Cigar Birthing

[duhman]

Hey, Richard. The plants I am overwintering are starting to wake up. They are sending out more than one lead. Do you think I should try to limit them to one main shoot or just let them go?
Thanks.

[CubanoLou]

I appreciate the info, great pics.

[Chuckie]

Just got finished reading this entire thread...

This is amazing. Thank you for a very informative and enjoyable thread. As others have said, hopefully I will one day be able to grow my own as well. While I do not have a huge yard, I do have a fairly good size plot of land. Just need to clear a few more trees to get more sun shining in and I should be good to go.

[iride]

WoW! Richard...thanks for your efforts, photos, education and dedication to this thread! I've spent the weekend reading it, start to finish. Really cool stuff. I've learned alot and very much enjoyed your pics. Hope to see more and more of you rolling and smoking your reward! Great Stuff!!

[tzaddi]

Originally Posted by Zarathustra19

Hey Richard,
Thanks very much for the informative and entertaining thread. I was wondering if you ever got around to experimenting with maduro tobacco, since I saw you mention something about it earlier in the thread.

I might have to hit you up for some seed in a few weeks and see if I can get some Pennsylvania shade leaf growing since I have some limited experience with hops, tomatos and peppers. Sounds like a fun project.

Always appreciate an encouraging post. Yes, I did prepare some maduro, forcing a secondary fermentation by keeping the humidity high in conjunction with higher heat, simulating what occurs naturally in those huge stacks. The experience deepened my understanding while leaving me in further awe of the big guys.

Drop me a PM with your address when you are ready for some seeds.

Originally Posted by Arnie

Really nice looking plants!! I have been growing an Argentine variety for about 6 years that has white fragrant flowers. The fragrance comes on at night, so it's nice to sit out and smoke a late stogie near the plants and enjoy the smell of the flowers. I have saved leaves but I don't know how to cure them.
They are such stately plants. I can see why the Native Americans think they are sacred; I do to. If you want, I'll send you some seed.

Thanks. It sounds like you have Nicotiana sylvestris growing. Along with the smokable Nicotiana tobaccum I also grow a west coast native, Nicotiana biglovii. Another strain Nicotiana glauca with a yellow flower has made it up to southern California from South America, it is sometimes called tree tobacco because of it's size. I can be seen growing along the freeways of southern California arriving some 100 years ago.

They are indeed a plant with a special history and nature, right up there with corn and potatoes. I would love to exchange seeds, I will PM you my address. Thanks for the offer.

Originally Posted by The Postman

WoW!!!

I started reading this thread the other night, and finished it today. I could never hope to grow tobacco where I live, but I truly have enjoyed reading about your adventure. Seeing the great pictures you have posted have helped to make a long Canadian winter seem a little shorter now.

Thank you very much my brother!!

You have brought a bit of warmth to my part of the west coast with your comments as well. I hope to add a few more photos soon, right now I am in the middle of a move. Thanks for checking in and following along. After all of that effort you are truly my brother

[tzaddi]

Originally Posted by duhman

Hey, Richard. The plants I am overwintering are starting to wake up. They are sending out more than one lead. Do you think I should try to limit them to one main shoot or just let them go?
Thanks.

Good to hear from you. I would limit the re-growth to one shoot per plant. This will be a challenge if the plant has already flowered in the previous year. I have a 35 gallon planter with tobacco plants going on their third year of growth, each winter dying back. At this point it is more of a novelty and botany experiment as the leaf is not very large. If you are growing for quality leaf then nothing beats a new planting each year.

I refer you to the posts and photos from last years spring planting and wintered plants.
Cigar Birthing

Originally Posted by CubanoLou

I appreciate the info, great pics.

I appreciate you stopping in.

Originally Posted by Chuckie

Just got finished reading this entire thread...

This is amazing. Thank you for a very informative and enjoyable thread. As others have said, hopefully I will one day be able to grow my own as well. While I do not have a huge yard, I do have a fairly good size plot of land. Just need to clear a few more trees to get more sun shining in and I should be good to go.

Congratulations on hanging in there for the entire read. I consider those that have made the journey through words my friend You just drop me a PM when you are ready for some seeds.

Originally Posted by iride

WoW! Richard...thanks for your efforts, photos, education and dedication to this thread! I've spent the weekend reading it, start to finish. Really cool stuff. I've learned alot and very much enjoyed your pics. Hope to see more and more of you rolling and smoking your reward! Great Stuff!!

As stated above, your effort has made you a true brother of the leaf. I appreciate your participation and hope to add a few more pics and posts soon. I am still processing tobacco from last season and have been rolling a few here and there. Always learning.

—Richard

[duhman]

Originally Posted by tzaddi

Good to hear from you. I would limit the re-growth to one shoot per plant. This will be a challenge if the plant has already flowered in the previous year.

—Richard

They hadn't flowered and the plants are still small. They got a late start and were stunted. I think they will do great.
Thanks, Richard

[d_day]

This is truly an amazing thread. I've read through it more than 4 times and am just as wowed each time I read it. I'm looking forward to updates when they happen.

[GilaByteBob]

Wow......

Spent the last couple days reading this thread and I'm speechless.

Impressed with the project.
Impressed with the photos.
Impressed with the narrative.
Impressed with the results.

I'm way impressed!

Looking forward to more, especially the rolling.

Just a wild guess, how many cigars do you think you'd end up with if you rolled up all the stuff you've grown so far?

Bob

[DBCcigar]

Fantastic pictures!

[Arnie]

OK Richard, PM me your address and I'll send some seed for the Argentine tobacco. Maybe we can trade.

[tzaddi]

Originally Posted by duhman

They hadn't flowered and the plants are still small. They got a late start and were stunted. I think they will do great.
Thanks, Richard

I think they will do just fine. Let me know how things progress.

Originally Posted by d_day

This is truly an amazing thread. I've read through it more than 4 times and am just as wowed each time I read it. I'm looking forward to updates when they happen.

Your seeds will be going out this week

Originally Posted by GilaByteBob

Wow......

Spent the last couple days reading this thread and I'm speechless.

Impressed with the project.
Impressed with the photos.
Impressed with the narrative.
Impressed with the results.

I'm way impressed!

Looking forward to more, especially the rolling.

Just a wild guess, how many cigars do you think you'd end up with if you rolled up all the stuff you've grown so far?

Bob

Bob, probably get a hundred or so. I have also purchased whole leaf over the past few years as well as traded with another grower. I think I have a few threads that show some of my whole leaf purchase somewhere around here.

Thanks for dedicating the time to read through one of the stories of my life. Those that have done so are my friend by proxy

Originally Posted by DBCcigar

Fantastic pictures!

Thanks. It has been a learning experience and it is encouragement like yours that has pushed me further. I am hoping to upgrade my camera this year and move up to a DSLR, probably one of the Sony Alphas.

Originally Posted by Arnie

OK Richard, PM me your address and I'll send some seed for the Argentine tobacco. Maybe we can trade.

It is done and don't forget to send your in response.

[d_day]

Originally Posted by tzaddi

Your seeds will be going out this week

I'll be posting pictures of the growth cycle and harvesting.

[d_day]

Richard, I'm curious about one thing, do you have to deal with strong winds there, and if so, how does the tobacco hold up? We have really strong winds here from time to time, and it's something I hadn't considered until just now.

[tzaddi]

Originally Posted by d_day

Richard, I'm curious about one thing, do you have to deal with strong winds there, and if so, how does the tobacco hold up? We have really strong winds here from time to time, and it's something I hadn't considered until just now.

Strong winds have been an issue. The plants need to be far enough away from fences and other plants so that the movement caused by the wind does not cause any thrashing about thus damaging the leaf. Generally with a few precaution you will get a harvest worthy of smoking, some holes and tears are sure to occur but that's part of the adventure.