Cigar Birthing

[dgold21]

This thread is an absolute work of art! Your pictures are amazing, and your enthusiasm for the leaf in the way most of us never think about is truly enlightening!

[Silound]

Have you considered some hydroponic growing attempts? I've managed to do quite well in the past growing just about everything you could normally find in flower beds and gardens in a hydroponic system.

Seems to me that if you can control the growing conditions all that much more, you can at least get more tobacco out of the plants. Somehow though, I think that would leave for a very flavorless tobacco plant, since most flavor comes from the soil and conditions in which it's grown. Then again, you may be able to experiment with some controlled systems to generate a very interesting twang.


I may well give this a try later on myself, just for the kicks.

[tzaddi]

I have started building a relationship with these guys.
http://www.humboldthydroponics.com/
Last week I dropped off three potted tobacco plants at the local store here in Redding. You are correct about the nutrients and "flavor" of the soil.

Anything is possible and in the end it is about "just doing it". Afterall it is very unlikely that this would develop into a commercial operation. For me it is a journey of appreciation for what it takes to get a good cigar to my lips. As I have stated before, the more I learn the more I am aware of what I don't know.

I would love to hear of any hydrponic adventures you may embark upon.

Thanks for the read.

Originally Posted by Silound

Have you considered some hydroponic growing attempts? I've managed to do quite well in the past growing just about everything you could normally find in flower beds and gardens in a hydroponic system.

Seems to me that if you can control the growing conditions all that much more, you can at least get more tobacco out of the plants. Somehow though, I think that would leave for a very flavorless tobacco plant, since most flavor comes from the soil and conditions in which it's grown. Then again, you may be able to experiment with some controlled systems to generate a very interesting twang.


I may well give this a try later on myself, just for the kicks.

[Puffy69]

Originally Posted by Tristan

Fantastic pictures; thank you for the excellent post!

totally one of the best post of recent..TY for sharing

[Moosecakes]

Awesome Richard, how are you going about curing them? Any special setup you are using? Looking great as always

- Tyler

[tzaddi]

Originally Posted by Moosecakes

Awesome Richard, how are you going about curing them? Any special setup you are using? Looking great as always

- Tyler

Tyler, I am on the road now and will give a more detailed update when I return home. I am currently testing and modifying a homesize drying and curing chamber. Once it is "perfected" it should not only allow the tobacco to dry in a controlled manner, letting the leaves metabolize from green to yellow to brown but then is can be used as a curing chamber. The chalenge is controlling the amount of heat and humidity while maintaining good air flow, preventing mold and such setting in.

Later...

[Moosecakes]

Alright awesome, sounds like a cool idea, I hope it works out for ya.

[tzaddi]

[SIZE="4"]Last nights view from the upstairs balcony[/SIZE]
(two separate exposures composited into one.)

Let's get on with it. I was on the road for over a week logging about 1500 miles to SOCAL and back. California is a long state...

Back home the temps have consistently held @ over 100° for several weeks now and the 16-16-16 seaweed based plant food has been keeping things growing well.

The oldest and tallest plant refuses to give up on the whole going to seed routine.
By the time I got back home I had some pretty good flower development as is evident by this photo.

This bud was summarily snipped and placed in the drying chamber.

Passing up the 48" ruler this plant measured 72" today.

Not far behind from the second planting is this healthy specimen @ 35"



Although I would love to remove the fencing, due to the deer these plants remained caged.

[tzaddi]

With the type of soil and terrain here on the west side of Redding I have scratched out gardens here and there.

Poolside tobacco, nothing like a evening smoke while soaking in the pool.

Here are a few tonacco plants I placed along side some eggplants. That's ashwagandha to the far right.


This 58 quart pot is holding it's own with a group planting. Just to give you an idea as to what is possible.



"How are the peppers doing?" you ask... this little bug likes 'em.




Here is another creature enjoying the 10-12 foot tall sunflowers, just doing it's job.

[tzaddi]

One more of the sunflowers just because I think they are so glorious and then a little tribute to the first tobacco bloom of the season.

How strong is the drive to reproduce? Believe it or not this is the bud that I snipped from the tallest plant. I had placed it in the drying chamber and over the next 2 days it continued to mature, opening and turning this wonderful color. So I took it out into the sunlight and took a few photos.

If you look closely you can see the yellow pollen and the little oily hair follicles.

Enjoy

[bazookajoe]

Great photos Richard.

I was a little tardy getting the seeds planted that you sent and figured the season had passed. Didn't really see much activity (other than vagrant volunteer plants that began sprouting right away) until yesterday when I noticed several (dozen) little seedlings breaking through the soil.

[tzaddi]

[SIZE="4"]Nicotiana glauca[/SIZE]

On my recent trip to southern California my thoughts on the tobacco plant of my youth came to mind as I noted the yellow blossoms on the plants growing in the freeway meridians. I had my camera handy so while driving I attempted a few quick photos given the heavy congestion and slowdown. It all came together when I brought the photos back and did a goggle search matching them up.

Nicotiana glauca is the plant that grew on the slopes near the creek the fed the dry Ventura river channel behind my house in Ventura as boy in the late 50s and early 60s. This is the plant I made my first bows out of, I am sure of it.

Nicotiana glauca, sometimes called "Tree Tobacco" as it can reach heights of 20'. It is native to South America-Bolivia & Argentina. It is believed to have been brought into the country by the Spaniards as they colonized, now naturalized to the point of reaching weed status. As is evident by the blurry photos, it is a hearty easy to grow plant in the southwest. I have found some references of it being smoked but as I recall it's medicinal value is for external use.
A poultice of the leaves can be applied to cuts, bruises, swellings and other wounds. The plant has been used as a poultice for removing the pus from scrofulous sores or boils. A poultice of the leaves has been applied to inflamed throat glands. An infusion of the leaves has been used as a steam bath in the treatment of rheumatism.

So I will be searching out seed on my next journey south. I think it would be a grand addition with it's large presence and I would love to experiment with it's medicinal properties. The yellow blossoms would be a great color addition to the garden.

As with all species of Nicotiana ingesting the plant material is toxic and can be deadly in high amounts. Please do your own research before experimenting.

Here is a shot taken on the Newport Freeway (55) heading towards the Riverside Freeway (91).


This one was taken on the Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) heading north past Norwalk. The inset shows how beautiful the blossom is.

Who would have thought...

That's all for today.

—Richard

[schweiger_schmoke]

Richard-

You are very skilled both in Botany and Photography.


A true BOTL here, all gorillas should greatly appreciate his work and insight.


Kyle

[tzaddi]

Originally Posted by schweiger_schmoke

Richard-
You are very skilled both in Botany and Photography.
A true BOTL here, all gorillas should greatly appreciate his work and insight.
Kyle

I do therefore I learn. In the learning I see how much there is to do. In the sharing I reinforce the learnings. It is all just a grand scheme to "get a life" . Thanks for the acknowledgment. Your proclamation is bold

[tzaddi]

I didn't mean for this to be a personal blog...My post to response ratio is very lopsided...but it appears that the view count continues to go up indicating that some are reading or at least taking a look. I am sure the mods will let me know if I have overstepped the bounds.
[SIZE="5"]Deer Friends[/SIZE]
With that said...Midday I was looking out the window and saw this small lone buck looking for some greens in the 100° temp. I took this photo through the window glass...that's the state of the tallest (6.5 feet) tobacco plant behind the deer. Although it would be nice to remove the fence I have no idea if the deer would chow down or not.

The following photos show the same area (except the lawn pose) but taken in early June. The bigger bucks only come around late at night now. Note the velvet still on the forming antlers.

What a poser!

Later...

Richard