of removing the flowers so that the plant focuses its energy on the upper leaves of the tobacco plant. Simply cut the terminal bud with some sheers or use your hand.

You will also want to remove suckers from your leaves shortly after this (when they are about an inch in length). Check your plants during the season, and remove the suckers anytime they should return.

Harvesting and Curing

The next step would be to harvest your leaves. You want to do this 3-4 weeks after you top your plant. There are two methods you can use, picking the leaves (if you choose this method, harvest the plants 2 weeks after topping instead), or by cutting the stalk from the bottom of the plant. For our conversation, we will assume that you are cutting the entire stalk.

After harvesting you will need to cure the leaves, removing impurities from them. Since we are doing this out of our home, the ethodology differs greatly from a normal manufacturer. If you have a barn or shed with good air circulation, you should be all set. You will want the temperature in the shed to range between 60-95 degrees with a relative humidity of 65-70 percent. If you find the humidity level is too high or too low, you can open or close the door intermittently until the level adjusts itself. You will need to experiment to achieve the desired effect.

Normally you will want to cure your tobacco for eight weeks. Since we said we were cutting the whole stalk down, you will want to run some wire or string in the barn, and hang your stalk from that. After the eight weeks has passed and your tobacco is cured, you can then remove the tobacco leaves and get them ready for aging.

The aging process for home grown tobacco is a hotly debated issue. I’ve seen people say that you do not need to age it, suggesting you go ahead and roll the cigar, then place it in your humidor for a few months. I’ve also heard people say they age theirs for 5-6 years.

Both of these thoughts seem to me to be overblown; I would suggest aging your homegrown between 6 months and a year.

The entire process to age and cure tobacco is another article in and of itself, but I think it is important that you understand the time it takes to grow your own tobacco with the intent of smoking it.

If, after having read this article you are still entertaining the idea, then I suggest you wait for the next installment on this series, and also go out and do some more research from other writers, or ask other smokers in the forums about their own experiences with the aging and curing processes.