Strangely enough I was thinking about the guy who decided to grow his own tobacco a couple of days ago and wondering how the project turned out didn't realise it had been a couple of years since. Great to see your making good progress brotha!
This is what cigar smoking can lead to
- Thread starter Oblofusc
- Start date
When I said the taste was "off" I attribute this mostly to the strains I grew, and not growing enough types to experiment with, and perhaps my ignorance in blending. It may also have a lot to do with the need to age the leaf for a few years.
I really wish I knew some old tobacco guy who oversaw operations from seed to rolled cigar to give me pointers. I have the mechanics down at this point, but am pretty much at sea when it comes down to selecting the exact strain of seed to use, what dirt to use, what fertilizer to use, and how to blend.
But I'm getting better, getting closer, and learning. At some point in the next few years I ought to have a whole bunch of raw material, nice and aged, all segregated into separate lots, so I can really start experimenting with blending.
Until then I must say I am enjoying growing and fooling around with the stuff. Cheap hobby, it's fun, and who knos, there may come a day when I end up really liking my own particular sticks, and just smoke them.
The weak link in my production chain is that I wish I had a big barn that had hunidity sensors and would automatically open & close windows or vents to keep the curing leaf from being too moist (mold) or too dry (drying green). Also, an automatic watering system would make it easier too. For now it's just me with the hose every morning before work. I just planted 30 plants into pots today--the tricky seedling stage and all its risks are over. I'll probably be picking the first lower leaves (volado, the mildest and largest leaves) in late June. After that, there will be rounds of picking seco every 12 days or so. I keep everything marked as to picked date and strain, from seed to cured leaf. It's easy to mix them up if you're not careful. Just one moment of mixup or confusion anywhere in the process and you have no idea what's what. Been there done that the first year!
For anyone who may be driving through Tallahassee in the next week or two, let me know, I've got some extra plants I'll be happy to give to a fellow BOTL'er.
I really wish I knew some old tobacco guy who oversaw operations from seed to rolled cigar to give me pointers. I have the mechanics down at this point, but am pretty much at sea when it comes down to selecting the exact strain of seed to use, what dirt to use, what fertilizer to use, and how to blend.
But I'm getting better, getting closer, and learning. At some point in the next few years I ought to have a whole bunch of raw material, nice and aged, all segregated into separate lots, so I can really start experimenting with blending.
Until then I must say I am enjoying growing and fooling around with the stuff. Cheap hobby, it's fun, and who knos, there may come a day when I end up really liking my own particular sticks, and just smoke them.
The weak link in my production chain is that I wish I had a big barn that had hunidity sensors and would automatically open & close windows or vents to keep the curing leaf from being too moist (mold) or too dry (drying green). Also, an automatic watering system would make it easier too. For now it's just me with the hose every morning before work. I just planted 30 plants into pots today--the tricky seedling stage and all its risks are over. I'll probably be picking the first lower leaves (volado, the mildest and largest leaves) in late June. After that, there will be rounds of picking seco every 12 days or so. I keep everything marked as to picked date and strain, from seed to cured leaf. It's easy to mix them up if you're not careful. Just one moment of mixup or confusion anywhere in the process and you have no idea what's what. Been there done that the first year!
For anyone who may be driving through Tallahassee in the next week or two, let me know, I've got some extra plants I'll be happy to give to a fellow BOTL'er.
