First Time Grow: Single PABL

[marshall9779]

I got some PABL seeds from a Drew Estate Barnsmoker in PA 3 years ago. Always meant to try and grow a few. Started this one late but also had a couple others get eaten before I started this one. Didn’t start until July. Hope it starts to ripen before it gets too cold. If not it will be a good learning experience for next year. Just using some Miracle Gro moisture control potting soil and some Gardentone fertilizer.
Here are a few pics along the way with the last ones being the latest.







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[blisscigarco]

That's great! Nice job.

 

[Bruce T.]

Very cool.
I don't think you'll get it to full size before the cold.
Tomato fertilizer is the best for those.

 

[marshall9779]

Very cool.
I don't think you'll get it to full size before the cold.
Tomato fertilizer is the best for those.

I’ll bring inside at night for any frost warnings so we will see how far it gets. I’ll top as soon as I can see stem under the bud and Hope the leaves get ripe soon after.

Yeah I’ve heard but had the Gardentone and is for any garden fruit or veggie. Seems to be doing well.


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[marshall9779]

Coming along. Biggest leaf if about 16” long. Ive had the pot under the edge of a couple oak trees as it gets the most sun there right now. Learned it’s not a good idea to be underneath Oaks or probably any nut bearing tree as a couple leaves were bombed by partially eaten acorns. I think one squirrel even buried one in the pot and tore one of the small mud leaves. All good live and learn but don’t have a better spot to move it to.

 

[jwintosh]

too cool!!

 

[marshall9779]

Can just see the top of the bud down in there. Going to top as soon as I have enough room to. Guess I need to think about curing. I know typically PA Broadleaf, and Connecticut, is stalk cured. Is there a reason or benefit to stalk curing vs priming for broadleaf tobacco. Will be curing in my garage since it will be warmer than in the shed. Not sure about killing fermenting yet. With only one plant, I was thinking about seeing how hot the heating pad I have will get and throw that underneath an airtight 20qt plastic container.

 

[blisscigarco]

Can just see the top of the bud down in there. Going to top as soon as I have enough room to. Guess I need to think about curing. I know typically PA Broadleaf, and Connecticut, is stalk cured. Is there a reason or benefit to stalk curing vs priming for broadleaf tobacco. Will be curing in my garage since it will be warmer than in the shed. Not sure about killing fermenting yet. With only one plant, I was thinking about seeing how hot the heating pad I have will get and throw that underneath an airtight 20qt plastic container.View attachment 166071

I would ask that question at fairetradetobacco.com, where all the farmers are.

 

[marshall9779]

I would ask that question at fairetradetobacco.com, where all the farmers are.

I have. I have a blog post for my one plant.


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[blisscigarco]

I have. I have a blog post for my one plant.


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Hey, one plant deserves as much love as ten plantsl

 

[Southpaw]

True, Bliss. Just like kids, you nurture and love them and when they reach a certain age you feel the need to bind them up and set them on fire.

 

[blisscigarco]

True, Bliss. Just like kids, you nurture and love them and when they reach a certain age you feel the need to bind them up and set them on fire.

Exactly.

 

[Bruce T.]

There may be some subtle reasons for stalk cure vs. priming but I always assumed that priming was most popular because you can pick the big leaves and leave the others a bit longer to grow more, therefore more leaf pre plant.

 

[marshall9779]

I topped the plant last Thursday. Took a damaged bottom lug leaf that was already half yellow on the stalk and color cured it in my container. Pretty light colored but heard that is normal with lower leaves. Stem still has some drying left to do. Will most likely prime and cure the same way in a larger container. One of the flowers survived long enough to bloom after topping.

 

[Bruce T.]

I topped the plant last Thursday. Took a damaged bottom lug leaf that was already half yellow on the stalk and color cured it in my container. Pretty light colored but heard that is normal with lower leaves. Stem still has some drying left to do. Will most likely prime and cure the same way in a larger container. One of the flowers survived long enough to bloom after topping.

The dried leaf look good. How much growing season do you have left there is Gaithersburg? When I grew some up here in Ontario the plants were 5' to 6' tall but I had to start them indoors so they would have an early start.

Are those holes in the leaves caused by bugs? That looks like it could be a problem.

 

[marshall9779]

The dried leaf look good. How much growing season do you have left there is Gaithersburg? When I grew some up here in Ontario the plants were 5' to 6' tall but I had to start them indoors so they would have an early start.

Are those holes in the leaves caused by bugs? That looks like it could be a problem.

Growing season is over I just started this later and decided to keep at it as a learning experience. I think PA broadleaf typically gets to about 4’ and mine is just shy of that and probably a bit smaller due to being potted vs in the ground. The holes are mostly due to acorns as I had it under the edge of an oak tree. Learned from that mistake but if I start earlier shouldn’t be a problem using that same spot in the yard next year since it should be about harvested by the time the acorns start dropping.


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[marshall9779]

Haven’t updated in a while. Been priming leaves one or two at a time. Lost 2 of my Seco leaves due to rot and mold. Let it stay too humid in my plastic tote that I’m using to color cure. Got a couple viso leaves just about done color during.


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[marshall9779]

Haven’t posted in forever but wanted to close this one out. This was such a great learning process but don’t think I will grow again until I have more time on my hands. Got three little ones with the youngest just turning one yesterday. Only ended up with 6 useable leaves from this plant. Enough to roll two cigars. Luckily had two halves from two leaves that were good enough to use as wrapper.

 

[Growley Monster]

Nicely done, and it ended well. In a year or so you will probably have a couple of very excellent special occasion stogies there. This is my first year growing. I have picked about 12 lbs (green weight) of Seco so far. Longest leaf so far was picked today, about 16" long, but my plants are mostly in the ground, growing in garden soil/compost except for a few in big planters and a raised bed. Even the ones I set out in 48 quart planters did not grow quite as big as the ones I put right in the ground, though they were close. I bet your leaves would have been two feet long or more if you had planted in a 4' x 8' raised bed. Bakky likes a little elbow room, it seems.

Hopefully the bug will bite again and you will be starting some seeds in a few months for spring planting! I fully intend to be a bad influence and enabler.

 

[marshall9779]

Forgot to update this. So I smoked one a few months ago. Did not go well. Dean thing was fire proof. Absolutely would not burn unless the torch was right on it. Also tasted like ass. I learned it could have been from the chlorine in my city water. I had no idea it would make tobacco not burn at all. I may try another plant or two this year and avoid watering with city water. Not sure if I can get away with using it up until a certain point in the grow or if I have to avoid completely.


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