My results with tobacco this year, and notes about the process:
I tried those varieties for the first year (moreless 60 plants) :
African Red
Alata Grandiflora (for flowers only)
Bamboo Shoot
Banana Leaf
Bosikappal
Bursa
Catterton
Kentucky Burley 15
Monte Calme Yellow
Mountain Pima
Orinoco White Stem
Papante
Prilep
Silk Leaf
Virginia Bright Leaf
Yellow Mammoth
Yellow Twist Bud
All were bought on the kokopelli website, and they have 2 or 3 times more varieties, so I had to choose.
I began with plastic bottles in february : 1/3 clay balls + 1/3 organic seed compost
first, the bottle is filled with clay balls and water, and on top of that the seed compost is added.
Then the only thing to do is put some seeds and close the bottle with tape, and close the cap.
When the seeds are growing, the cap is opened, and then the bottle is opened too.
The bottles need to be in full sun at the window. Then the seeds will grow slowly first:
I put too much seeds but I could also choose the healthier plants everytime.
When they are too tight together, they are transplanted in black plastic cups to grow more.
It's important to transplant them otherwise they are too weak and eaten by snails. In the cups, they can adapt.
When the plants are big enough, you can plant them :
note : the plants will not grow well if they are next to trees and roots.
The roots are taking all the water and nutriments. I lost maybe 10 plants because of that.
The summer was quite hot and the plants grew well with very little water.
The only problem was some caterpillars in may-june.
That was in early september :
The flowers have to be removed, but then you have suckers that also have to be removed (i forgot to do that, that's why there's a lot of stalks).
The first leaves that can be harvested are the leaves drying up directly on the plant near the soil. They are called "mud lugs" or "sand lugs" and are less strong in taste then the other leaves, but they are ok. Because of the sun, they are already dry when you pick them. I had 125g of shredded mud lugs in the end.
When the first big leaves begin to turn yellow, they can be hung on a wire. I hung them in pairs with a small elastic.
Often insects and twigs will stay glued on the leaves. They will mostly fall when the leaf dries up.
The first time I did that, I had leaves drying green, and it's not good, the air was not moist enough.
The second time, I hung the leaves close enough to keep the humidity. That worked pretty well.
But if the leaves are too close, then mold develops, here's an example with oriental varities (more difficult to dry) :
The end product :
Each plant gives around 45g of tobacco, i think.
It's surprising that such a big plant gives only a bit more than one package!
So I will have around 70 packages of 30g, that's enough for one year I hope.
After the drying process, I spray water on the leaves to put them back in case, so they can be flatten up and also shredded more easily (or stockpiled in cardboards).
The yellow twist bud is a variety which ages fast and is already smokable. It's like pueblo or fairgreen.
Other varities age fast, but normally you have to wait 6 months or more if you don't have a "kiln" (that can be built by yourself : _http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/1798-Dr-Bob-s-multi-purpose-curing-chamber-in-planning).
Another thing to do is "toasting" the tobacco in the oven for +/- 15 min at 200 degrees.
The shredder is very fragile, I broke it. I have to buy another one, maybe bigger.
( _http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Tabletop-Fine-Cut-Tobacco-Pipe-Cigar-Hookah-Herb-Cutter-Grinder-Shredder-/262714634661?hash=item3d2b0331a5:g:AKUAAOSwWTRWuOQ3 )
The shredder has to be of 0,8 mm, otherwise you will not have rolling tobacco. Bigger than 0,8mm would be for pipes.
A lot of info are available on this forum: _http://www.howtogrowtobacco.com
This is also a very good introduction : _http://www.northwoodseeds.com/tips.htm
Still now in mid-november, the plants are growing, I will soon make the final harvest :
Next year I think I will choose other varities to see the difference. It's not difficult to grow tobacco. The longest thing to do is the bottles and transplantations in cups, that can take a few days. Hunging the leaves and harvesting can take some time, but it's worth the time if in the end it gives one year of free tobacco.
