Experiment in Growing Tobacco
Old Tobacco sign found this summer
Thought to share my experience (from another post) in making a final tobacco product from the home garden this year and will try to improve with what I’ve learned in 2012. This experiment caused many thoughts about my mistakes and there is still research needed and refinements to consider being in a northern climate. In watching video's from Virgina and Kentucky growers, sure feel like a real rookie but it has been fun.
Anyway, was very saddened reading from Johnno back in 2010 whereby he cites along the fines in Australia if caught growing tobacco can be $50,000. That caught my attention and was truly aghast that these are laws, yet they have no trouble at all probably in allowing GMO to grow wherever it suits them.
http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,14832.msg146722.html#msg146722
So this year bought some organic Hopi Seeds acclimatized to northern zones, but the zone I live in is slightly outside that specification. The soil here is Silt/Clay and needed to be cut with some sand and organics. The garden was originally poppies and herbs and so a little work was required to keep it cleaned of the older perennials coming up in addition to the regular weeds.
Seeds (not the originals)
The garden (micro for this) measured approximately 8 x 17 and is divided in three sections. Planted the seeds later in May, with a June fill in plant. We had a cool spring and germination was very slow with the following coming up with not much growth until August where it took off.
After Seeding
The Plants
Here is a more mature September photo with flower.
Here was a critical
Tip that did not happen during this harvest.
Curing tobacco leaves results in your final tobacco product by drying, decomposing chlorophyll and changing other natural chemicals in the leaves. The quality of your results depends upon proper curing.
_http://www.ehow.com/how_2065928_harvest-cure-organic-tobacco.html#ixzz1hiLaY01C
What happened in my case was that by mid to late September and early October started covering against frost with daytime heating continuing growth – was hoping to create some seed (some had flowered). By the time the first week of October past, knew it needed to be harvested and hung the tobacco in our woodshed (closed). Close monitoring and moving inside was delayed because of heading to Barcelona for the conference and travel – hoped for the best upon return.
What was found upon return however was that some leaves had cured but the weather had turned really cold (<-10c) and although the leaves had little moisture, some still did which stopped the curing process. Removed these to a room inside and hung again. The climate here is really dry so had to add a humidifier to keep the leaves from drying out and becoming brittle. Did not start cutting until December which is described below.
Preperation:
The next thinking involved cutting with a few methods linked to below. After watching a video using a pasta maker to cut and shred, and being that there was one in the house in a box already, decided on that route.
Result: The pasta maker works so so (it does and doesn’t) , here is the photo of this device in action at the kitchen counter
Pasta Maker
In principal it worked well and initially it was fine (leaves must not be brittle) but during the first batch (two large bags) the machine literally started coming apart from within, weakening and bending (light steel) and required rather an extensive overhaul. :(
.
Here are those likely better options:
For small amounts:
_http://www.seedman.com/cutof.htm
Liked this antique version shown here in this video:
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1VFABKbCak
Here is a nifty video of a homemade mechanical machine:
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRyfuk0ydrU&feature=related
This third one looks very good (video):
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab3P4IgM_mo&feature=related
Into the Pan
You will have noted just how green some of the tobacco is (much of it) and in this respect I failed it in the curing stage.
The smoke
So have been smoking this leaf and will describe the burning and taste. The tobacco actually burns not too badly but requires attention if left as it goes out. The taste is very smooth, mild and sweet; all three are very noticeable and enjoyable and was not expecting this.
Next year if given the chance, will try to resolve to improve the planting medium, bed orientation to sun, soil depth, and curing techniques. Another aspect will be to run a trial between planted from seed and seedlings.
- but growing smokable tobacco is not as straightforward as one may think. good soil and a lot of sunlight are a must (neither was present in my case). another thing, of equal importance, is preparing the leaves which includes drying them up in proper environment and then optionally "curing" (which is an art itself).
