Tobacco Growing and Curing at Home.
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Basics
Firstly, a warning. smoking can be bad for your health. So can drinking, singing off key, sleeping with your neighbour's wife, too many fatty foods, too much meat, not enough meat, too many vegetables, not enough veg....... well, you get the picture. This hub is not about health issues or hobby-horses, it's about growing tobacco and curing it. What you do with it then is your own damned business.
Secondly, don't break the law. Here in New Zealand you can buy tobacco seed, grow the stuff, and, if you want to, smoke it quite lawfully. You may not lawfully sell it, barter it or give it away. The same regulations govern brewing, wine making and the distilling of alcoholic beverages. If you live elsewhere check your local legislation to ensure that you comply.
Having got that of my chairy little hest, lets get down to the nitty gritty:
Anyone Can Grow Tobacco Successfully !
Virginia Tobacco, the stuff of commerce, is one of the most hardy plants you'll ever grow. If where you live is warm enough to grow cabbages, tobacco will thrive. If it's warmer there, all the better. I grow it in a tiny section where I live, 400ft. (120 metres) above sea level, with a moderate semi coastal climate. For three months of winter we have occasional light frosts, some bitterly strong winds, some hail. I planted a few seedlings in February last year as an experiment. That's late summer here in the Southern Hemisphere. They were small plants, about 2ft (60cm.) high when winter hit. They stopped growing until spring. The leaves stayed healthy - no wilting or browning, and around the end of September off they went again. Compared with correctly grown plants they were small, but still over 6ft high.(I'll continue this in feet and inches only, for the sake of our American cousins. For those of you more comfortable in metrics, 1 ft. = 30cm.)
I got tired of fighting past the damn' things to get to my garden shed and pulled them out last May, still healthy and hardy, with a root system the size of a football.
What You Need.
- Seeds: You can buy seeds here in NZ from Kings Seeds in Katikati,
www.kingsseeds.co.nz
Elsewhere try local seed merchants, heritage seed suppliers, the Internet, or the above. Check importing restrictions. For North American readers, try Victory Seed Co. in Oregon. http://www.victoryseeds.com/tobacco/backer_cultivation.html This is also a very helpful site. My thanks to You Grow Girl .com for this contact. - Somewhere to grow the seedlings: a sunny window-sill is fine. The seed is tiny, like ground pepper. Put seed-growing mix, or a mixture of fine soil and sand in a shallow container, (a 2 lt.-about 3 pint, ice-cream container with a few drain-holes punched in the bottom is good, or one of those little 6 part seed trays you got some other seedlings in, or a small egg tray for that matter.) Stand the tray in a dish or suchlike so that you can water it without soaking the carpet, sprinkle seed very lightly over the soil, and water. It's probably best to water by standing the container in an inch or two of water in a bucket or the sink to soak, then allowing to drain before you put it on it's dish. Cover with a newspaper, bit of cardboard or some-such and keep damp. In about 2 weeks the seedlings should start showing. Be warned, I used the barest pinch of seeds sprinkled into a six pot seed tray and got over 100 plants! Thin the seedlings as soon as they're big enough, either to individual 4in pots, or about a dozen to an ice-cream container. When they're about 4in high, and after frosts, plant out. See my reply to Patty Inglish's comment, (first one, below) for extra seedgrowing tips.
- Somewhere to grow the plants. The seedlings need to be planted with a minimum spacing of 2ft between plants and the same between rows, although 3ft between rows is better. They prefer full sun but will grow well in partial shade.The leaves can be up to 2ft long each, droop, and grow on a main stalk from ground level up, diminishing in size with height. A full grown plant is 7ft tall, and self supporting.
How Many Plants?
This depends on what you want the tobacco for. Just for the fun of growing the stuff and possibly to use the leaves to make a bug spray a couple of plants are fine. If you want to cure and smoke it, put in at least a dozen plants if possible. If you can't, stick in as much as you can.
This seems a good place to take you by the hand (Not too close!) and walk you through some simple basic arithmetic, if you haven't already done so yourself. Take what you pay a week on smoking (probably around $50), multiply it by 52 to find what it costs you a year(over $2,500?), subtract the one time only cost of the seed ($2.50 buys about 1,000 seeds, down the road from me) and the cost of the couple of cups of seed-raising mix and fertiliser you may have bought. Still over $2,500? Well, you probably displaced 12 cabbage to grow enough tobacco to keep you in cancer sticks for a year, go figure.
Care
Now that you've your tobacco planted out behind the wife's begonias (it's quite an attractive ornamental with small pretty pink flowers), along a wall, down the drive, in a bed of its own, all of the above, where-ever, how do you raise the delicate little darlings? Well, short of dynamiting it, running it over with a ten ton digger, seering it with a flame thrower, or soaking the stuff in weed-killer, tobacco pretty much looks after itself. Treat it as you would tomatoes: Plant it in reasonably rich well dug soil, (with well composted vegetable matter if you've got it) water it regularly in dry weather, give it a side dressing of general garden fertiliser now and again, weed around it, and thats about it. You can sit back, drink your moonshine, (I'm doing a Hub on distilling, later) and watch it grow.
When it gets bigger, you'll see small tobacco plants starting to grow as side-shoots from the main stalk at the base of the leaves - the same as tomatoes and that other stuff some people smoke. The same rules apply: Pinch out or otherwise remove them. If you plant them, they'll grow for a later crop. When the plants reach maturity they'll set flower heads at the top. Pinch them out. You may need to stand on something to do it! I suggest that you leave one plant to flower for seed.
Pests
Here in New Zealand nothing much seems to bug tobacco, - or mine any-way, either from above or below ground. After all, cigarette butts soaked in a bucket of water was an old way of making insect spray that my parents and grandparents used. If you do have problems see your local nurseryman, or talk to a friend who gardens. What works on tomatoes should work on tobacco.
You might try planting cabbage amongst the 'backy to deter the cabbage butterfly; I intend to this year.
Harvesting and Curing
A lot of unmitigated drivel is put about over the difficulty of curing tobacco. I believe that it's an evil plot put out by the tobacco magnates and perpetuated by our respective but seldom respected or respectable Governments to wring money from us unnecessarily. Curing tobacco is basically the drying of it in a moderately controlled environment. There are all sorts of bells and whistles you can add to enhance the end result, but YOU DON'T HAVE TO! You can make a perfectly acceptable product by just drying the leaves adequately, slicing them thinly, rolling them in cigarette paper, and setting them alight, - so put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Picking The Leaves
As Mrs Beeton once said "Oh Sh-", I'm sorry, I mean "To make jugged hare first catch your hare." The same goes with tobacco: to cure it, first you gotta pick it. You're not in the commercial growing business, you're not paying for labour, and, hopefully, you've a bit of time to spare, so take your time and pick the leaves as they come ready. Around the time that flower-heads start to form and the plants are full grown the bottom leaves will be ready to pick. If they show signs of yellowing before this pick them straight away. Take the leaves, cut a slit near the butt end of the centre rib of each leaf, feed a thin tomato stake or similar through these slits so that when you hold the stick horizontally (that's the way you have to hang them), the leaves hang down about an inch apart, and hang these sticks somewhere dry, out of the way and preferably warm. An attic is great, so is from the garage rafters, provided you still have head-room. You can string the leaves on a length of wire, a chord stretched between two nails, use your imagination.
Keep picking the leaves over the next weeks when you think that they're ready. Too early or a bit of yellowing before picking will make damn'-all difference to the end product; one of the reasons that I suggest that you pick this way is so that you don't get thoroughly sick of slitting and hanging the beastly stuff! It also gives the higher leaves a chance to grow a bit more.
Curing.
Don't look now but you've already done it - well, good enough for the average punter. You've hung the leaves in a warm(ish), dry, preferably dark and airy environment not touching the walls or floor, you've checked them occasionally to see that they haven't jammed up together on their' sticks, or gone moldy, or the mice haven't developed a bad nicotine habit, and you've made sure that they haven't become so dry that they're brittle - dry means they're not rained on, or so wet that they rot. If the brittle bit looks a problem, move them to somewhere cooler, or you could spray them using one of those very fine misters you can buy for a few dollars to do house plants.
The only other basic for curing is time. Time is said to cure all things, and tobacco is near the top of the list. Some say that it should be left hanging for two years. I've found that one year is quite enough. (I turned out a first class flake tobacco from some leaf that I'd left in a box in a corner of my garage for a year, and forgotten about.) A friend hangs his tobacco for about three months, by which time it has both a nice colour and texture, then cuts it and uses it straight away.
Preparing The End Product.
I assume that you want to either roll your own, or stoke a pipe. Preparing the leaf is the same for both: Take a leaf, strip out the center rib and any large side ribs if it's a big leaf, repeat for several leaves until you have a reasonable handful and then proceed in one of the following ways:
- Squeeze the leaves together into a tight bundle and using a very sharp knife and a chopping board slice the tobacco as thinly as you can. cut it cross-ways a few times and you're there. This is tedious, but it costs you nothing other than time, and it does the job.
- Buy a hand operated tobacco slicer. A friend brought one back from Holland a few days ago. He bought it new for around 20euro. It consists of a cast metal cylinder about the size of the cardboard tube at the center of a toilet roll, cut in half length-ways with a hinge on one side and a clamp on the other, so that it can be opened, stuffed full of leaf, and clamped shut. It has a flat plate attached to a worm at one end of the cylinder and a small guillotine at the other, linked to the worm by levers and a ratchet. Operating the guillotine causes the worm to turn and slowly drive the wad of leaves down the cylinder. A fiendish device, but I suspect not much faster than cutting by hand.
- Claude Desgroseilliers has sent me the following suggestion. It's brilliant."I use a hand operated pasta machine to slice my tobacco leaves, my machine has two attachments, one for spaghetti which I use to cut the tobacco." http://www.kasbahouse.com/villawareonline/images/atlas.jpg)
- Try my way, I'm basically a lazy bugger: Do the first way suggested, but don't muck about trying to fine cut everything. Fast and rough is good enough.Then chuck the lot into a food processor with a sharp bottom blade fitted and zap it until the fineness of the flake suits you. This also has the advantage that if you think that the tobacco leaf was a bit dry, or you want to enhance the flavour, you can dissolve a little honey in a couple of teaspoons of alcohol (port, rum, vodka, moon-shine) and dribble it in as you zap.
Harvesting Seed
Further up the page I suggested that you let one plant flower for seed. This has several points of merit:
- You don't have to fork out another $2.50 for seed. In fact, a little bit of bartering will get your money back.
- You may have had difficulty getting seed in the first place. Problem solved!
- The seed will have adapted to your environment.
- I can't be bothered, think up a few for yourself.
Presuming that you did this, what do you do next? Well, here goes another list:
- Let the flowers bloom and die off. Little green capsules about 1/4in long will be left behind. (These have some glorious botanical name it doesn't matter a bit about. You know what to look for.) You'll have lots of them.
- Let them dry out, they'll turn dark brown and eventually start to split.
- At this point pick them. This is sequential; they are ready over a period of weeks, think of the fun you can have. Actually each capsule has dozens of seeds so one picking of ready seed-heads is more than ample, unless you have several acres you want to plant out.
- Put a fine sieve in the top of a clean dry bowl, or on a sheet of paper, break the seed-heads into it and rub the central core to get the seeds off.
- Gently shake the sieve. The seeds will pass through, most of the rubbish will stay behind.
- Store the seeds safely. Wrapped in a spill of paper or square of toilet tissue and placed in a little jar or pill container is fine. Keep in a cool dry place out of direct light.
And that's about it. I hope that you learned what you wanted from this article. There are other ways to grow tobacco, and other ways to cure the stuff. Some are undoubtedly better. I don't think many would be easier, or cheaper, and I know what I've written about works, because I've done it.
Have fun, good luck, and thanks for dropping in.
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Thanks Patty for the warm comments. Actually, no wife, dammit. The situation's vacant but I don't get applicants these days. Probably something to do with hanging from the rafters by my toes, - or being flat broke! I've noticed that to women a bloke's attractiveness increases in direct proportion to the size of his wallet. A very practical outlook which dates back several million years. Even in the relatively recent era of Alli Oop, (phonetic, I don't really know how he chipped his name) The Ug with the biggest club had the best chance of providing for all the little oopses, and the hairy little lady neanderthals knew it. Nothing's changed.
My little piece of paradise is more cubical than spherical( - I may be a square but I've been around) but yes, the multi-dimensional concept applies. There's no tobacco in at the moment, it's officially the last day of Winter down here. I'll be starting my seed later today between bouts on the web, - in an ice-cream container of course, and putting them out in my mini-hotbed to grow. Antipodeans please note! It should more accurately be called a "cold frame" as it has no extra heating, and is actually a rectangular wall cabinet with a mirrored internal back, a glass shelf and glass sliding doors closing the front. Sort of a basic drinks cabinet. (You notice, Patty, that I just can't avoid talking about booze. I think I'll go and have one........... [long pause], well, thash better; nothing quite like a nice pot of tea. Watch out for my Hub on distilling, hope to write it soon) The cabinet was chucked out by our local charity shop a couple of weeks back as too scruffy to sell, so cost me nothing - and boy does it work well. I put several lidded containers of chili and leek in it to sprout, and on checking them a couple of days back found it was so hot in the containers that I had a well steamed worm. The lids came off rapidly! The cabinet's sitting just outside the double doors of my lounge facing north and is big enough to raise sufficient seedlings to keep my garden supplied all year. (It's drizzling here at the moment, and I went to see how the seeds are coming on as I wrote this, -in my slippers, which remain dry.) The moral is: Don't make the job unnecessarily awkward. If you have to put on boots, a sou'wester, a woolly hat, and beat if a hive of bees whenever you need to check your seedlings you probably won't bother - and they'll turn up their little toes and die. If you can do as I do - take a short break from what I'm doing, make a cup of coffee, and have a quick squiz at what's growing on the window-sill or just outside the door, you'll be on top of of any problems that may arise. Watering, too hot, slugs, whatever.
Sorry Patty for using my reply to you to disguise a quick tutorial, but I had to sneak it in somewhere.Oberleutenant Maxi is drilling the eels on the college sports-field just up the road. They're having a major problem with the goose-step, - keep falling flat on their faces. The worms are of course in mourning .Much wailing and gnashing of masticulators.
And now a little confession for those who've persevered so far. I don't smoke, I never have, apart from the very occasional cigar. But I DO grow, and make, reasonably good smoking tobacco. I'm not biased by an urgent craving to smoke what I've made, and the smokers who I've used for quality control, when I think that it's ready to use, are enthusiastic.
To the queries from another site (B.T. Evilpants), 1- NZ1689 membership # (when signing in use 1,not I) 2- Sorry, no nude bathing, just pub quizzes and erratic AGMs, 3- my forte is loosing pens. Are you founding and/or management? (private answer, please)
I had an uncle that raised bees and built a solar powered house - only took 30 years 1950 - 1980. :) I saw in once in the 1960s, half-baked, as it were.
So what does one do with tobacco if one does not smoke? I hear it makes a good poultice.
I suppose the eels have invented their own electrical conveyences by this time, to replace the goose stepping.
Interesting hub.
Patty: Dock makes a better poultice I believe, as does a mustard paste. I'm loathe to suggesting using tobacco for one, because of the chance of one's system absorbing nicotine. Smoke it if you wish but why push your luck? Tobacco infused in a bucket if water is a time honoured insect spray. This year I'll be scattering plants around my garden to deter the Cabbage White Butterfly, which is a pest in New Zealand. (If it doesn't work, back to Derris Dust.)
Your maternal concern about the eels is heartening. I overcame the goosestepping problem by contacting your friend in the swamp. He sent 7,000,000 pogo sticks on approval. If B.T. gets elected, he gets Florida, if B.T. cans out, he gets the eels. They can now alternately goose-step and straight arm salute as they bounce by.
talford: Thanks for dropping in. I see that you've had an enlightening life, my best wishes.
I wish I could draw a picture of 7,000,000 pogo eels...laughing to hard to hold the pencil,
I have experimented a bit and have found a strong tea in cold water of cured tobacco leaves snuffed up the nose is a great substitute for smoking the herb. It tastes _great_! Perfumey. Tiniest bit of a 'burn'. A drop goes down the hatch to yr tummy and oh is that nice. Do overdo it.
It has the same 'dose-response curve' of smoke herb, with no combustion products, no lung wear-and-tear, no offensive stink to non-partakers, and no federal taxes payable.
I will still smoke, 'cuz I love the practice. But I'll supplement with the liquid snuff to avoid a chemotherapy and narcotic habit in the future. I'll snuff even while doing chemo- and no Doctor can fault me!
Joe on Pender Island, British Columbia canada
Thanks Joe for your input. I've found when "zapping" the leaves in a food processor that a small amount of fine powder is left which makes excellent snuff. I'm still waiting for one of my more elderly English ( or old Pommy, if you wish) friends to show up from his world wanderings to give an expert opinion on its quality.
That's a cute little white mouse you got over there...hehe. By the way I like your play of words "chairy little hest". I personally don't smoke but was curious about this as our domestic helper in India used to chew tobacco leaves. Didn't know tobacco could be grown in one's backyard. Looking forward to more informative hubs from the kiwi land.
As you probably read, I have never smoked either, but after all the mystique shovelled around about growing the stuff, (and more-so, the difficulties in curing it) and finding nothing really helpful on the web I had a bash myself, dispelled a lot of perceived myths and wrote of my results.
I pinched the mouse from one of Patty Inglish's hubs until I can get a picture of myself that shows a reflection. lol, TOF
You pinched from the best (Patty Inglish is an amazing writer). As they say imitation is the best form of flattery. So here's to the lovely mickey mouse...LOL
What a fun read to be sure! Tobacco growing peppered with humour - and you make it sound sooo easy. Just make sure those 'baccy companies don't get you now!!! :)
Great hub, even for a non-smoker like me. They're impressive looking plants aren't they? I didn't know you grew tobacco down under, but why not? You've a more favourable climate than we do, and a sweeter, slower pace of life. I was in NZ 12 years ago for a visit, and absolutely loved it.
Thanks team.
I had an embryo 'baccy plant (self seeded) lurking under my rhubarb over Winter Amanda, its now three foot high and rising. as I said above, short of dynamite or bulldozing, tobacco will grow pretty-well anywhere. I've visited hubs from you all. I have impressive "fans"!
TOF- You are really funny and intelligent. The way you said you said that you don't believe in reincarnation(I though you were supporting those who rubbish the eastern belief) but then immediately you said that was in another life... that made me laugh out loud. In India they have a quote "When we have friends like 'you' we don't need enemies"...you are one little naughty mouse....hehe
Yep, all six feet and 185lb of me.
Excellent Hub.
My grandparents ran a tobacco farm, raised their kids there. My grandpa chewed snuff. Still, I learned more about growing tobacco here than from my dad or grandma and grandpa. Of course, I only lived on the tobacco farm until I was 10 months old so I guess it's understandable that I don't remember a thing about it. Funny thing is, none of them smoked cigarettes and I do.
Can't wait to read the distillery hub. Tips on debauchery for free! Love it.
Shirley, I was born in the tobacco growing heart of New Zealand. My mother's grandparents were among the first settlers there, and like you I was about ten months old when we left.
I've just been to see how my mate Wally the Dutch from over the road's tobacco is coming on. Nice little plants about the size of a cup and saucer at the moment. from this point on they'll go ape. Thanks for your interest.
I have saved thousands of dollars, making my own smokes. Now I can grow the tobacco, and be totally self sufficient!
B.T. For in-depth information on how to grow those smokes go to any tomato growing site. The properties and techniques are very similar I'm told. You do need a more enclosed space as the plants are quite susceptible to pests and diseases, such as light-finger and fuzz.
Hi The Old Farm, I never ever even thought of growing home grown tobacco! very cool!
Be careful, the government will not be happy about this hub!:D
Yeah, gidday compu-smart, nice to hear from you.
The government is not happy about a lot of things that I do, and I'm sooo worried, however growing tobacco is perfectly legal here in Godzone', and so is making hooch, as I said in the intro'; so they can go, squat and cluck to their heart's content.
very good hub
What an interesting ~ curious read. I had to find out more and hit the motherload. There's a lot being done with the evil tobacco leaf these days.
Five or ten years tobacco farmers could wind up being heroes in the pharmaceutical industry curing all sorts of wicked bad diseases.
In the US Stanford University is testing an injectable cancer vaccine in genetically engineered plants.The private sector; researchers and bioengineering entrepreneurs have used tobacco plants as hosts for processes that may produce new antibiotics, vaccines, cancer treatments, blood substitutes, biodegradable plastics and industrial enzymes and solvents.
Top tobacco dawg J.J. Reynolds created a subsidiary, Targacept, to compete with Eli Lily and Abbot Laboratories to treat Alzheimer’s.
A group of biomedical scientists from the University of Central Florida have established that insulin capsules produced from transgenic tobacco plants that can cure diabetes in mice.
Early tests suggest the leafy pariah can actually grow complex medicines, from blood thinners to a possible AIDS drug.
Who would have known that pharmaceutical tobacco could retain a higher price and be a gold mine. Cha Ching Bling Bling.
check out my sources for more
Great hub! I'm from Virginia tobacco land. So i definately appreciate this hub
Gidday Diggersstory. You and BT Evilpants should get on well. Thanks for the expansion on the uses of the evil weed.
I've just returned from visiting my old mate Wally the Dutch (from over the road) where we carried out Quality Control on a batch of home brew that I helped him bottle a couple of months back. At the same time I did a running check on his little plot of tobacco - only a couple of dozen plants, quite enough to keep him in bug spray for the rest of the year. (He's got a large garden) The biggest plant's four foot and rising, he should be picking the first leaves soon
But strewth mate, transgenic tobacco? So mice that normally don't get diabetes are artificially infected or whatever with it and then "cured." It'll take a lot of generations down the line before I'm happy with the proof of a lack of side effects.
luvintkandtj: Welcome aboard. As you've read, it's Virginia seed that I've used, and it makes, I'm told, a fine tasting smoke. It certainly grows prolifically.
You're a feisty little fella, aren't ya? Thanks for tribute. Interesting hub. You're wrong about Obama.
Hello Stefanie,
Do you mean that I got his five cypher code screwed up? That's twice this unigobble. Why do you think I was dumped on your glorious and admirable planet? - Actually that's an evasion. I'm here to teach how to grow tobacco - and strawberries. Love.PC49.
Tobacco smells bad and who would want to grow this? A waste of good crop land.
Hi,Why? Me, because I want to. Fair enough reason?
Interesting hub. I love the smell of pipe tobacco.
Hi Nickny79, Thanks. One of my memories of high school is of a teacher who smoked aromatic pipe tobacco. You would always know when he'd been in thee corridor.
I miss smoking. It will be 10 years in February. Thanks for the hub. If I ever fall off the wagon and get the urge to grow my own, I'll be sure to look you up.
Now you have done it. I am going to enlist a fellow cigar smoker and move this to the next level
That must be an old memory, if pertained to any sort of tobacco smoking in school! I was a teacher myself--I should think I'd be fired on the spot, tenure notwithstanding, if I ever dared to smoke a pipe in the corridors!
rockinjoe, You'll realy have fun when I get around to doing a hub on distilling then. I'll bring the temperance bunch out of the woodwork with that one, I bet.
Verax,I'm looking forward to your cigar hub.
Nick: I was born ten thousand years ago, and there's nothing in this world that I don't know. - I've seen Peter Paul and Moses play ring around the roses. (it's written in the scriptures that it's so!)
When I worked for FEMA I talked with a few old folks in the deep south whose personal tobacco patches had been destroyed by whatever the current disaster was. They said they would not be able to get new seed because the tobacco companies were making it very hard for individuals to grow their own. They all said it was much better, smoother, and not as deadly as commercial tobacco.
I also knew an elderly lady whose father had a small tobacco farm in Virginia. She said that she and her siblings spent hours and hours picking bugs off the tobacco and that it was all grown completely naturally and people didn't die from smoking back then. She thought that the reason tobacco is so deadly now is all the chemicals that are used in its production.
I don't smoke, but good HUB! Thanks! :)
Thank you Suzanne. I agree, of course with your elderly friends. I feel that home grown tobacco is usually far less lethal than the commercial stuff, as less non-degradable poisons are used in growing it.
For what it's worth, I also think the same of home grown vegetables, for the same reasons. The degree of potential danger is obviously inherently different.
TOF,
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all access locally grown fruit, veg, (and tobacco?) Where did it all go wrong?
I do reasonably well, Amanda. Although I'm in a suburban stand alone unit. A garden space of 25x18 feet keeps me pretty well supplied.
Not everybody has the time, space or inclination to garden though. Farmers' markets, flea markets and a bit of a search for local growers will often help. Try the web for suppliers in your' area - you may be surprised.
I do use the farmer's markets in Shoreham and Lewes, and we have a local greengrocer who uses Sussex growers as far as possible, but the supermarkets where most people shop are another matter entirely! Our little garden is smaller than yours, north facing, and dominated by the kid's trampoline, but we do grow tomatoes and herbs in pots in the summer, and I once grew a pumpkin which virtually took over all the available space all on it's own!
Wow, The Old Firm this is an extensive & fantastic hub! Excellent comments, all around, too, very interesting reads. I'm trying to quit smoking right now, but I wonder if I'd started smoking stuff that I had grown myself all those years ago if I wouldn't be as miserable as I am right now. I completely agree that it is the additives & extra junk they put in commercial tabby that is killing people.
Hi Nicole, thanks for the kind words. I've had a quick look at a couple of your hubs and I'm sure that you're not at all miserable, you're far too ebullient for that.
As tobacco won't keep smoldering on its own, it had minute amounts of saltpetre (potassium nitrate) added to it in the early days to keep it burning. Cheap alcohol (rum) was also used, as well as to preserve and flavour it. Honey was sometimes used to do the last two. I doubt that these would cause you much harm, probably far less than continual lungs full of hot, irritant laden smoke, but the current method of commercial production loads the leaf with poisons which accumulate in the body. This scares the hell out of me.
Dude... WIRED had an article in what goes into the average "commercial" smoke... (The picture in the article looked an awful lot like the "Morley's" CSM on the X-Files smoke & I think we all know what those were supposed to be...) and did you know?, this is one of the grosser all natural ingredients they cited... they use some sort of glandular extract from beavers. So now whenever I see anyone smoking a "Morley" I can't help but tell them they are smoking beaver balls. *grin* As for being miserable, I'm a wreck right now. When I'm not eating I'm chewing and when I'm not chewing, I'm drinking. And when I'm not doing either of those I'm smoking. I'm *so* pissed off at these big brand companies for putting all this extra & highly addictive / poisonous crap in our cigarettes.
Now I am realy scared. My particular apprentice intake had the official nickname of "Beavers". Now not only do I have to avoid government bureaucrats, income tax officials, the SWAT squad and irate husbands with long memories, I've got to be on the look-out for tobacco company hit men with big syringes!
Sounds like you're "misery"is just standard pre-Christmas build-up. The only thing you missed is spending far too much money on junky toys that fall to bits within minutes. (Toy drums don't though. You can hit the bloody things with an axe and they just get louder. DONT BUY THE KIDS DRUMS!!)
*giggle* thanks, The Old Firm. I think I agree that drums are off the list.
Couple of things ... Thanks heaps for you valuable info :)
But wait! There's more!
How long does it take for the bakky plants to reach maturity?
Do I pick and hang leaves as I go? Or a big bang when the plant hits maturity?
How long does it take from woe to go to have a smokable result?
Could I sneak a few plants in around Auckland City Council parks and reserves?
Thanks heaps for your site ... very informative :)
Hi YAY, answers:
1) A mate planted seedlings in early October and picked his first leaves yesterday.
2) Pick and hang as you go. (Bottom leaves first.)
3) Allow 3 months from planting seedlings to picking your first leaves plus a MINIMUM of 3 months drying, but 6 months makes a far better product.
4) Tobacco is insensitive to the ownership of the land it grows on, you may not be so lucky. As I said above tobacco growing is quite legal in NZ, selling it isn't, so why mess about growing it surreptitiously?
Good luck with your growing, I'm transplanting self sown seedlings in the next few days so you've still time for a crop this year.
Cheers, TOF
Hey TOF,
Once again great hub. I love it when people create their own products usually manufactured by companies. Got another?
WR
To lazy to write it at the moment Writer Rider, I'm having too much fun stirring it on other hubs, but it'll probably be on making moonshine, which I've done with skill and dexterity, and carried out quality control on with enthusiasm (when I can snatch the bottle momentarily from the frenzy of over-enthusiastic members of the self appointed quality control panel)
Backy, Booze, the third hub should be a Doozy! Thanks for commenting Stefanie.
Cheers, TOF
Brilliant Hub! We won't be allowed to grow baccy (or distill for that matter) but I'm gonna show a few mates this for info - too blooming cold here anyway I suspect.
Hi Ken, tobacco would probably grow in Edinburgh, it's bloody hardy, I don't know The UK laws regarding it's growth, though. As for 'stilling, surely a Scottish National Heritage protected cottage industry? (One of the first things that I was taught on my arrival in Australia to start my apprenticeship was strict observance of the eleventh commandment - "Thou Shalt Not Get Caught!")
I smoke cigars but I think it would be too much trouble for me to grow my own tobbacco. It is nice to know how to do it though.
Foxility, your probably right. The tobacco growing's easy, however I've been told that correct cigar rolling requires the use of a dusky maiden's thigh, both rare and frowned upon these days. Thanks for your comment.
TOF
Very true, TOF, very true. As we say in the U.S, whatever floats your boat and saves your lost remote. I'll enjoy it as long as it's very witty and original.
Well, Writer Rider, that's certainly deep and profound. It must be as I haven't a bloody clue what it means. (But then, I'm just a rambling wreck from Wagga Wagga Tech.)
I hope that you like the pretty pictures I added to the hub. Took most of them myself last week!
Love, TOF.
Hi ya TOF! Loved it along with all the comments and your almost second hub replying to Patty. My Papaw. a Kentuckian, grew his own tobacky and he and Mamaw would cure it in some kinda mixture and roll it up into twists for chew/chaw. They both chewed it. I tried it and puked when I was about 5. I still recall Papaw telling me, "Now Chuckle-doodle-doo if you spill that can I'll take the coal shovel to you!"
The can was a Maxwell coffee used for a spitoon in the house.
Well, anyway, loved the hub and am waiting on your next one about shine, since that's in muh blood too!
TOF,
It means write what you want. Nothing negative, beautiful pictures. Might as well pick up a bad habit seeing as how America's going down a certain type of creek. My grandfather used to smoke cigars as well, his cigar smoke was such a pleasant smell.
Thanks Writer Rider.
Love, TOF
Growing tobacco is legal in the UK.No tax .You are supposed to pay duty only when it has been cured.You are supposed to inform the customs and exise people when you have cured it.Hope they are not holding there breath waitng.
Great site
Thanks Frank, Helpful information for UK hubbers. If customs and exise complain, look dumb and say that you didn't even know that it was sick.
Cheers,
TOF.
Well old boy, I se you did add the poor old woman with a joint in her mouth on here. good. Love the new look too. it suits you. They ought to make a stamp out of that one. It would hot. He kinda looks like Old Mac with a mustache.
Who's Old Mac?
"I shall return."
Oh, yeah. Too loud, too late, wet pants going and coming.
(Couldn't resist that, he wasn't too bad)
The only experience I have with tobacco in any form was a large pinch of "Red Man" chew given to me by my grandaddy. He was always very discreet about his "spitoon", as I do not ever remember seeing one, and he did not tell me what to do with it. I enjoyed the first 1/2 second or so, then swallowed. I puked for weeks. Turns out, he was teaching me a very painful lesson. Not that I've ever SEEN a woman chew, but around these parts, it probably wouldn't be uncommon.
Won't be using your techniques, but I do think one cannot have too much knowledge. Okay, well, maybe.
I've never seen ANYONE chew tobacco, not a habit down here. I think rolling your own isn't very lady-like, however a lot of women do it for economy. Tobacco products, especially cigarettes are taxed to hell in NZ. Thanks for having a look PM.
Then you wouldn't appreciate the occasional road-side billboards around here sporting the picture of a man with only half of his lower face admonishing smokeless tobacco. But then again, I don't either. Gross.
I have enough problems with pictures on the news of a midget with very little forehead and his arm in plaster from falling over when clambering down some stairs, who is apparently our Prime Minister!
Now that's some PM Firm. And about ol' Mac, he was a snit and pompous old ass. Truman did right by firing him.
Thanks CC, that's an "h", not an "n", I take it?
Hello stranger! Is the call of the tobacco stronger than that of HP?? :D
Hi Shalini, it was the call of the Irish Knife-Hand, who very neatly flicked out a gall bladder that was surplus to requirements; so now when someone tells me that I've got a gall saying something I can prove them wrong. (The lengths that some people will go to to prove a point!)
Love, TOF
<<<<<<<<<<<<hugs>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Welcome back TOF - good to see you on the Hubtivity Highway again! The lengths you go to....LOL!
He still has plenty o' gall though ain't he? hello Firm! ya finally answered yer phone
Hi y'all. And now I'm off to bed.
Goodnight then.
Claude Desgroseilliers has made a brilliant suggestion about using a pasta cutter to slice tobacco. I've added it above, with a link to view the device. Thanks Claude.
That should work fine. I use one for lots o' things.
Yeah CC. It works for Claude
Damb pages are slow tonight. How ya doin'?
Sorry Charlie, just been having a coffee with Wally the Dutch, I'm fine. Got to go out in a few hours to a lodge meeting, and have a bit of prep to do so won't be too active for the next six or so hrs. Listening out, though.
I see you're writing like it's going out of fashion. Keep 'er up, mate
I'll look for ya later bud. I need to rest. Have a fine time at the ladies lodge meetin'.
I wish. Boys only.
Gawd, you have a 97 score on here. Just checking to see if yer OK?
97? I missed that, Back down to 94 now. Yep AOK, been catching up on gardening, - and sleep. Cheers, Carlie. TOF
That's an important topic there. Hope you're all caught up.
Off to work on the sleep bit again now. Good news about Ashley, PM's got some scum neighbours.
Hey Firm? knoc knoc. are you ta home old man?
Alive and kicking old friend.
I'll be an sob if it ain't the tof. hey
Well, dammit, is that all? I'm fixin ta go ta bed here
TOF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where you been??
CC, you said that 20 minutes ago when you lost the battle!
Okay, so I lived in New Zealand for six years and many people grow their own smoking stuff and it ain't the tobacco you're thinking of. I always wondered why there was a long wire with a plug on the end coming from the trapdoor in my cupboard, coming from inside the roof. One day I decided to go and look. It was a whole farm in my roof! The previous owners had been cultivating their own smoking product! So, The Old Firm, yeah, we know what you're really growing....lol
LM, Iwas till I saw the old bastard is back
Hey CC, you can't go sleep, I've just woken up!
haha, well now I just may reconsider now. hey ya gotta join this old farts fan club now
I'll get right on that.
yep have joined old fart's fan club, if he doesn't smoke the weed he grows, does he put it in his anzac biscuits and eat it?
I reckon you'll find that out when you meet him. haha he's a pest LM, I tho't you were a member alredy
He is playing possom on us now
nah, if he's in NZ, he's watching rugby league on telly as we chat on his hub
Oh yeah, forgot that. also he has a lot of catching up to do
Firm, ya really need to join laughing mom, you and I know her very well. we used to have lot's of laughs at her expense, poor kid, so much goes over her head, hint, hint
Hey, rugby league leaves me as cold as last weeks mutton, don't think much of union either, (I'm an anti-social Bastard,- and the Indians are kicking our arses at cricket!!) I'm more of an itelec..- innerlek..- interlic... smart arse.
I had a neighbour drop in for coffee just after I kicked this thing into life, I've just thrown him out and I'm so hyped up on coffee I'm bouncing of the walls.
Yeah, Gidday Cindy, nice to meet you, watch out for Charlie, he's got a thing about toads!
hahaha, she's met me firm, she luvs me, too late haha hey wait and meet blondepoet, she's going to look to look you up.
Oooooooh - he's back! You elusive Old Firm, you! Missed you!
You also need to check out Frieda Babbley, another one that is just wonderful and witty. I'll lead her to you too. the more the merrier haha
Hey CC you still up? My bum is numb
Yeah, I jus read the lil turd dropping. haha twas good. I had to reboot and clean up my pc
lol, I seriously have to stand up now. Jeez, 1.48pm and I haven't even got dressed yet!
Hey Cindy my bum is numb too. My buttocks get sore from sitting down too long.Oh sorry TOF lol I was distracted.This is excellent,so much info here, I may just become a tobacco grower myself who knows
My friend just told me it is illegal is that right surely not
Hi blondepoet. Having cleared 350 odd (some VERY odd) emails , I'm back. Read my intro at the top of the page regarding the legality of tobacco growing in NZ, I don't know the present laws in Oz, however, if you can buy the seed there through a merchant, it must be legal to grow. It's available here as an ornamental, -pretty pink flowers and a long blooming period, but it's still the tobacco of commerce!
Thanks for missing me Shalini, nice to hear from you.
Oh I'm so tickled my new friends have found you firm. Now watch out for blonde, she'll steal yer heart man. woo-hoo
Thanx for this great hub! I lucked into it by looking up curing tobacco. Heck, I just grew it, aged it, shredded it with a Toledo meat slicer, and smoked it. I'm glad to know I didn't miss anything by bypassing all the frills. It's just now turning spring in the topheavy northern half of the world, and I'm starting with some new Burley seeds from Tennessee. I've got about two pounds of baccuh left from last crop, hoping I can hold out til I get this crop cured. The Supreme Soviet just sent the tobacco tax out the wazoo and turned supervision of it over to the USKGB, so I'm hoping to get a few pounds stashed away before the Black Maria's start rolling around at 3:00 AM.
It's gonna be one very interesting millenium. Cheers, and hang onto your hats, boys and girls! - Georgiaboy
Sorry about taking so long to reply Georgiaboy, I've had a few computer bugs, and a lot of other things to do, so have just got back on the web, and cleared about 150 emails.
The first frosts are just thinking about it here, and we're still picking leaf. Growth has slowed down dramatically though. Wally the Dutch (that's him in one of the photos) is still getting leaves from the plants he was harvesting in late January. He cut the top two feet out of those plants about the start of April and is drying them as well. What was left just kept on growing!
Cheers
Reallly great article, thanks TOF. I've got a question: my friend gave me totally dry tobacco leaves (they are about 2-3 yers old and they were hanging in an attic. They're completely brittle. Is spraying them reasonable or are they trash and i can't make a good smokes of it?
Hi Michal, I've seen leaves so dry that they're real bummers rejuvenated with a fine spray so give it a go, you'll probably end up with a reasonable smoke, (and if you don't, you've lost nothing!)
Good luck.
TOF
Good to see you back TOF :)
Just passing through Shalini, good to hear from you.
Thanks for setting my mind at ease regarding growing and harvesting/curing tobacco suitable for private consumption as a cigge smoker for years i am harvesting my first crop now May 09 and am looking forward to the cashflow increasing(D.P.B Dad) as the tobacco starts to cure. Was a bit disapointed to find out i may have to wait 3 months for it to cure but i guess like a lot of good things it takes time as the younger generation of woman will find out if they sample the older stud with the amazing Technique.A quick yarn for ya.
Two bulls one wise the other not so wise were standing on a hill perving on a couple of dozen heifers. being breeding season the young one says to the old boy come on lets race down there and nail a couple of them but the old boy says na lets walk down there and nail the lot.
Catch ya later Bob
Hell Bob, you must be old. I remember hearing that one fifty years ago.
Cheers Mate.
Hey, TOF! It's good to see you!
Hi sweetheart
Hey frim. How grow the whiskers? great to see ya
All trimmed down for the play- and gingery. I look almost civilised!
How's it going, I enjoy your happy hubs.
Foreman of the Jury
Gee thanks firm. happy hubs. haha Forman of the Jury, that the play? dint know you were an actor, I'm envious. would not be able to, stage fright ya know an' I'm shy. LOL
I'm doin' well enough, just busy with stuff and living. Trying to survive my dam allergy to lawn mowing and pollen with all the flowery sex going on out of doors. Birds an' bees ya know? LOL
The play's "Twelve Angry Men", the part's the mug at the top of the table in the jury-room; and I'm no actor, I got sucked in.
Don't let all that out-door sex get you down; if you can't lick 'em, join 'em.
Cheers, TOF
Out door sex is best. LOL I shall let it get me down.
Glad to know your OK fats, you had us all in a panic. Don't strain your' little tin ticker, ol mate.
Cheers. TOF
question to anyone who might have the answer we two moms have decided to grow tabacco we have recived our seedlings and are proud to say they are growing. Our question is if we wanted to make a cigar from the tabacco would it require a diffrent kind of tabacco plant or a combination of tabacco plants and what is the best way to sell cigars or ciggs without getting into trouble. And were is the best or chepest way to get supplys. USA
CC had mentioned to me to come and check you out. I grew up on a tobacco farm in North Carolina and can tell you more than you ever want to know about the stuff...how we got up early to pick the leaves and we'd throw them under our arms while they were wet and cold as we walked down the tobacco rows...stopping only when we could carry no more and depositing them in a "slide"...often pulled by a mule....how the tobacco juice built up on our hands.....was a black and gooey mess hard to get off.....of my grandfather sleeping by the barn to stoke the fire during the night to cure the tobacco....of picking the choice dried leaves called "wrappers" to wrap around bundles of dried leaves........well, anyway I know a couple of things about baccy....LOL
Sorry that I can't help you 2moms, - outside my realm of expertise. You could try R. Blue, he sounds up with the play.
Gidday RB, Check my fan mail on you profile. I didn't know that you were a baccy brat. I too was born in tobacco and hop growing country here in "Godzone" (but left when still a toddler)
How's Charlie's book coming on, published yet?
Cheers, TOF
I just askes a question..I did not ask to hear about your life sounds like you really do not have an answer to the question so why would you write such &&%%#@
2moms:
I grow and cure tobacco.
I don''t make cigars. I don't sell tobacco, - it's illegal to in New Zealand. My answer to you told you that.
I did not reply to you about my life, that reply was to some-one with considerably more manners than you. Kindly save your PMS for those who appreciate it. I don't.
2moms... there are indeed different varieties of tobacco along with different methods of curing them. The type of tobacco I am familiar with is "flue cured" tobacco. It is picked leaf by leaf as it ripens and is then heated to dry the leaf. This type of tobacco is used mostly for cigarettes, snuff, and pipe tobacco. In Kentucky they grow "burley" tobacco which is harvested by cutting the entire plant and hanging it upside down and air curing it. Sorry but I was only involved in the growing process and not in the processing. I'm sure a bit of research on your part will give you your answer.....however the best way to learn a trade like this is to apprentice. Cuba would be my first stop.
TOF....Charlie is currently off the Hubs....I didn't get a chance to talk to him before he left....but I believe he was put off with hubpages about the Hub challenge. I believe his book is "in the works".
Thanks for sharing.
R. Blue: Thanks for the help. Also, I'm now in communication with Charlie, I thought that you knew.
Cheers, TOF.
UK Magazines: Nice of you to drop in.
2moms you need to find a farmer in the South for supplies and a Cuban woman to show you how to roll them.
This ol hub still here? fine turd dropping I must say.
I'm taping my fingers waiting for another one hub TOF.
TOHMyth, Thanks for the input. I heard that it had to be a young Cuban woman. Not a lot of them around here. (That's why I don't make cigars.)
'wus, - still stoned in the back yard mate? Nice photos.
WR, wot, and drag down my Hub score? (PS, I write with taped fingers too - very slowly!)
Cheers all,
"Sigmund".
Wonderful hub, I have been trying to view it, but my mcafee site advisor wouldn't let me. I guess I can now though. Thanks for the info!!
Thanks annvans. I wonder what's up with mcafee? I'm glad that you put it in it's place. Cheers.
How does one determine when tobacco needs to be cured? Does it run a fever?
One way of curing it is hanging it up the flue. In these times it can be a swine of a job. Also when it appears to be getting off colour is a good time to try curing it.
Wanna buy a watch?
Cheers.
When would you say the best ime to harvest the bottom leaves is, yellow, green or inbetween.
Thanks from Montana
Ed, I replied to you a few hours back but it seems to have disappeared somewhere along the way, so here goes again. Both Wally the Dutch (from over the road, that's him in the photo with the leaves) and I have found that there's little difference between picking green, or as they colour. the curing goes just as well. If they're fully yellow they've had a bit of a head start, that's all, but I suggest that you keep them in separate bunches when curing for consistent drying.
Wash off any dirt splatter on the bottom leaves as soon as you pick them, (it's a lot easer then than later) and let them dry off before you hang them to cure.
Have fun with your growing,
Regards, TOF.
Thanks for the reply the info is appreciated
Ed
Glad to help Ed.
How does one know when it's time to pick? I suggest an expensive yet reliable wrist watch.
Actually, I found a crowd advertising on your' get rich site that sell watches that take 14hrs video/audio for about $50 US, and tell the time. (I might try them out with something cheap like a GPS dongle to check their reliability - they're Chinese of course.)
How's the 2D static vectoring these days?
Cheers, TOF
Hello, I have 50,000 plants growing this year and am breeding hybreds for cigarette tobacco. I have found that a 3 way mix in tobacco makes for a better smoke, and trying to geneticly fix a "One size fits all" for home growers so they don't have to plant verities of tobacco for a perfect smoke. Burley, Golden seal, NC129, have been the past crosses with the traits I'm linebreeding for. Have you a single verity your "samplers" prefer?
Hi Mike. I bought my initial seed from Kings Seeds in Katikati NZ three years ago and have been propagating from seed that I save each year since. On checking their' current catalogue I see that they are presently selling Golden Newt, so assume that's what I have.
http://www.kingsseeds.co.nz/ Go to shopline -flowers-hardy annual. It's, sold as an ornamental which of course it is, probably to avoid some silly law or another.
I can vouch for it's hardiness. It's nearly mid-winter here and there's been several frosts in the last few weeks, of down to -4 C, and some plants which self seeded in February are thriving and still growing, although more slowly than ones planted in late November/early December (photographed above.) The tallest is over 6ft and they're nearing harvest readiness.
It looks like you're growing in a big way Mike, what acreage are you planting?
Best of luck, TOF.
Hello again, I've planted 11 acres, Kind of small compared to 600 of corn and 160 of alfalfa I used to farm, but this is just kind of a fun thing, With the tax laws changing in the states on tobacco, 10 new Tobacco companys have started up here in Oklahoma and I am growing certified seed for them. The leaf it's self is secondary this year. I don't think the verity's I have will stand the winters here, it can get to 0 F here in January. Right now it's pushing 100' F with 90% humidity, and the tobacco is loving it so far. I've added a little to much nitrogen, as the plants are out growing the roots at this point. I have a chem-a-gation system that mists the plants with liquid fertilizer and I haven't got the mix perfected yet.
Do you go to the Horse races there? I also raise Thoroughbreds and have a son of Southern Halo for our Stud Horse, I hear that blood line is doing well in your part of the world.
I don't follow the horses Mike but several of my friends do, and an old bloke I play cards with and his twin brother have owned and trained gallopers most of there lives as a hobby.They've one at the moment that's stabled and trained about half a mile from where I'm sitting now at home and which is showing good form, - several minor placings in reasonably prominent country races.
Yes, NZ has a good bloodline, a lot of our stud are sold internationally.
Considering the amount of seed that I get off a few plants, 11 acres is one Hell of a lot of seed. I hadn't realised that the tax on tobacco had eased Stateside, sounds a good time to get into growing there.
Best wishes,TOF
Hello, The tax laws haven't eased, they've gotten worst. It just that some states aren't as bad as others. Some of the major tobacco producing states are taxing at $28.75 per pound. The state that we are in is taxing on a percentage of the gross. Which is a lot less than the per pound rate, and that is why the manufacturing company's are moving here. The taxes and the economy here is a mess. The prices have gone up so much no one can afford to buy anything.
I think it's going to get worst instead of better. Lots of jobs are being lost because the companies are charging so much they can't sell anything, and instead of lowering their prices, they close down. The price of fuel to distribute products over the country has caused the price of things to double or triple. It's a mess. That's why I got out of the alfalfa hay business, We were selling hay for $80 a ton, yet it was costing the buyers $300 a ton by the time it was delivered. The livestock it was feeding was'nt worth the price of the hay at that price, so most livestock producers quit. Now, there's no market for the hay because it's priced to high. The farmer, and the rancher both go broke because of it. The equipment manufactures are losing clients because of the farmers /ranchers numbers are going down, So with less sales, they jack up the prices to cover expense's, then they go broke, and all their workers lose their jobs, It's a mess. The crime in the city's is starting to expand. Food prices are going up because the farmers are forced to quit, Bread is $5,00 a loaf, people without a job, can't pay the price, so they're starting to steal food. They get caught and fill the jails, so they let the dope dealers out so they have room for someone trying to feed their kids. It's a mess. It's caused from a greedy people, greedy corporations, and a greedy government. One better be self sufficient these days, and be able to enjoy the priceless things in life, like sunrises and sunsets. Going fishing, growing a garden, home cooking, and spending time with family and teaching the old ways of making, growing, and fixing the things one needs yourself. The USA is going back to the 1930's.
Mike. Sorry for the delay in replying. I agree with your comments on the cost spiral. It's madness to price yourself out of existence, as many companies are doing. The Government, (mine too) seems to endorse this stupidity, and turn a blind eye to monopoly trading and price boosting collusion by major companies. The fuel industry and the electricity suppliers are a couple of examples.
Self sufficiency where possible is an admirable aim, but local and national government appear to be covertly hindering that goal where-ever they can.
No matter, we still get by. My little garden reduces my food bill well, even in winter; You are adapting to use your land more profitably. Nil illigit ad carborundum. We won't let the bastards grind us down.
Cheers, TOF.
Hello, Yes , we'll get by. I have sandy ground here, so the roots of the tobacco plants can go deeply and easly, but there not rooting like I think they should. What size of a root system do you get on your plants? Are you transplanting or planting direct? If transplanting, what size are the roots compared to the seedling? I'm getting 3" plants with 1/2 inch roots.
Hi Mike, One in the morning here so I'll leave the checking until tomorrow PM.
I still have self seeded plants of various sizes, as well as a few full grown ones that I've harvested but haven't pulled the stalks yet. I can tell you that I pulled out the stalks for the old bloke over the road (Wally) a few days ago and it took me all my strength for some of them, and I'm a fairly hefty 200 lb. The root-balls were a mass around 9in round, (or what came out of the ground was, a guess that the finer roots stayed behind)
I usually start the seeds off in little pots; a light sprinkle brings up hundreds of the buggers, literally, and then re-plant one to each same sized pot , but the seed is so fine and prolific you could probably sow in trays and then thin to one or two inches apart. Just chuck out the thinnings, times money and labour costs. Remember, a couple of dozen plants are all That I need, and you're doing thousands.
More tomorrow.
Cheers
Mike, I dug out one of my old plants a few minutes ago so as not to destroy too much of the root system The root-ball was a mass of fibrous roots measuring 24 X 18 x 10 inches deep.(this was a 7ft plant) Also pulled a seedling at the top end of the second leaf stage - 4 1/2in across the two larger leaves, three "hairy" roots spreading out and down longest 3 1/2in plus.
Hope this helps, TOF
Hello, We start ours in flats with a potting soil and sand on top of that, and then lay the seeds on top of that. We mist them, and then cover them with clear tops that let the light in, but keeps the moisture in also. I think I have a bit much N in the water i'm misting with. They seem to be growing without the need for much root system. The older ones out in the field are doing great now and putting down the roots like they should be. It's the one's in the 72 cell trays that I'm have the trouble with, They develope more leaf than root in this time period, when I think they should be getting more root growth. P & K are OK in the soil samples of the fields, but I haven't sent in a sample of the potting soil we purchased for a seed starting medium. Maybe I should check on it. We still have thousands in the flats, and transplanting them to the 72 cell trays. Most of the earlier verity's we have out in the field are doing great, once the roots take ahold after transplanting..
Thanks for the info Mike. I would say that getting your mix tested is a wise option. Let me know how you go.
Cheers,
Peter.
I don't smoke but, this sounds so much more healthy than smoking the cigarettes with the fiberglass, ammonia, arsenic and the numerous other deadly additives they put in them here in the states for "added flavor". I think the nicotine is the least of the worries.
Thanks jim
Can you expand on how to stem the leaves after curing? I've not seen this explained anywhere. Do the stems just pull off a moistened cured leaf or are they cut out?
Do you know or can you point me the direction of someone who does?
Thanks for your input
Cheers
Brendan
Hi Brendan,I normally cut out the centre rib at the time that the tobacco is sliced for smoking. Wally the Dutch does it this way too. (Check the section on "Preparing the end product")
Cheers,good growing,
TOF
Does home-grown tobacco reek like the commercial kind (and consequently make the smoker reek, too)?
I guess that all tobacco smells like tobacco Jill. Some pipe tobacco I remember as a kid had a very pleasant odour, but how that's obtained is beyond my knowledge.
Cheers, TOF.
I garden, I smoke. Natural progression was to plant tobacco this year. The stuff grows quite well in Wisconsin, but I am a bit unclear about the curing mystery. (Now what, it's big) We have been picking the lower leaves and they are just fine, but I was searching for info on what we were really supposed to be doing with it first. Your site is just wonderful.
Thank you Deb. It's nice to know I helped.
Cheers.
I managed to grow 22 plants this year. No blooms yet, but I am harvesting the lower leaves. Your section on picking and curing, I don't think I could've done it without.
The taxes that they've put on the stuff here, yikes. I am in Maryland and growing Burley. I had bugs eating some of it early on but started spraying with soapy water and it has helped somewhat.
Thanks for the update Sue. I'm glad that I was of some help.
Good smoking,
Cheers.
Best Greetings Old Firm.
Since May when I first began my first ever planting of Tobacco, I have watched hundreds of videos and read hundreds of articles on Tobacco growing. Your Hub or Blog on the subject was the most refreshing and totally took the anxiety out of me. Tomorrow I harvest and hang and will do so care free knowing that a hotline telephone number to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company scientists is not required. Should an insurance company investigator come across this entry, I don't smoke either, just growing a barnful for fun!
Wishing you good health, long life and lot's of laughs!
Many thanks Dazofmylife, drop me a line to let me know how your curing goes. I picked some leaves a few days ago from plants that over-wintered (up to 4 degree C frosts)and am drying them off to see how they behave.
Tobacco's pretty much the most forgiving plant that I've ever come across.
Best wishes, TOF.
We use home-grown tobacco in our pipes when we reenact the U.S. Civil War. Many soldiers smoked pipes back then. I still enjoy it a few times a year when I am either sitting before the fire place with a cognac or working on my model trains.
In the U.S., Wisconsin, our neighboring state, has quite a lot of tobacco grown for lab testing, etc. It's pretty good quality, too!
Cheers!
Chef Jeff
Hey If anyone is looking for some really deatiled info on prepareing you're homegrown tobacco and or growing it i found this site its really good. http://homegrowntobacco.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the thumbs up HGTg, best of luck with your growing, TOF
Started my first crop of tobacco around late August. I live in Oklahoma and I just wanted to see if I could grow tobacco here. I am not really sure if, there is enough time left in this season for it to grow large enough before winter weather sets in.
But after reading this article, I am more comfortable about how to grow tobacco and cure it. I am a smoker and perhaps, I smoke more than I should; but I've yet to see anyone on this planet without a vice or two.
Well done Cher. Even if the leaves end up a bit small because of the late planting they'll still dry and cure OK.
Best of luck,
TOF
Homegrown Tobacco is not nearly as toxic as the chemicals that commercial cigarette manufacturers use. A homegrown cigarette takes about 15 minutes to burn whereas a commercial cigarette burns in 7 minutes or so. A commercial cigarette also has toxins in the filter that is heated up as you inhale. Between the additives like arsenic, fiberglass and other horrible things and the filter, commercially manufactured cigarettes are TRULY dangerous. An organic, pure tobacco cigarette, however, isn't nearly as dangerous. They put the chemicals in for flavor (to cover up the other stuff they add), to make it more addictive and to make it burn faster (so you use more) But true tobacco tastes cleaner and burns slower, without extra nicotine (yep, commercial cigs have more nicotine) or other ingredients. Men have smoked pipes for years, it wasn't until the big tobacco companies started to mass produce cigarettes that the whole stupid lung cancer thing was CREATED. Indians had campfires every night, breathing second-hand smoke. How many of them died from it?
Quite so Dale. I personally feel that smoking is harmful, as are a lot of other things, (as I said in the introduction to this article) but that smoking home grown is far less risky than using commercial stuff for the reasons that you have so clearly presented.
This hub is however about growing and curing it, and to try and remove the mystery about doing this which may have prevented people from having a go at it themselves.
I don't want to enter into the pro's and con's of its use. That is as I stated your' own damn' business.
Many thanks for taking the time to comment here.
Regards,
TOF
I read and commented on this days ago, and now I can't find my post! Ralwus ate it!
Great hub, TOF. Lots of folks around here grow their own smoke.
RE: Your comment about women only being interested in money. Not true! I left a rich man for one with no money because I loved him. I found out that money cannot buy happiness! You seem like a nice guy with a great sense of humor, and you're handsome. You have plenty to offer a lady!
Thanks habee, your right, Charlie eats all sorts of strange things.
You must have read an 'ell of a lot of the comments to hit he "women" one, which wasn't done in bitterness, but as an observation. The aim is seldom greed, but relates to the basic survival instinct of security. If you're secure (safe in your mansion or cave, well fed, and comfortable) then you have a good partner.
I agree wholeheartedly that money isn't the end requirement, although some folk mistakenly think that it is, but having it means security is more easily attainable.
"Money doesn't buy happiness, but I'd rather be rich and miserable than poor and miserable." ;)
Cheers Kid, good to hear from you.
TOF
Ah, sweet tobacco, a hub and a smoke right out of my rollin' machine with a cup of mud gets me off on the right foot. Did a Look on this information early this year when they smacked us with 1000% increase on product. Took a flying tolt to town and bought 20 pounds before the price hike. Down to a pound now. .70 cent a pack US. Obummer thought he'd shut us down with his new tax slam but he left a hole in the fence a Panzer could clear. So I suffer an increase to .97 cent a pack rolling my own. A little checking around kept me in the clear. I have water now so I may try growing a bit.
I'll have to keep it in small plots, I don't need any government fly overs spotting tobacco, Mistaking it for wacky weed, and in their flying rush to let killers go and arrest some poor dope smoker and lock him up for twenty, pull a rush and come snooping around this place.
Nothing wrong here, still don't need them around, after all they are 90% of why I'm here, at least in the beginning.
Now I am not leaving for there is no better place to live.
Thanks for a lesson in tobacco, quiet well done.
Thanks for the comments there 50 Caliber. I couldn't agree more with your' thoughts on government jackbooters. I've been on the receiving end of their thuggish stupidity and Inland Revenue's deliberate viciousness here as well.
Good hunting mate,
TOF
Come late February, early March I think I'll give it a go and see how it does in the arid climate and sandy soil.
I like the way your brain thinks, makes me feel alive listening to what your thinking, very cool...Keep it up ...PS Now I Know Why I bookmarked your page ;-) ...Hope you are doing well,
What a brilliant and comprehensive hub. If I was a smoker I would enjoy the know how even more. Very interesting.
Thanks Lee and Eileen, Kind words.
hi im from england.I sell lots of cigarettes & tobacco in my shop but dont smoke myself. My gf and her 2 sons do so ive been looking up growing tobacco again. The curing seemed the hardest part for small scale production so it was refreshing to see a more relaxed aspect. I was looking up tips on using old fridges for doing the curing in when i got stuck on your site. You are right about governments too they seem oblivious to seeing that they cant keep putting taxes up hopefully they wont notice that we can make things ourselves. Actually I think maybe I should start making my own beer. Ill let you know how the fridge curer goes when ive grown some tobacco next year.
OK Nick. Thanks for the comments and good luck with your growing. If you want to get a hand operated tobacco slicer check out Holland. They sell them in the markets there, I know. (Probably all over England too if you know where to look!)
The old bloke in the photo holding two tobacco leaves has been making his own beer now for 35 years or more. He's currently turning out nine and a bit dozen 750ml bottles a time using 3 cans of home brew mix and a little extra sugar. It tastes reasonable and is about 4% alcohol.Works out at about 37c NZ a bottle, that's around 15p.
Cheers.
Mr. Old Firm, you are Great! I just love that can do attitude that you portray. Thanks for showing the rest of us how to survive with dignity in a world of hurting and pain and humiliation. I would rather grow my own tobacco, once serious problems arise, than have to barter my way for it. And tobacco would make a great bartering tool, too. Best wishes finding a new lady mate. By golly, there are plenty of good women out there looking for a good guy like you!
Thanks Wilbers, (First ground rule for a future girlfriend: don't smoke.)
Hey! How the f... did I miss this entertaining piece of writing and the round table conversation that went with it? Some of the comments are hilarious and the Hub itself is great. Thanks so much for sharing your insights.
Love and peace
Tony
Great hub. I read it last year before I joined Hub Pages and grew my own tobacco. All going well so far.
This is a top hub for smokers.The pics were great too thanks heaps.
The Old Hack and Isabelle 22: sorry that I missed your comments until now. Good to here from you both.
Regards, TOF
What a fentastic hub. Old Firm, May i congratulate you on a refreshing, informative,humourous and unique writing style. A rare thing indeed these days.
I to am fortunate enough to live in godzone, having moved here 5 years ago from our somewhat overweight and bedraggled mother land. I drive past about 2 acres of baccy plants every day. (subject of a doco some time ago) and always pondered on the mystical and secret process involved in its cultivation and preparation.
I have by chance come into possesion of a plant from another source and hope to cultivate it purely for seeds and then start a wee crop of my own next year. Its currently about 4 feet high and seems healthy.
Heres hoping!!!!
Hi there The Gardener, welcome aboard.
If you have a disaster with your plant 'baccy seed can be obtained from Kings Seed in Katikati (there's a link near the top of the page) but you should get enough seed from your one plant to plant a two acre field in competition, yourself.
Good luck,
TOF
I just finished my official seed starting according to the directions in your hub. After much research and reading I decided that your method, which is very different from the directions I followed last year, will give me the best crop this year.
When taxes brought a one pound bag of tobacco from $20 to $55 last April I decided to grow my own. Quit? And let Big Brother win? I THINK NOT! Circumventing the taxation brings even more pleasure to the end result.
Anyways, because I got a late start along with weather conditions screwing us completely out of a normal summer my yield was quite small. The plants never made it past 6 inches in height but with faithful daily removal and processing of the largest bottom leaves I got enough product to hold me over until this year's crop is smokable.
Once I began using last season's tobacco I initially mixed with the store-bought bag to stretch out the use. I was shocked at how unbelievably awesome my stuff tastes! Was prepared for something harsh and this stuff simply knocked my socks off with how smooth it is! Now I simply cannot stomach a commercial cigarette. They make me sick to my stomach after only a couple drags! I find total enjoyment from my own tobacco even if I forego using a filtered tube and opt for my peacepipe. Even though it is so enjoyable to partake in I find that I have cut way down in consumption! I swear the big manufacturers are putting something else in their tobacco that is either more addictive than nicotine or enhances the nicotine addiction! Why else would LESS of my organic yet far tastier product satisfy me?
Great info! I'll certainly check in within 14 days as my little babies should be poking their cute little heads out to meet their momma.
Lori
Thanks for the info and heads up Lori, please keep me informed on how you go.
Cheers,
Peter.
PS, Here in NZ my season is six months out of kilter with yours, I've self seeded tobacco the size of full grown lettuce popping up all through my strawberry bed, which I'll have to transplant in the next few days.
Cheers.
very nice hub and from NZ, refreshing as well, and well rsearched plus well written, Thank you, Maita
And thank you too Maita,
Cheers,
TOF
I enjoyed reading your advice and commentary on growing tobacco. Have been starting my first plants in the windowsill, thinned them this morning. Looked back a couple hours later and I swear they look like they doubled in size. Well, not quite, but they do seem bigger. I'll see how they like the Oregon weather in a few weeks.
Thank you for your informative site.
Hi sellstop, I wrote you a reply a few hours back but it seems to have disappeared into the ether, so here goes again.
I imagine that your seedlings are strangling each other by now (six days later) and due for transplanting into bigger pots. They're like triffids!
The best of luck with your growing.
TOF
I joined this Hub thing, just to thank you for your article. I just got my new tobacco seeds in the mail today, and have been reading all sorts of sites about growing this at home. I live in Ireland, by the sea. And, ah, I'm a smoker. Anyway, I have begun to get a headache reading all the details about growing this, and was ready to give up when I just happened on your site. More suited to my taste! Particularly the food processor method of cutting up the leaves, etc. So thanks very much for all this great (and easy) info. I am heating up my seed trays today, and planting in a day or two. And looking forward to finally rolling my own (eventually).
Thanks for the thumbs up Barrio and good luck with your growing. I think that you'll find the Irish climate well suited to it. Your should be smoking your own in six months with a little luck.
A hand operated tobacco slicer is sold in Holland, so probably also in the UK, for around 30 Euro, (and one of my readers uses a fine bladed pasta cutter!) Just a couple more options.
Best wishes,
TOF
I loved his site. It makes the whole process so easy and stress free. I was beginning to think curing tobacco was beyond me. Thank you very much for making it easy!
I am looking forward to your aformentioned future hub on distilling.
Yes, TOF, I transplanted them shortly after that last post. They grew like weeds. Three days ago I put them out in the garden. I should have about 30 plants if they all survive.
Thanks for your good advice.
gh
Sheryl, I'm glad this was of use to you.
I helped the old bloke over the road prepare his leaves yesterday, he'd harvested about 150 large ones of them. All he did was split the middle rib and thread them 25 to a bamboo garden stake, which he then hung horizontally in a shady, airy place. The ones that I did for myself a few months back are now a lovely golden colour and ready to remove the larger ribs and shred.
Good luck with your curing.
TOF
sellstop, Thanks for keeping me posted. 30 Plants should be ample for your personal needs, (and possibly a mate or two, depends on how heavily you smoke.)
When the plants get bigger they'll set side growths in the leaf roots that you should remove, the same as tomatoes, and, like tomatoes they can also be planted for a later crop.
Cheers,
TOF
G`day Old Firm
There are videos/articles on the net proclaiming that store bought tobacco is addicting due to added chemicals/sugar but home grown organic tobacco is not. What do you think?
Sorry for the slow reply Kurt.
I reckon that tobacco on it's own is addictive, and can cause you health problems, but smoking's your own business, and I certainly agree that the additives, and the residues of herbicides and fertilisers used in growing and producing commercial tobacco seriously compound these problems.
Most things cause you harm one way or the other, But I think that if you want to smoke, sticking to the "organic" stuff will cause far less damage.
Cheers Mate.
TOF.
Hi TOF
I am from NZ- Far North. This year was the first one I am growing tobacco. Very helpful hints you give here. Can I grow tobacco the whole year around in our climate? I planted mine little bit late and now some of the plants just started to flower- I did not harvest yes, but suppose it is the time (should have done it earlie, but did not know). It looks as cooler weather does not affect the growth. So is it going to survive Northland winter? I planted them on irrigation field from septic tank- it growth on my own shit- nice, warm and full of nutrient.
Hi, I'm new to this forum stuff, so here goes. I live in the Thames area,N.Z. I'v just started growing my own tobacco. I done my 1st pick 3 mnths ago. I'm using my vacant sleepout to hang the tobacco, the 1st pick went yellow, not all brown though, after about 4-5 wks, but I had trouble with them drying to quick so reg. misted them with water,so moved them to garage along with next 2nd & 3rd pick, but they didn't appear to colour cure to yellow, they gone a muddy brown, so moved all baccy back to sleepout and misting reg. with water. I'v shredded & smoking some of 1st pick, not bad,a very mild smoke, bit on dry side. Did mist leaves before shredding by hand with mix of honey/water/gin, cooked this for 1 min in microwave to burn off alcohol as I'm a none drinker, The rest of 1st pick I'v stored in polysterine box to hopefully cure to get better smoke, I'v got window open both ends of sleepout to create some air flow, dont' have humidifer or heater to make room humid, leaves dont look the best but guess in time they'll be OK smoke. Experimenting other ways to colour cure with some rubbish leaf. like; wrapping leaf in plastic bag, then wrap this up with tinfoil and wrap all in blanket, have some hanging under veranda of house, so test running lots of ways, I'm bit frustrated with leaf either drying off to quick, even with misting, before colouring, or not getting past the yellow stage. What you other growers think, I'm a lady pensioner who's pissed off with my ciggy's increasing all the time, hubby a real good gardener but Tobacco not in his expertise. Thanks Old Firm for your inform. site, it gave me confidence to get my own started, seeds were given to me but think my baccy is Viginia. Look forward to comments. Thanks You all.
I'm sorry for the slow response, Ciggy lover, however here goes now. It sounds like you have this curing thing pretty well sussed. I've found that the tobacco cures more slowly in a dark airy situation. Your misting with honey and spirits is spot on as they both preserve the baccy and honey will act as an absorbent to keep it moist. I suggest that you don't microwave things though as the alcohol will evaporate off naturally and any traces left should be gone in the heat of the embers when you light up. It will also help keep your ciggy burning. You live just up the road from me (Waihi) so if you wish, email me and I can pass on my phone no., or I could call you as I'm toll free to all the Waikato (Big Back Yard)
Regards,
TOF
Old Firm, I can't believe you wrote this over two years ago and I just found it. Very nice info, I wish I had a garden. Great picture too!
Thanks Old Firm for your reply. Yea, I'v done a lot of research on this Baccy thing since I posted, so not overly concerned anymore about my effort. I now have a guage in sleepout to measure humidity & Temp. and seems the room isn't that far off what's recommended, the green leaves are slowly colouring up. I feel that maybe the leaves I'm having trouble with were inferior or inmature leaves so will proceed and see what it smokes like later on.From here on I wont microwave my mix, well, only to melt the honey in it a bit. My seedlings are up, very tiny at present though, so my next plants will be given tender loving care, re: suckers & de-budding, then my next harvest will be big huge leaves like you display, I didn't get a lot of leaves this time that were huge. you are semi close by, I'll email you, thanks.
well done on the hub tof its given me a lot of useful info on growing baccy and will be doing so in the near future but does it matter too much about temp regulation when drying i live in a place that changes alot at any time
Hi metalhead, I can't give you a definitive answer to that, but my old Dutch mate over the road dries it in an outside shed in all seasons and gets a good smokable product. The temp in that shed must vary from zip to 70C over the year; I guess it's not that critical.
Cheers.
Natasha I'm very sorry, I completely missed your post.
No problems growing tobacco all year round up where you are.
I suggest that you pick the flower heads of all but one of your plants (Just cut 'em off, top of stem and all). Use the remaining one for seed, you'll get thousands of them from the bunch of little flowers. Also cut out the small plants that come away in the leaf joints, they're a waste of space. (But if you stick them in the ground they'll grow, just like tomatoes do.)
Best wishes,
Peter.
Old Firm, what a fun and well written hub.I am a gardener and like anything to do with it. I will be back for more.I have rated up. I would also like to invite you to take a look at my hubs.I am following too!
u could try a leaf grinder cost like $12 for a good one.from any grow and brew shop or pipe shop.
i see earlier on in the page you were going to start a hub on brewing is that still a go??
It's still a go metalhead, I just haven't got around to it yet.
Cheers,
TOF
Very interesting!!
Great 2 be following you :)
Hi there! Wow! Thank you so much for the wonderful information and in such detail! I have never been a smoker my whole life (about to turn 41 years old) and just 2 months ago a close friend of mine offered for me to try a cigar.... it was pleasant but... it wasn't until I tried a pipe that I fell in love! I am here in Northern California with a 1/4 acre back yard... will planting tobacco work here in this climate? Also, my favorite pipe tobacco has been Cherry as well as Walnut... how do I make those flavors? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Again, THANK YOU so much for having this site up!
Gidday romper20, good to meet you.
TAWFUNGUY: tobacco will grow pretty well anywhere, If I were in charge of regenerating life on Mars, I'd put tobacco 'way up my list of the first plants to start out in the open, drip-fed with wishy-washy water and fish farts.
In Northern Ca your problem won't be getting it to grow, it'll be holding it back!
I'm afraid that I can't help you with flavouring the stuff, but I suggest that you use a mister with a tincture of whatever flavour you'd like it to be like. Experiment, it's cheap.
An area the size of a living room will give the average heavy smoker enough tobacco to satisfy his craving for lung cancer, so your 1/4 acre will still let you grow your tobacco, and tomatoes; as well as stick in a trampoline, and have room for the BBQ.
BTW, if you're not hooked on smoking take it easy; like sniffing glue or having a pet crocodile it could rear up and bite you on the bum.
Best wishes,
TOF
TOF,
Thank you! I have to say that your humor is very refreshing and I love the guidance and such you give.... not only to me but to everyone else!
As I mentioned, I am fairly new to the whole tobacco thing. A T-Virgin so to speak. I never smoked in my life, tobacco or even "Whacky-Tabaccy".... so this has been a new experience to say the least. I definitely am taking it very easy though... I have to occasional cigar with my friend when we go to visit him and his wife but I find myself enjoying a nice vintage estate pipe with a cherry flavored tobacco, but, I only do that maybe 2-3 times a week.
I will give your suggestions a shot.... I hope to order seeds this week and get to planing! I thinking I am also going to experiment with enclosed evaporation for flavoring. When the leaves are done curing and cut, then I will place the in a Tupperware (so sad that I am admitting I have them.... and they are the originals from the 70's) container with a small bowl of my flavored water.... we shall see how it goes!
Thanks again TOF!!
bloody good mate.im sicka dis tax shit so im growing my own baccy.thanx 4 da addvice bro.
thanks guy. mississippi we give it a try
philpy and c, thanks for the good words guys.
Great post thanks for sharing.
I saw the forbidden, and took a peek, on this hub.
I returned to S.A. after being in rural, dark Africa for too many years to remember. At my homecomeing I found a lot of subtle and not so subtle things have changed.
The first thing I was informed about was " Here in the new S.A. you may steal, you may hi-jack, you may kill, you may do a lot of things. It's a free country now. BUT, one thing is forbidden: NEVER EVER SMOKE!"
So, I read your article.
I found it amusing and entertaining and thought about a zillion commentS I could make, all in different perspectives.
To my biggest surprise I actually found something totally unexpected. I found myself in a cigar lounge,(you know, those old-fashioned cosy rooms for smoking), overhearing a lot of friendly chittety-chat, (like it used to be in that old cosy rooms for smoking)
I realised you managed to get the smokers and non smokers to enter in the same place, and actually tolerate each other - all in a place of Tobacco.
You are a real smart guy!
(By the way, a few dill plants amongst your cabbage, will keep those pests at bay)
Greetings from the oil-soaked shores on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. I am having to find ways to distract myself from the dire straits we are experiencing with this worst ever oil-spill, since it has totally ruined our fishing/tourism industries, both thriving and vibrant 66 days ago. My government is a cadre of bonafide idiots, Obama being its Chief, surrounded by nothing but cronies and bureaucrats. BP is purely saturated in greed and seeking shortcuts and profit over human safety, and so..........
Anyway..........distract me please! My best friend, a loving chewer of tobacco his whole life, subsists on a limited income and has threatened for some time to give up his chewing for good, since store prices for "plug" go up weekly. If he weren't such a good chap in all regards, I'd prefer he quit, but he has no virtues no vices, so what's the poor fellow to do?! Right? He is thus far having good success with growing his tobacco next to his tomatoes, but has no idea how to cure/process the harvested leaves to make a "good chew." I promised I would go on-line and take a look-see, (he has yet to own a cell phone, much less a PC/Internet.) and behold--your hub rich with info. and humor (or "humour" form your lexicon). It's nice to finally meet my first ever "kiwi." I have threatened my wife numerous times with a sudden pull-up, to chase a dream and some peace from the fracas that has become my beloved America; and we have narrowed our pick to be either the Highlands of Bonnie Scotland, or the unvarnished hills of your own beloved New Zealand. In reality, we'll stay put, but as I said we're dreamers. I look forward to hearing back kind Sir. How about our US efforts in the World Cup? We are beyond elation with our results thus far, and are anxiously awaiting our match with Ghana this Saturday. Smiles........Deb and Eddie
This reply is an inadequate answer to the three remarkably nice people who've posted to me in the last few days.
FB Siphon; I hope that you gained from this. The intention was to remove a lot of the bullshit and jelly-beans from something most of us can have a hack at with reasonable success.
equalla, an irreverent if not totally irrelevant comment is the reply of a very nice young lady to a questionnaire over sex which asked (along the way) "Do you smoke after intercourse?" She replied "I've never looked."
Anyway here in Godzone you can't smoke in any building in which people are employed - including bars, so our drunks can damage their livers to their hearts content, but the publican can be heavily fined and closed for a period if they light up inside his bar (or foyer, or games room, or bog) Women are privileged- to show that men aren't, and anyone with even the slightest amount of Polynesian heritage has rights and privileges denied the rest of the populace.
I make these observations to show that SA is not unique in it's manipulations. All governments hound and harry their voters over unnecessary matters to distract them from their (directed,I think) aim of financial enslavery. Some may not know that's what they are doing, most don't care . As long as they're getting the bribes and backhanders- I'm sorry, political incentives - offered for their duplicity, to Hell with the voter. Grow your tobacco if you can legally old mate, dry it, experiment, have fun.
Cheers,
TOF
eserof: Hey Deb and Eddy, read my comments above and you'll see my views on the political arena.
Anyway, about your friend and his plug tobacco: I remember reading years ago in a local rag about an old bloke who grew his own tobacco and made a "real beaut" plug like this - After his leaves had dried he cut the ribs out, dampened the leaves with a flavouring mix, probably honey and a spirit as they both are preservatives, found a block of wood (dry, I would guess so that it's saps wouldn't taint his plug, drilled about 1/2 -1 inch holes in it 2-3 inches deep and rammed the treated leaves into these holes. He then drove wooden plugs into the holes to really pack them and seal off the air. Six months or a year later he spit open the wood with an axe and had his plugs of baccy, which he shaved slivers of with a sharp knife to use.
That's about as low-tec as you can get, and it sure as hell worked. He was then in his seventies and had been doing it for years!
Nice to here from you,
TOF
You did it again. You gave me another laugh. And yes, unfortunately politics is ever as debatable as allways.
Have a lovely day.
Thank you so much for the great info. I,m growing for the first time and just hung the bottom leaves to dry. Yep, I found out through you that 3 or 4 leaves tied together (as if they're herbs) won't quite do it. Easy to understand and fun to read with your sense of humour. Thanks again!
Thanks Karen and good luck with your growing.
Cheers,
TOF
Hi TOF just had the good fortune to find you while looking for tobacco curing info, what a bonus to find humour as well. I live on the south coast of the UK nr Worthing. Started growing tobacco this year, it certainly loves this climate, it has grown so well that my plan to hide it in the wifes flower borders didn't work, she has the strange idea that they should contain flowers. I have started cropping and curing like mad, it looks like the taxman isn't going to do as well this year, how sad!!. While I was out today at a craft shop with my wife I came across a pair of scissors that instead of one blade had nine side by side and about three millimetres apart, must be for cutting thin strips of paper, anyway I bought them and tried them for shredding tobacco, excellent!! Just thought I would pass it on. Thanks for an excellent site.
Hi Busman, thanks for the tip about the scissors, they sound perfect for the job, I'll keep an eye out for a set here "Down Under".
Your climate is probably rather similar to mine,- Near coastal, temperate.
Cheers,
TOF
Hi, great thread and so far away yet you feel just around the corner, strange that. a question if I maybe so bold, I have a splendid specimen of nicotiana sylvestris Can I cure the leaves of this plant and can it be smoked by one of my smoking buddys.
Got three plants but none very large yet - still a month or two to go.
Former smoker of the commercial variety - can't wait to try my own. I think I'll be proud just to say I grew it myself.
Had some home grown in Quebec, from a tree planter. It was pretty good.
Mikeyb,
G'day there. I've had no experience of N Silvestris, (evening scented stock) however Wiki' says that it's probably the parent of modern tobacco, N Tobacum, and a local seller says that it's smokable, hinting that it's rather mild. Here's the link: http://www.mindfuel.co.nz/index.php?main_page=prod
If you try it I'd suggest that you only smoke a puff or two at first and then wait for a day in case of side effects.
Cheers,
TOF
Hi pfr, thanks for the comments. Busman (above) says that you can buy multi-bladed scissors in craft shops which should be ideal for shredding your dried leaves.
Cheers.
I've managed to rid myself of bird mites with tobacco leaves. Anyone use tobacco for other little pesties??
I know there are other uses--I've even heard it's the original source when in the early 1900's they found tobacco to be the original source of complete B vitamins--also that Native American's put a little dried tobacco in their cooked squash and beans to keep the 'bad spirits' away, and always carried a small leather pouch around their necks with a little tobacco in it. It was their most sacred plant...probably for reasons unknown, possibly never--since most of the ancient people who carried the knowledge were probably wiped out taking all their secrets with them. Who knows?
nice
i hope to grow some tobacco under lights, i missed the short summer which would of been of great benefit i'm sure. i dont think newfoundland is the ideal place for tobacco!!!!!!
I will give your suggestions a shot.... I hope to order seeds this week and get to planing! I thinking I am also going to experiment with enclosed evaporation for flavoring. When the leaves are done curing and cut, then I will place the in a Tupperware (so sad that I am admitting I have them.... and they are the originals from the 70's) container with a small bowl of my flavored water we shall see how it goes!
Great hub and happy to meet you. Will rate and be back
Hi all,sorry for the delay in replying to you all.
WeedHawaii:My stepfather used to soak old cigarette butts in a bucket of water for a week or so and spray the resultant fluid on his vegetables to kill the bugs. it seemed to work OK.
Newfoundland...Good luck, tobacco's very hardy though, let me know how you go, please.
e.c. I did night security in the local tupperware factory back in the eighties, which rather dates me too. That flavouring sounds a good idea.
gr82, thanks for the thumbs up m8.
Regards,
TOF
Thanks for the information on curing. You are right. Most articles make it sound very difficult.
Just wanted to mention that I use 4" pipes with water running through them to grow my plants. Just takes a bucket of water, that I feed, a pump, 4" PVC, and a 2" drill bit. Don't have much space or good soil where I live.
Hey, is there anything that can be done with the stalk of the plant? Waist not want not you know. Should I dry it, or boil it? Is there any nicotene in there?
Thanks again,
Kim
Hi Kim,
Hydroponic tobacco sounds enterprising.
I'm afraid that the only use that I've found for the stalk is to cut it up and burn it on the fire,- and it's not even very good there!
Regards,
TOF
hello! I recently cut my tobacco plants to hang and just left the pots outside and ignored. A few weeks later I noticed new growth on the stub of plants left in the pots! I brought them back indoors and thought I'd see what happens. Has anyone else tried this?
Good on ya. Very informative website. Just got to try and cure the leaves in my shed during an English winter.
I am growing nicotina rustica (ehem yes i know its the strongest out there) and i have some nice plants goin!!! fun thing is that it stays in the 60s and 70s here in fl till late december most years!! hehe so i can stagger my crop. i also did it two ways to see how it would go. i scattered some in pots outside and planted some in old egg n strawberry containers. the ones outside are growing faster an dstronger than the ones inside!! so umm im thinkin o ftossing the other containers outside in awarm spot and gradually raising the amount of time in the sun!! Im love your hub its so original and so creative! by the way i smoke a medwakh which takes very finely cut tobbacco AND i have a processor...alon gwith very lil patience, so i like you will be chupping them in my processor!!
Now old firm i've got a bone to pick with you. You have an immense talent in the humorous writing dept' but you've only written two, yes TWO hubs in the last two years. Admittedly you've had about twenty thousand responses but as a non smoker this hub isn't a great help to me apart from giving me a laugh at your eccentric way with words. So take those feet off the table, put the fag in the ashtray and write another hub now please. Yours expectantly sir keith
Good info from everyone. always good to read and learn the easy way from others
Hi there. Is there anywhere in New Zealand that I could buy whole tobacco leaf? Need it as a prop for a TV program set in the 1850's. Has to be legal too! Many thanks
I live in FL so this spring I am hoping to start growing my own for the first time. I have a large family with many smokers who are eager to help so we can all enjoy.My mother is loaning us an acre of her land to use. My only question is this: Of all the research I've done, most say to put the tobacco in a kiln of some type after color curing. Does this speed up the process or do something to the flavor that simple air drying and time doesn't do? I believe we will have two or three crops with our long growing season, so if all we have to do is air cure like you say, we could all be set for a long time with less money if we don't have to build a kiln. Thanks for a great informative site.
Hey Willis, wherabouts in NZ are you? you still tryna track some down? I could maybe help you out. If so get hold of me at bensdabomb29@hotmail.com, Im in Tauranga
Thanks all for the comments over the past few weeks. I've been upgrading my computers and have had a few problems, so haven't been checking emails and the hub for a while (about 800 emails to clear, most are Hubpage notifications)
Ben: Thanks for the offer of help for Willis.
Dunksmom: Try simple air drying. My mates smoke it after three months, and seem to like it. If the leaves get too dry, give them a light spray with a garden mister before attempting to shred them.
Regards all,
TOF
I live in France and-naughty me -pinched a few leaves of 'baccy from a local fartmer's crop .A French friend and I then started to look for virgins because cigars ,we were told, must be rolled on the thighs of Cuban virgins .We thought French ones might do but we ain't had no luck ! Gonna grow our own now !Baccy-not virgins .
Hi broom...,"A dusky maiden's thigh" was the approved site, I was told. - And the definition of a virgin was the ugliest girl in primer three! If President Clinton had to make do with a "part used, serviceable" Pole I don't think much of your chances of finding the real McCoy in France, which is world renowned for its juvenile enthusiasm. (Bless 'em all)
I like your description of your local agriculturalist.
Cheers mate.
TOF
It is now december and my nicotina rustica plants have trippled in size over the past few weeks!! its cold outside and they are growing so rapidly!! i just dried a few branches for a few days and smoked them....they give a nice buzz but tend to burn faster so imma do a daily myst and air cure method (lightly misting the leaves once a day in th ewarmest part of the day to keep them from drying too fast a bit of lemon juice or apple cider vinager can be added to keep down the mold) and then i might soak the leaves in a reduced syrup or just lightly spritz them with it and let them dry again... i hear the lemon spray helps to flavor without the need for syrup and the cureing time is cut in half! By the way i do live in north florida and the strain i am growing is actually the wildest strain you can get without searching in the woods for it! its also the strongest smokeable tobbacco! :D as for the person in fl looking to grow it be careful of the variety and what you give to anyone. we can only give unprocessed items and seeds as well as live plants away or sell them without needing to pay taxes. also they can fine you for selling the processed stuff or giveing it away if they catch you doing it. how ya think the gov will make their robbers fees if we all start growing our own? if anyone asks your tobacco is medicinal for personal use!
Hi helema, thanks for the good information.It seems that you have this tobacco growing lark sussed out pretty well, I like the lemon spray idea.
We've similar laws to you here in New Zealand - we can grow tobacco for our own use but mustn't sell it or gift it, the same as brewing beer or distilling spirits.
Cheers,
TOF
Hey,
Not only is this useful--it's plenty funny and engaging.
Awesome sauce.
I'll have to look into this further.
@The Old Firm i live in a humid climate so i ahve to use the lemon spray when i cure so i dont get mold and on the dry days (yes gosh dern it we do have dry days) it helps keep them moist! i did smoke green tobbacco (dried a few days without the cureing method from 2 inch plants) and once i got past the taste and fast burn rate i was truly pleased!! so in a pinch one could dry some in aquick dry method and smoke it for the medicinal properties! teehee shhhh the variety i have makes one walked like a drunken person if ya get up too quickly! By the way they are all find and in an old fish take (3 in my worm bed as an experiment) with a top made of a plastic bag side and tape to form a lid and boxes (i used priority shipping boxes.. they are free AND taller than the tank) and a couple large yard bags cut at the bottom to open them flat and then stuffed between the tank and the boxs that were taped together (open top n bottom) and they are doing just fine! ill have a good amount to harvest come spring!! and ill be grinning like a cheshire cat at the ones that are just planting theirs while im cureing mine!!
Thanks Ixxy, helema.
I'm just off to Christmas dinner, Merry Christmas to all.
TOF
I have grown some tobacco too. 5 plants as a experiment
and I'm going to around 50 next season I learned a lot from
a web site called "How to grow tobacco"
dkh2, Good on you sport. Best of luck and a Happy New year.
TOF
Happy new year!Would love to chat could you text me yr phone number happy to call would like to talk about tobacco growing.thanks.0274624638
dude great advise, im starting to grow now,i have made a hot house,dose it really take 3 months to cure and dry? if u could get back to me on allansdg@gmail.com gheers, hope to hear frm u soon.
Cheers for the insight on how to grow. I put a couple of seedlings down a month ago and they looking good. Thanx.
got a great recipe for chew'n tobbaco
Gidday Mate I'm a fellow countryman from the south! I found your site inspiring & simple when I first started growing. Just harvested my first crop, put in 40 plants of Virginia & Burly mix! It was a lot easier than I first anticipated and they are coloring up nicely at the mo Ive already been able to smoke some of the earlier pickings. Fantastic smoke mate, much nicer than commercial blends and heaps easier on the pocket!!! All the best to you ad thanks for the help - Kev (the Rev) South Cant.
Thanks for sharing the info! More people should grow their own tobacco for cigarettes, pipes, and cigars, because its easier than one might imagine! Eff the big tobbaco companies!
Turkish Izmir Osbas tobacco seeds for sale. Will ship USA and worldwide. Guaranteed to grow and produce excellent tobacco, wayyyy better than the mass produced tobacco products that you are used to and it will be beter for your health, since you wont need to spray these plants with chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc! Takes only a few weeks, not months, to sun cure this Turkish tobacco strain and yield a delicious product. Please follow the link for heirloom Turkish tobacco seeds. Thank you
Holy Moses, I don't check this Hub for a few days and messages galore!
FarmerJay: Sounds good, the plants should take off with their growth any time now.
ripple:Cheers mate.
RevKev: I'm a Mainlander too mate, good to hear that your crops doing well. Forty plants should keep you well stocked.
It is easy isn't it?
Good smoking mate.
Deri Pharmer: I fully agree.
Cheers all, thanks for your posts
You should be the next Prime Minister of NZ. Or anywhere else come to that. Here is a man who cuts the crap, tells you how to do it without a lot of fuss and makes you chuckle with him along the way. Do you get the UK show 'Top Gear' down there? You and Jeremy Clarkson would make an iresistable team...
I live in Greece. Loads of sunshine, and I will put your
words into practise as soon as I can find some seed.
I have quite a few Kiwis as customers come along on my little adventures aroud the island where I live, and they are, without exception (so far) some of the most likeable, civilise, down to earth and broad-minded folk I have come across. Good on you mate and your countrymen...and women, of course!
All the best
Stuart
Gidday Stuart,
Thanks for the comments mate, and the comparison with Jeremy Clarkson. I'm suitably embarrassed.
Good luck with your growing, seeds shouldn't be a problem, some garden centers sell them as ornamentals, and I know that you can get them in the UK.
If you really strike obstructions email me and I'll post you some.
Cheers,
Peter
hey how long does it take for a tobacco seed to germinate?
Hi nathan,
about two weeks from planting to germination is a good rule of thumb, but it could take longer in cool weather. Keep the seed bed damp (but not wet), and warm.
Regards.
Love the informative site, thank you. First timer for growing tobacco and I lucked out to your site. It's just starting into spring in the northwest of the States so I'm starting mine this week in the greenhouse along with the tomatoes, peppers and etc :)
Gidday cshellz,
good to hear from you.Best of luck with your tobacco, you should have fun growing it.
Cheers,
TOF
Hi TOF
Thanks for a great site. I discovered it quite a while ago and was suitably inspired to grow my own tobacco partly as a hobby and partly because our health nazi govt here in OZ has whacked up the tax to such an extent that a 50 gram pack of rolling tobacco is over $30!!!
Anyhow, about 3 months ago I got hold of some seeds from someone I met who also gave me some excess plants he had, around 50. They were only small, about 2-3 inches high. I planted them but unfortunately up here in S E Queensland we then had the wettest spring and summer.So what the pests didn't get(little green grubs) the rain drowned. No matter, I considered it an experimental planting anyhow as it was a bit late in the year(late November?), or was it, do you think?This year I will plant my seeds in say June or July inside so they will be ready to go early in the spring.
cheers and thanks for the great site Ron
have a good crop of 20 plants growing since I came across this site, bit late planting out not until early January N.Z but really away now. Might try the Lemon when drying as very damp here (Taumarunui) in the winter with a lot of fog so guessing mould could be a problem.So pleased to come across the site and waiting for an update on the women bit or have you given up.
Hi Ron.
Planting tobacco after Christmas still allows you to get a mature crop before winter. You may also get a crop from as late as now where you are, Brizzy way. You've nothing to loose but your smoker's cough mate.
Cheers.
Gidday McGoo,
Wot, Taumarunui on the Main Trunk Line? I remember getting Railway tea in thick walled cups and doubtful pies at some ungodly hour of the night, while traveling second class on the rattler back in my youth.
If you dry in the garage, or even the attic space, dampness shouldn't be too much of a bother.
- The women bit? No, I haven't given up but they may have. The wallet is still deplorably thin.- It detracts from my natural beauty no end!
Cheers,
TOF
I decided to grow my own tobacco and this is by far the best tutorial I have found. It's nearing the end of Winter here and my seeds just arrive. I can't wait!
If I dissolve honey in a bit of scotch or brandy as I process the cured tobacco for pipe smoking, would this essentially be the equivalent of buying an "aromatic" tobacco at the pipe shop?
Thanks for the guide!
Nicotine is vitamin B3 - It dilates all fluid vessels in the body, allowing waste to get out and good nutrition to get in. It is an alkaloid so helps neutralize an acid system. This means it improves our immune system and protects the body from many diseases. We have nicotine receptors in our brain, and become more focused in thinking and greater relaxation occurs. Some even claim it increases our intelligence and creativity skills.
Keep up the good garden and best of health to ya all !
Bentok, thanks for the comment. Yes that will both add flavour and help preserve the tobacco. It should also help it stay alight.
Experiment, you won't be paying a fortune an oz. for it any more .
Good growing and have fun.
Old Turk,thanks for that information.
Best wishes.
TOF
I hereby submit my application to work in your farm for picking tobacco leaves if given an opportunity.
My email address is chandjitendra@yahoo.com.
Thank you.
Hi Jitendra, sorry for the delay in replying; my farm is of course (as I wrote in my profile) quite extensive, measuring 10metres by 6metres,inclusive of recreation space and the barbeque, but not counting dwelling, garaging and workshop, and you're of course very welcome to help harvest the dozen or so plants that I sometimes grow. The pay is lousy.
Cheers mate,
TOF
Cheers TOF and Kingsseeds! Humour and cash saved. Nice One
Thanks freeisgood, good growing my friend.
TOF
hey couple questions ,what part of nz dfo you live in?, im down south in invercargill haha, im getting some "ready" leafs droped off to me in a couple days, and just been doing some reserch on what to do once i get them would hanging them in a wordrobe work? and spraying them once every so often with some kind of alcohol for a while till they look about riught and then cut them up ???
Plants really away now and have just pinched out some seed heads.Will give the garage a try for drying the car can go out,she won't have to wash it when it rains so not just cheap baccy maybe some brownie points as well
(me thinks probably not) but hell dreams are free
Great hub. Everything I was looking for except: can i grow some Latakia on my balcony in NYC?
I live in the US. and sadly the economy has gone in the tolet. gas is on the rise as is food and other things. i was thinking of growing my own tobaco for a few years now. but alot of reading has made me think it was a hard thing to do. i smoke camel wide ciggs and am somwhat picky as to the type i smoke although beggers cannot be chosers. the wife got me some rool your own pipe tobaco and i dont really care for it. i guess i am asking if there is a way to grow it with more of the cig flavor rather than pipe or cigar.
dylan, G'day I'm in the Bay of Plenty. Drying should be OK in a wardrobe, spaying with alcohol should enhance you weed, Cheers.
McGoo, hang the baccy high in the garage and the car should fit underneath OK. (4ft 6in high car, 8ft stud,= 3ft 6in to hang leaf) Just don't have it too near the exhaust, or decide to tune the engine inside while it's drying, - could give the weed a funny taste. Cheers.
Hi Audent, as Latakia is made by the curing process, which involves smoke from a stonewood or oak fire, you may have problems on a NY balcony. THe actual growing should be OK. Start the plants indoors in Spring and transplant into separate large pots (like 18in diameter or bigger, and deep) Stick them in a sunny spot, keep them watered, with a bit of fertiliser occasionally and treat them as shown in the article. No hassle.
Good luck.
Hi Dave, the strength of flavour depends a lot on the type of tobacco that you grow, so I guess that you have to try to get a milder cigarette variety. I use Golden Newt, but you'll have to find what you can where you live. Give the flower seed merchants a try as tobacco is also grown as an ornamental, and it's exactly the same as the smoking stuff.
If you Google "tobacco seeds" (I just did!) you'll find an abundance of local suppliers, and they tell you which varieties are good for what.
Best wishes.
TOF
Audient,please read "stone pine or oak wood" in my above reply.
Cheers,
TOF
awsome thank you, i have got them piged up on some string in my wardrobe ,there fress of the pland as of yesterday so il keep you posted, and il let you know if any problems i incounter thanks dylan
just cheaked on leaves, and theres like sandfly size bugs on the things grrr, so currently they are out of the wardrobe and right next to me by the computer hanging haha ,how often should i spray them?
thanks
Hi dylan, sorry, I can't answer that one, I've never had any bug problems. You must have the Shadbolt bug (imported from West Auckland)
Cheers.
TOF
Is there any out there who can supply me with tobacco , I live in new south wales , australia and the price of smokes here has gone through the roof , I have been smoking rollies for some time now . I am on a pension and the price of tobacco keeps going up and I smoke like a train , so if there is anyone who can help me ( I don't mind paying )I can be contacted on lowe.des@gmail.com
thanks
Des
Hi Des, I've emailed you three possible contacts,
Cheers.
TOF
hello , have got leaves hanging in sunroom ,since it is alot warmer, but im not sure but i think mold is growing ... what dose mold look like at early stages?
G'day dylan, if it looks like mold it probably is. Don't panic. give the leaves a wipe down. Read helema's comment from three months ago, above. She mists with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar added to her misting water to keep down the mold. Try cleaning the leaves with either of these, or a little alcohol (like vodka) to remove mold traces.
Cheers,
TOF
hello,i wiped them down with peach achers(vodka) and then next day most of them are brown, i didnt thing they would dry up soo quick,i have just made up some lemon and water to spray them with every day.
Hi dylan. Thanks for the update. It sounds like you'll end up with some good 'baccy, let me know how it goes please.
Cheers.
Fun read,lots of great information. Thanks!
Thanks Ken,
TOF
Hello i was wouldering what is the best way to dry? buy single leaf or whole plant? i thought whole plant may dry slower and give a more cured finish. but on the other hand all leaves wouldnt be matureat the same time
Hi paul, have another look at my section on drying and curing. You can do a few leaves at a time, or all the larger leaves at once (and smaller for that matter, just more fiddly) If you do the whole plant it is better to strip the leaves from the stem and hang them from a rod or wire as described.
Hope that this helped.
TOF
You really have great sense of humour. Please write more.
My grand father was planted Tobacco for sale. He had big plantation of tobacco somewhere out there where he and his second wife was live together, during his broke up with my grand mother. But then, after a decade, he decided to leave all of his glory as the king of Tobacco to be able to came home to My grand mother and their children, brought a boat full of tobacco for 1 years supply and made the whole house smell like cigarette factory.
Somehow for me, it is proven that at the end of man's journey, even tobacco and glory no longer irresistible but to be around his big family (he didn't had a child with his mistress).
Ah, I am rambling again. Sorry, Sir. ^^
Have a nice day, Sir.
Great results with the tobacco 2 months drying and is great to smoke, getting damp here now and will start the lemon treatment as still worried about mould as can have 2 or 3 days of continuos fog. Think a homemade kiln could be the real answer and will have to do a bit off study along those lines for next years crop. Smoke around 80 grams a week and a bit light on plants this year probably need to be growing around 40 plants for my own use so looks like it's goodbye to her bloody flower gardens next year
G'day McGoo, good on you, thanks for keeping me posted on your progress.
TOF
Damned thing dumped half my reply!
The rest said- "Better keep onside with Her Indoors though, growing a row of baccy as a border backing is a reasonable compromise. Of course if she smokes - no problems."
Cheers.
hey guys, ok iv been spraying my leaves with lemon water for the past month or more and now they have turned a pale white yellowy colour, im just asking if this is another stage the curing process has to go throught to cure it or what im abit lost right now ?
Thanks
G'day dylan. Sorry for the long delay in replying, I've been buggering about with a stink boat the last few days.
Lemon juice is a bleach as any fifties or sixties surfy will no doubt tell you, so what you now have is most probably albino tobacco. It should still be fine. A well cured 'bacci is often more of a golden or gold/brown colour but who cares? Next time round try adding a bit more water to your lemon mist and perhaps mist a little less frequently - just a guess.
Best of luck,
TOF
Dear sir.
I need air dry tobacco with green colour.
If you can produce please send email for me.
Thanks.
Mohammad.
email : botlani@email.com
I'm sorry Mohammad, I am allowed to grow as much tobacco as I like for my own use but I'm not permitted to sell or gift it. Also the air dried tobacco that I produce is a gold or brown colour; I do not know of any way to dry it green.
Best wishes,
TOF.
thanks , i mixed the lemon with some water but must not have been enouph il try smoke some more later iin the week, what kind of boat do you have ,might be able to help in some way or another, since i work at stabicraft...
An excellent Hub. I love your style and approach to life.
Having spent the past 30 years or so paying 90% of my income in tax on booze and fags then I decided enough was enough. Some people might say just give them up - but the last thing I am is a quitter(I did manage to stop smoking for a few weeks once using nicotine gum and patches but in the end I managed to justify going back to real cigarettes because they were organic).
Any road, the worm has turned and I'm not going to give all my money to governments and big corporations any more so the only option was brewing my own wine and growing my own baccy. I've already started with the wine (hic) and thanks to your hub have ordered some tobacco seeds today.
In these times of imminent financial collapse and approaching the final curtain of an ideologically bankrupt and meaningless consumer society, I think we all need to start such self-producing mini-revolutions and to own and become the means of our own productions in every possible sense.
Thanks for all your efforts.
Regards
Simon
Thanks for the offer dylan. it's an old Hartly hull I think, - 14'6" glass over ply and in pretty good nick. I'm going to extend the cabin back about half way, put in bunk seats forward and locker seats aft; a paint job and find a 10-15 horse outboard locally. I've put the word out and all's under control at the moment.
Cheers'
Peter.
Hi Simon, I'm with you mate; made a still a couple of months back and am turning out my own hooch. (My second still, I made one about 12 years ago and made a renowned brew for about four years with it.) I've a few bugs to iron out of this one yet, I've been using a stainless pipe as a condenser and there's a slight taint to the spirit so I'm reverting to copper, it clears any sulphur from the condensate.
Regards,
Peter.
hi, i read most of 2 years ago then skimmed right to the bottom, so i have probably missed what i was looking for, which is, where here in nz do i get whatever it is that makes mentholated tobacco from the raw product?
Hi old firm
I had a dream,No not that one,it was last night i woke in a sweat dreaming that my pound notes had turned into baccy leaves,so this morning i looked on the net to see if i could grow baccy in uk, the first site i clicked on was yours and have been reading all morning,
What a hoot but also informative it has inspired me to buy some seeds and will be growing next year.Thank you.
G'day gary uk, pleased to be of help - good luck.
TOF
Thank you for another fantastic article. The place else could anyone get that kind of info in such a perfect means of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am at the search for such information.
Hey,
Many thanks for sharing your story with us, it was a great reading. By the way, congratulations for all your hard work!
Daniel
I'm in the Great Northwest, USA. This was my first time growing tobacco. Had about 16 plants about 4 to 5 inches tall before I put them out in the greenhouse. Tree days later I only had 5. Slugs ate them completely. I put slug bait around the 5 survivors and again when I put them out in the garden, so that is my crop. I planted some more that are now 6 to 8 inches tall now but whether they will winter over is something I will find out. I'll bring them back in the house as soon as the weather starts getting cold and see what happens.
Thank you Daniel.
3 crows; That was bad luck With your plants. Tobacco's pretty hardy so it should winter over indoors with no problems although the plants may be a bit small by next spring.
Good luck,
TOF
thanks for all the great info
Iteresting tidbit. I grow about 80 plants which equals 15-17 U.S. pounds. This in turn equates to about 40 ten pack cartons. Now, if this same amount is used for commercial production by one the leading makers, they will get about 90. Ever wonder what you are smoking?
My main growing advantage is that I live in Va. and the curing process is really about humidity and here it is natural.
To: TOF
This a very interesting site, full of comment and you have great wit. I did not have time yesterday to read through the comments, but did so today.
Information that seems to missing (or I missed it)
A word to the wise: Nicotiana can be POISONOUS and if YOU DO NOT smoke, handling leaves when wet is dangerous.
Nicotine, like arsenic builds in the human system and smokers build resistance. ONE drop of pure nicotine will kill, smokers included. This is not b.s. as picking when wet has sent migrant workers to the hospital.(wear rubber kitchen gloves-recommended) I also see nothing regarding the step between picking/priming (leaf picking) and hanging. I don't know about you, but I don't like spiders/bugs/birdy doo/dirt, etc., so I wash all leaves. Best way I have found to date is to pick, leave in sun for a half hour or so (leaves get limp), place in wheel barrow (with some water in it)and carefully swish around follwed by putting each leaf on the front sloped part and spray wash with a garden hose. Use a small stool or something akin to sit on or you will get back aches.
As you have said, tobacco will grow anywhere (but not antartica), but it will be a case of quality and it is too cold,hot, or dry - quality will suffer. In the comments there is quite a bit on other garden plants but I don't see tobacco specifics relating to them. Backy is a nightshade, along with peppers and tomatoes. Don't interplant as they share common diseases. Don't even plant close, if it can be avoided. Don't plant mixed backy varieties if you want to collect seed as it hybredridizes easier than peppers. (Ok if you want to play - you get to guess) Tobacco seed has a long life span and if one has collected seed and wants to "top" all of your future plants, keep seed in a sealed plastic back and put in freezer. Life span is now indefinite.
If you plant backy in the same place for more than two years, better rely on fertilizer as it is a big feeder and sucks soil nutrients. Don't plant other nightshades in the backy space for one year if doing crop rotation.
The nicotine levels change with leaf position - lower is lower and it increases up (vertical) the plant. Topping when the seed/flower stalk (removing) shows will put plant energy into leaves and you can top at any point from 12-24 leaves. I stop at 16-18 as it gets to strong above this level and makes about 3-4 oz dried per plant.
Additionally - all thumpers (stills) are illegal in the U.S.and a mason jar mecca was just busted in an adjacent county on Mon. However, you can make wine/beer, just don't sell it.
Great hub and I hope I have made a contribution to the cause.
More trivia:
KIng James of England way back in time outlawed tobacco use (the Kink did not smoke) anyway, after a couple of months he reversed this rule. Turns out that the royal treasury missed the tax revenue.
The U.S.government collects a lot of tax from tobacco because they have to use this money to offset tobacco related illness. Actually only about 10% gets used for this purpose, the rest is mostly for social programs.
Thanks wildbill for your input, all good info' and gratefully received.
Here in NZ we can distil legally, same rules as for wine, beer and tobacco: just don't sell, barter or gift it, and I'll be running about four US gallons off later on today from my homebuilt still.
Cheers,
TOF
Many thanks from your friends here in the US. Great down to earth, practical information.
Hi jeremy, glad to be of help.
TOF
I think you are amazing, thank you for giving us all these tips. I am sick of paying through the nose for cigarettes that are full of chemicals. I just want my own little batch for myself, and I might try doing my first batch in port. thankyou again.
Great read - nice hub! If you want the ecconomical benefits of growing your own, but don't have the time or space; check out American Personal Consumption Tobacco Growers Association. www.apctga.com. Letters from the US Treasury, Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade bureau are there. One leases farmland and receives his/her own harvest - no 'sale' of the tobacco! interesting concept.
Thanks for the great info,I'm in the Bay Of Plenty so growing conditions should be ideal.
I have a problem, my plants have reached about 2 feet high
and have already started to flower. The leaves are still quite small. Do I rip them out and start again?
Really interesting article, very entertaining to boot! thanks for taking the time and effort to post this! UK
Thanks for such a great education with the humor attached. So, much fun to read. I'm in So. California and my tobacco is ready to pick. Found this comedy show just in time. Keep up the great writing, please. Kind regards, Jimmy
Hi all, sorry for the slow reply.
Nigel, you're just down the road. now's a good time to start seedlings, or plant out if you already have them. The leaves of your small plants are usable if you want, or you can wait a bit and the flowers will turn into seed pods giving you literally thousands of seeds for later. You can plant in January and still get a good crop.
Rima
Nizaguy
Ian
Jimmy Jangles
Thank you all for visiting and the great comments.
Cheers,
TOF.
Having followed the guide lines on here to grow some dark virginia here in the west of England, I thought I should at least contribute somthing. The leaf dries OK in the UK but getting the heat / moisture right to cure and age it is a problem. A short cut I found is to dry the leaves so dry they crumble, pull it off the stalks, stick it in a food processor and grind it in to little flakes and then soak it in a mix of red wine/rum/treacle or pastis (ouzo, pernod etc)/treacle so it gets really wet for a hour and then gently toast it on foil under the grill turning it every few seconds. Keep a bit of the solution back incase you over toast it and then you can add some to moisten the tobacco. Gives a good smoke. However, aI am no lab technician I do not know what possible toxins the process may create so follow it at your own risk and bear in mind that I am already missing an eye, several teeth and have a couple of wonky fingers.
Mike
Thanks for the contribution Mike.The curing advice is most welcome, - nice and simple and should be of good use to our fellow growers.
Cheers,
Peter.
Hi Everyone, Hi Old Firm
I'm in my early 30's & living in Ecuador for the last few years. Tobacco grows wild here. The locals harvest it & make lovely hand rolled cigarettes. They don't remove the stem that runs through the leaf. A 20 pack for $0.50. I sometimes smoke brittle dried leaves that I find hanging on a live plant. They're totally fine. Usually I'll pull a few lower leaves from a plant when i need some & cure for no more than a week before putting them in my nice pipe which I bought on my most recent trip home to my ex-home, Toronto. It's such a beautiful plant, sacred in many cultures. Ive heard many rumours of health benefits in recent months online (apparent protection against alzheimer's & radiation exposure). From real scientific studies, of course. Many locals here are in their 90's & still puffing away (filterless cigarettes of course). I've also noticed that 90% of my favourite musicians smoke... As a musician myself, I find smoking has always seemed to me to be connected to the creative process.
A good argument has been made that the fibreglass filters of commercial cigarettes act like asbestos & small particles get lodged in the lungs which the body cannot remove... If I smoke a commercial cigarette (very rare), I always rip off the fibreglass filter. The "authorities" claiming that tobacco is evil while force-feeding us genetically modified foods, which are proven to cause organ damage & eventual sterilization would be laughable were it not such a serious trespass against us all...
Respect to all of you who are growing your own, whether your local "authorities" permit it or not... It's SO easy, free & let's one gets closer to nature; the sunshine, rain & earth. Nature is our birthright. Anyone trying to outlaw nature immediately looses all credibility in my opinion. (Isn't it illegal to smoke in public in Spain since 2011?)
Thanks Old Firm, Peace Everyone !
Gidday Mark,
Thanks for the comments. I agree, there's far too much hype about curing the stuff - keep it simple. Grow your own food if you can, pull it from the garden and eat it while it's still squealing.
Cheers,
TOF
What an excellent hub, I'm just waiting for my own Golden Newt seeds to sprout, better late than never, I'm northwest of Nelson & theres plenty of sun in Golden Bay. I sprinkled all of the seeds in the packet onto my seed raising mix because it just looked like s few pinches of dust (amateur gardener). By the sounds of it they are about to slowly burst into 1000 tobacco plants. I may need to acquire a plot at the local community gardens to accommodate the wee tackers.
Thanks for sharing from your experience, it's been very useful and applicable for me. ..+ Witty and funny to boot.
I have had some success curing tobacco in the past by spreading layers of leaves between single sheets of newspaper and leaving in the sun (on the deck) to kind of steam dry, then moistening and repeating. this was done after it was hung for about a month. I added some red wine and cherry molasses (left over from a bucket of a friends shisha tobacco), the smoke was delicious.
This year will be the first year I grow the plants myself, my lips are pressed in anticipation
Hi Cheers Mate, you're not too far from were I was born. Only a thousand plants? what's wrong, do you think they'll get blight? Seriously, a bit of thinning and transplanting as they grow and you'll have all the plants that you can handle. Now's plenty early enough to plant seeds, you can plant out well into January and still have large adult plants before Winter.
Cheers,
TOF
Great hub Im in east Auckland, got 17 plants in the backyard about 4 foot tall, nice big leaves alas theyre about to flower will that mean the nicotine level will go up?, i have smoked some of the smaller leaves and they didnt seem to strong cheers for all the info
Hi Slowburn,
I'd pick out the flowering heads and let them grow a bit more, if the bottom leaves start yellowing take them off, dry 'em and smoke 'em. If your plants are only 4ft tall, they may have been planted too early. Nothing wrong with that, but if you plant some more in the next few weeks they'll grow like stink and you should be harvesting seven ft tall plants in Autumn. Leave the flowers on one of your present plants and you'll have thousands of seeds for later on.
Cheers,
TOF.
Bugger have just smoked the last of last years crop but got plenty in this year,easy as to grow and drying no problem just hanging in the garage.Got talking with a few grow your own blokes down this way, we all do things slightly different but all are getting bloody good baccy. One guy cuts the whole plant and hangs it,cutting it at an angle down near ground level and apparently they regrow the next year.Have found the whole exersise so damm easy can't believe I have left it so late in life to grow my own.
Great site, great reading.
I planted 8 plants 3 years ago and have smoked some of the leaf over time. However ,until now didn,t know how to cure it. How long do the plants last ?
Really good information.
Cheers
Hi McGoo, yeah it's pretty user friendly stuff all right.
Gidday BJ,I've a plant going on 9 months old growing outside my bathroom window. It's a bit stunted as it was small at the start of winter but the leaves are fine, however as the plants reach maturity from seed in three or four months I'd suggest pick the leaves then and let one plant develop seed pods (you'll get thousands of seeds), and replant next year.
Cheers,
TOF
I gave up smoking 20 years ago, when I planned to have my first baby.
I am impressed with the detail of your blog on growing tobacco...if grown organically it probably won't be half as bad for health as bought tobacco.
Thanks for the comment Shelley, you're probably right.
Cheers,
TOF.
I wonder what the legal ramifications are of trying to grow and sell tobacco. I'm sure the government would crack down on that somehow.
kxdory,
Hi, as I said at the start of this article it's quite legal to grow tobacco for your own use here in New Zealand, (as it is to distil spirits) You cannot however sell, gift or trade these products or otherwise dispose of them for profit. Other countries have different laws and if you're in doubt it's as well to check local legislation. America is notorious for its convoluted restrictions and California certainly doesn't shine as an exemption. You are however more free in your interpretation of some State legislature so growing may be OK. I'm inclined myself in some matters of doubt to go by the old adage of "Don't ask silly questions and you won't get silly answers." Often when the person you ask doesn't know the answer they'll just say "No you can't" to get rid of you and remove the problem. Government departments are notorious for this.
Regards,
TOF.
Great read ! will attempt to grow some baccy this year in the peak district uk when the weather gets better. I tried 4 years ago the plants were huge. The seeds acquired through allotment friend of friend, it was ghastly, I suspect a pipe tobacco! Such a pretty flower though also NO weeds grew around the plant in the vegetable garden. I have watched a u tube tutorial on curing today It suggests honey/water/ sugar/ glycerine boil up after drying and removing stems etc then press it chop it keep it for ever then smoke it ! £13.75 a 50 gram pack here so I am going to give this method a go. Building a curing chamber cost of heat and fans seems a faff and very expensive!
Hi Witchy, go it girl,people were curing tobacco before it knew it was sick, and had no trouble; keep it simple, you'll still get a reasonable smoke. The curing mix you mentioned sounds good, not too expensive. Have a read through the comments to this hub if you have time, there are some damn' good tips in amongst them.
Best of luck,
TOF.
Hi
I was wondering - do the leaves really need to dry/cure for 1 year? What's the difference to just dry them for a few days instead?
Cheers
Hi Schagge, 2 years, Hell no. Three months is the rule of thumb, and some people cure to their satisfaction much more quickly. There are so many easy ways to home cure that I'd be writing forever to repeat them. Skim through the comments above and you'll find a dozen or more different ones or just do as I outlined and you should have a smokeable product in two or three months.
Cheers,
TOF.
Hi, I cured that small leaf discussed in an earlier post.
Just hung it in my carshed, threaded on fishing nylon with a needle, sprayed with silver water once a week to keep the mould off, and smoking it after 2 months. I strip the stems out, crush the dry leaves by hand and moisten, mix with my commercial tobacco 50/50. What an amazing smoke.
Now I've halved my baccy bill, I'll be able to top the fridge up more often.
I plucked sucker shoots and planted them, they are growing well.
I mix the baccy to get a better burn, any suggestions
on this subject? I 'd like to get rid of the commercial crap altogether.
Can you point me in the right direction to purchasing
a tobacco plant with a larger leaf?
Thanks so much mate, I never realized growing your own tobacco was so easy.
my email - doffy55@hotmail.com
I am about to try my hand at growing my own tobacco and found your site while surfing the net. I really like your site and found it to be very interesting. Will try your method and see how it works for me.
Due to rising bakky costs, I started rolling my own a few years ago- but even that is getting outrageously expensive. I found a place in Oregon, (seedrack.com) where I bought my first seeds. After perusing a few seed sites (with astronomical prices) I purchased one pack (100 seeds) for 9 bucks. The shipping/handling was more than the seed price. Still, this will be enough to get me a good start until I can produce my own seeds.
Thanks for making a great site where we can share.
Warmest regards,
Eire
Hi Nigel, Kings seed in NZ sell a large leafed tobacco, contact email near the start of my article, or I can send you some of my seeds if you're stuck. Planting out your seedlings late November to January (in NZ) should give you full sized plants. Use the same growing season as tomatoes.
Eire, thanks for the comments, and best wishes to you as well. (9 bucks for 100 seeds? Hell,I'm in the wrong business, I've probably a million of them, and you get thousands upon thousands from one plant!)
Cheers,
TOF
I got my seeds started last week. Stuck 'em in some peat pots in the hope of minimizing the shock of transplanting them outside. I'm considering building a raised planter to put them in once the weather warms up. Can you give me some ideas on what size the planter should be? I do a lot of gardening,, mostly veggies, fruits and herbs, and I find that the leafminers like thicker leaved plants. I have a bit of a problem with slugs and grasshoppers. Any suggestions for detering these little nuisances that won't kill off the beneficial insects? Also, I have a lot of yellowjackets and wasps here. Due to the depleted bumble bee and honey bee situation here, I am wondering if these little buggers do any good as far as pollination. Any thoughts on this?
I have been using this for flavouring, this is a half strength as found the full strength to strong.
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon glycyrene
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 & a half tablespoons liqueur or spirit syrup (Bin Inn)
1 tablespoon of honey.
Throw all the ingrediants into a pot and bring to the boil then give the cut tobacco a good spray and then let dry.Got desperate this year and smoking tobacco that has been hanging for only 4 weeks and has taken the harshness out. Also worked very well last year on fully dried tobacco.
1st year growing tobacco. Have several plants 7 foot and the rest about 5 foot. Enjoyed reading your site
The Old Firm Hub Author 1 second ago
EireFury, Good to hear from you. Tobacco grows seven foot tall, with a root ball the size of a basketball and I plant it in the garden no closer than two feet apart so you'll need a big planter, I would guess 20in diameter minimum and at least a foot deep, but that's only a guestimate.
An old cure for slugs is to bury an open can almost to it's rim in the garden and put an inch of stale beer in it. (You'll have to put some sort of cover over it to keep out rain and thirsty dogs) The beer attracts the slugs which then hopefully drown in an alcoholic haze. To trap snails put upended cans on short sticks around the garden. The snails climb the sticks into the cans at dawn to shelter from the sun. Go around in the morning and clean out the cans, disposing of the snails as you wish. Laying out damp boards will probably do the same for slugs.
As far as I know wasps aren't pollinators, just pests. Pour a little petrol on/into their nests after dark when they're more dormant, the fumes should kill them. I've found that pollination isn't an issue with tobacco, don't worry too much about it.
Regards,
TOF
Hi McGoo, Thanks for the recipe, I'll hang on to it.
Regards,
TOF.
Gidday Phill T, thanks for the comments.
Cheers,
TOF
Hi,I live in New Plymouth.I have seedlings about 20mm high.Do you think they will survive the cold?I grew a few plants years ago,but even tho the leaves were dry,I couldn't get them to keep burning.After cutting the leaf as fine as I could,it burnt better.I think maybe the finer the better.I visit your pages regularly,thanks for the info.Great site.Cheers,Billy
Hi Billy, yes your plants should survive the Winter OK, but their growth will slow right down when it gets cold and you'll end up with small plants next year. I left one plant grow which was a seedling this time last year and it grew to about four foot high with smallish leaves. Still usable though. It's finally dying off now, but has a lot of seed pods.
Good luck,
TOF
There is an argument for smoking tobacco. Tobacco smoking makes you think more efficiently because of the nicotine and world war 2 probably wouldn't have been won if all the people involved didn't smoke tobacco. This in defense of smokers. I am not saying that everyone should take it but rather that with most people (if not all) do benefit from taking tobacco in moderation.
hi i have been growing my tobacco for about 6 years now i live in canterbury nz and i find that the winter doesn't realy affect it much at all.
I have also never ever had to replace my plants i just take off the seed heads to stop them taking the nutrients from the leaves and they continually grow, they will slow down a small amount in the winter but as soon as the weather fines up away they go again.
I have about 15-20 plants that have been in for 5 years plus and they continually produce each year they stand about 9-10 foot tall i have a few more that are smaller and in there 3rd year running without having to replace yet and they stand about 7 foot tall, i have alot of other plants that i only let do one cycle and then start again as i dont have heaps of room to let all go continually. it cost me $3 for the seeds to start and i make my own flavourings for them also which costs me about $20 to make and it gives me enough flavourings for about 25-35kg of cured tobacco. It has cost me about $50 for the last 5 years of smoking compared to the $7-8,000 or more from the shops. I have been selling the flavourings to others that are growing. anyone that wants some flavourings with a couple of instructions that i have been using for 5 years that makes a nice smoke please let me know and I will make you some. I have been busy over the last year preparing and trying more flavourings to try have something different for a change i am in the process of producing a weird and wonderful flavour asked for by a friend, that he wants to taste like chicken we have had 2 trial runs at it and not too bad so far we have a few more trials coming up once the next lot of tobacco has cured.
I thought i would add that i only hang my tobacco for 2 months as it leaves a small mount of moisture in the leaf and saves the misting process if it gets too dry.
A very good write up on growing tobacco by the way.
if anyone else has any wonderful ideas that i could add to my brain about these plants, im always looking for new tricks to make the process a little easier.
it looks like it very good our goverment far to taxing
Valentin: thank you for your thoughts.
John, thanks for the input. I find that my plants only last a little over a year (I went out and checked one that I'd left growing from last Autumn as I write this and it's history, but a ton of seed heads)
Those flavourings seem interesting, - Chicken flavoured tobacco? Sounds fowl! If you check the comments back five weeks from this point McGoo from a bit south of you has an interesting flavouring with glycerine and honey. There's another mentioned a year or so ago, but you'll have to do a bit of searching for that. What variety of seed are you using? My original stock was Golden Newt from King's Seeds.
murray: I agree, all governments are thieving sods!
Cheers,
TOF.
A very good article. It got away from all the tech stuff and left the basics.
After reading this - I am now growing and smoking my own and have been for nearly 2 months. The $ saved and being able to have a smoke when I like is kind of euphoric.
Naturally the first lot of leaf was fast dried and a tad rough but it is getting better as the leaf is now hanging longer.
Thank you for writing this hub it inspired me. :)
I would be real interested in a way to get a menthol flavour so my partner can smoke home grown as well.
My e-mail is RuFFturning@gmail.com if anyone can help with this.
hi!!
@theoldfirm
can you helpme with the process...
i have 30 plants ready for start the process...
i dont know how is the procees for make the tobacco for cigarettes...
can you help me with regard to the snuff chopped homemade cigars ....
Hi Mike, thanks for the comments, I'm afraid that I can't help you with the menthol problem, perhaps someone reading this can.
Gidday homero!! If you read this article you should get the idea, some of the reader comments are very helpful as well. Good luck.
TOF
I'm so keen to get started after reading this, fantastic stuff! Is the Turkish tobacco seed available in NZ? Also, I am not quite sure when to harvest. Appreciate all the help I can get on this as the price of fags is totally unrealistic.
ABiginner Hi there, I don't know of Turkish seed, you could contact Kings Seeds in Katikati, (link at beginning of article) they're very helpful.
A rough rule of thumb for harvesting is when the flowers form seed heads, or when the bottom leaves start to yellow. (Or if your desperate haul off a few of the largest leaves and dry them out. They may not be as strong, but they'll see you through!)
Hey,it's only tobacco,it costs bugger-all to grow and picking a bit early won't make it taste appreciably different. It has to be at least yellow dry and a bit of flavouring makes a difference (see reader comments over the last few months), so experiment and have fun.
Cheers,
TOF
A mate of mine told me a while back what to use for menthol flavouring,can't remember it just at the moment,booze or old age not sure which but will catch up with him sometime next week and put it on site.
Thank you mcgoo. it would be apriciated. Look forward to you getting back
I have found with drying to get bakky qickly - hang it where there is wind flow - not in direct sunlight and (I) go through the hung leaves twice a day. In the morning to separate them - because they stick together a bit at times - and in the heat of the day to rip the dry parts off the leaf or to phrase it better - take off the parts of leaf that crumble and come off real easy.
As for harvesting leaf. I started a while back. Let the plants grow to approx 5' then went through and took all the good sized leaves off and hung them in the wood shed.
Have had about 4 harvests now and there is still over half the plants hieght in leaf. have roughly half a kilo real dry flake stored now. Throw a knot of wet leaf in your pouch with the real dry flake and a couple of hours later you can feel the diference.
Thanks very much for the information. I will start planting, & if all goes to plan I will post a photo.
take the leaves from the bottom up. :)
Hello The Old Firm. I am in the Waikato as well. Te Awamutu.
Here's the rub (no pun intended): I have no shed available to dry/cure the leaves. However, I do have an open-ended carport, so I was thinking of turning the back part into a makeshift drying area; perhaps, I could use some of that green matting fabric that is sold at the plant shop, that way the leaves would be protected form the elements (although not totally) and an air flow would be allowed. What do you reckon TOF? I appreciate all the good advise you give here.
Sorry for the slow reply guys, I've been out playing with my little sail-boat (just on the mooring fixing bits)
HoPS: Thanks for the help and good advice, I was over at Te Awamutu playing bridge the other day.
Gidday magoo, were you selling a boat on TradeMe a week or so back?
ABeginner: Hi Mate, the bloke over the road from me grew tobacco in the flower border of his council flat this year from seed and a couple of seedlings that I gave him. He hung the leaves in the back of his car port to dry, out of the Sun, without any problem. What you suggest doing sounds spot on.
Cheers,
TOF.
Drop us an e_mail at RuFFturning@gmail.com and stop in for a coffee next time your over this way TOF
Will attempt to do that, although I only get to tournaments occasionally, when some-one's desperate for a partner. Thanks for the invo'.
TOF
Thanks for providing this information. In the years I managed to grow tobacco to maturity, I was so intimidated by curing instructions that I just threw the leaves in with some cigar leaf and fermented it. I still have the leaves because I don't really care for cigar leaf in my pipe. Thanks again. If my plants (burley this year) thrive, I'll use your curing methods.
Allen
I love this site. I live in Michigan, us. I am going to give this a try. My sister smokes and ask me to try to grow it for her. Thanks for all the info and laughs. Everyone have a great day and keep writing so I can be educated in the process......SHaron
Hi Allen, Sharon, good to meet you. Thanks for the nice comments.
Cheers,
TOF
Can,t afford a wife and a boat wasn't me.Sorry Mike forgot about that little chore will try and sort it tomorrow for you
G'day McGoo. The seller was McGoo2 from down your way. Just thought that I'd ask. Hows the bacci' going?
Cheers,
TOF
Awsome blog, I'm impressed with the easy to understand detail. Just one question. Can a clothes dryer be used to accelerate the drying process.
Hi strontiumv8, I'm only guessing but I would think so, however cloths driers use a lot of electricity, and that stuff's expensive. The aim of the exercise is to save money, but, having said that, you can give it a try. If a few hours in a drier saves you weeks of air drying your on a winner. Let me know how you go.
Regards,
TOF
Hi. We have just planted some seeds and are awaiting for them to pop up. My son has sarcoidosis and as he is a smoker he cannot give up as when the nicitine is withdrawn the sarcoidosis releases toxins looking for the nicitine. T
This has put him in hospital lots of times. Vitamin D also causes the sarcoidosis to release toxins and again hospital stays happen. He cannot enjoy the sunlite and any food with added vit D.
He has tried the patches and now champax tabs to give up smoking. 1 in 100 people using champax will end up with mental health issues. With 3 weeks of the tabs he ended up paronoid and suicidal.
Hense the growing of tobacco. When the seedlings are up and growing well, can we use the leaves when they are small. He needs to cut the cost of smoking as he is representing NZ in the NZ performing arts team that fly out for LA at the end of June. He is a very talented musician and is hoping that this will be his stepping board for better things. There is over 40 countries compeating in LA at the Aim For Fame competitions.
Also are tobacco seeds sold in LA. If so, where would be the best place to purchuse them
We live in North Taranaki where we have a great growing enviroment.
Thanks
Having a great season with the tobacco,plants that went in the ground at the end of October were cut in January.Cut the main stalk about 100mm from ground level and those plants are now close to 2 metres tall again,a lot of side shoots develop, just stick to one strong one and keep picking out any others that try to grow.These have now grown to 1.5 to 1.8 metres so has almost doubled the crop for very little trouble.Mike in T A sorry this has taken a while but eucalyptus oil can be used for Menthol flavouring.Suggest you water some down and try a small amount on a little bit of baccy next time you cut some.Sorry can't be off any more help but let us know what you come up with.
Thanks for the update mcgoo, sounds like you've squeezed a damn' good crop out of your bacci plants, Cheers.
Hi Eileen, good luck with your growing. Your son's obviously a most accomplished young man who's doing well in the face of adversity; I wish him the best. If you read some of the comments above you'll pick up further tips on growing. mcgoo lives down south and his advice and comments are worth a read. He also has a good flavouring formula.
I'm afraid that I can't advise you on the availability of seed in LA, other than to comment that every sort of seed for every sort of wild-weed used to be easily obtainable there a few years back, and I can't see it having changed under Arnie the Terminators governance.
Regards,
TOF
Eileen, you can use the leaves when small, they just won't be as strong as later. Experiment and have fun.
Cheers,
TOF
in california taxes are killing us,40% of a packs price[5]usd,govT
Thanx,
My current cigar cost ten quid!
Thank you McGoo will give it a try for sure.
Now i would like to know if home grown bakky is acting as a placebo on me.The reasons - I am eating, breathing and generally feeling much better in the approx 3mths that i have been smoking home grown full time. I have heard that when people stop smoking they start coughing up big thick globials of phlem - body is clearing out the shit - and that is what i am doing now. Yesterday i noticed that i am sencing smell again - not to any great extent but hey.
be interested in knowing what you all think on this as to how much of this is just me or home grown.
Also i have made a gillotine to chop my bakky with. A old silicon bread board, fairly heavy duty meat cleaver a touch of kiwi ingenuity and a bit of work making brackets reshaping the cutting edge of the cleaver and some steal each side of the blade over the hole for the handle of the board and am very pleased with the way it works :)
Greg, trying to find the actual tax on tobacco in NZ is near impossible as it's so bad, but after a little delving I came up with two sources, one giving 63%, the other about $26 0n 50 grammes (2oz). - Around $500 a kilo. Grow your own, maybe $1 a kilo (fertilizer and water), and it's healthier, read Mikes comment above.
Mike, I can't see placebo effect alone doing what you've stated. Home grown doesn't have the hormones or poisons of the commercial stuff added during growing and curing. I'm not suggesting that it's necessarily good for you, just far less bad, like being run over by a bicycle is less bad than being run over by a goods train!
Hi there Danny, as W C Fields once said, "A woman's just a woman, but a good cigar's a smoke!"
Cheers,
TOF.
This article could have been written by muself - it is so funny!
HOWEVER - A QUESTION - I got the winzy seeds via Holland, have harvested and dried, albeit without the stem situation. Can I now just cut out the stems and whizz them up? In a blender? This sounds brill and I thank you for cutting back on my endless search on the Net!
I've only just planted my first seeds, but have a couple of questions. When I have totally stripped my plants, do I pull them out and dispose of them, or do they re-grow?
Also, I live in Auckland, where frosts are rare. Are they likely to grow ok through winter? What month are they likely to reach maturity?
mother1, Hello there, I guess tobacco 101. If your leaves are yellow cut out the main stem and slice them. If they're not yellow yet dry them a bit longer. If you blend them, short bursts to make sure that you've got tobacco flakes, not tobacco paste.
Tobacco, dock leaves and politicians have many things in common: They're so hardy that they'll crop up any- where, it's almost impossible to kill them, your parents warned you about them, at least one of them is not good to have around and you can probably add several more reasons for eschewing close association with politicians.
Cheers,
strontium8, You've planted at the start of winter. Don't expect your plants to thrive. As I suggested,tobacco grows similarly to tomatoes, but is as hardy as cabbage. Therefore, if your starting seedlings now, grow them indoors in a hothouse situation, ( Grow 'em in a big bucket near a North facing window,) or wait till spring.
If you have established plants, (As in 2-3 ft high,) they'll over-winter well, but won't grow a lot and you'll have stunted plants next year. The leaves will be smaller but quite usable.
I hope that this helped.
Cheers,
TOF
Thanks for all the great info.
Also for your info the links below will show you how much the govt is charging for tobacco excise.
Works out to $442.10 per 1,000 cigarettes, or $0.4421 per cigarette. However you need to ad GST to that. Oh yes our government places tax on tax. So each smoke nets them $0.508415 cents or $10.168 per pack of twenty
http://www.customs.govt.nz/news/resources/tariff/t
OR
Gidday Bill, Thanks for those links, i found similar ones that gave me the 62% and $500 (approx') a kilo. As you say, add GST (15%) wages tax at 17 1/2%-30% and company tax of 30% 0n the remaining profit, remembering that the grower - importer pays company tax and GST as well, and I come to around 90% of the shelf price that goes back to our benevolent government.
If you show up at hospital with a cancer related problem, you're elderly, and you've EVER smoked, forget about preferential, or often other than cursory, treatment 'cause you've SMOKED and your a burden on the taxpayer. Forget that your habit over 30 or so years even as a moderate smoker has given treasury around a quarter of a million dollars more than the bloke who's never smoked.
For some benefits of growing your own other than the obvious one to your pocket, read mike's comments of three days ago.
Cheers,
Peter.
Thanks for the hub. This should be very helpful. My wife and I are gonna attempt to grow our own tobacco for personal use. Do to unfair over taxing. Our cigarettes are nearly five dollars a pack, and are expected to get higher. There was a time when kentucky, "where we live." was teaming with tobacco feilds. So in theory the plants should do well here. as far as the tobacco laws go, im not sure if its legal, but I dont give a shit. It wouldnt be the only illegal plant on my property...but again thank you.
Hi billy, thanks for your comments, if it makes you feel any better tobacco is $41NZ ($31US) for 40g - that's about 1 1/2 oz, and around $12US for a packet of twenty here. Thieving ain't in the same league as our government's greed.
Cheers mate,
TOF
Patty Inglish, MS Level 7 Commenter 3 years ago
You and your wife, flowers, and tobacco live in a lovely different world and I feel that I live in a mad vortex several days a week. Commendations to you for this intriguing and informative Hub. I imagine all the eels and worms are smoking high quality craftsman's cigarettes at their union meetings. I can imagine your property to be Sphereland as compared to Flatland.
Best wishes to each tobacco plant!