Being a tobacco user, not only do I smoke every now and then, I also use tobaco as insecticide to counter aphides in my greenhouse and garden. Tobacco in these parts is pretty expensive - not to mention it contains chemical shit and flavours. To use expensive smoking tobacco for aphides is thus a waste of money. In my attempts to be as self-sufficient as possible, I decided to grow some tobacco of my own. I 'd try and show You how it goes.
First I got some tobacco seeds ( ordered via internet ) and some good soil with fair amount of compost content. I found a transparent plastic bucket for a mini greenhouse and my old trusty plant sprayer. I filled the bottom of my bucket to about an inch thick layer of soil. Since tobacco seeds are tiny, smaller than poppy seed I was qiute puzzled how am I going to sow those evenly. So I simply took my seeds nad sprinkled them as evenly as possible on top of the soil and sprayed it generously with mz plant sprayer. I topped another quarter of an inch of
soil on top of the seeds and sprayed again. I poked some holes in the lid of the bucket with a red-hot nail and closed my little greenhouse. Than I've placed it on southern window sill and gave it a nice spray of water every day. This I did two weeks after Christmass. After about 12 -14 days, tiny little plants showed up all around the bucket greenhouse. I gave them some two weeks to strenghten and started to pluck the weakest out with a pair of tweezers. I've sown 100 seeds and I estimated that for my tobacco needs, 10 full grown plants will be enough
for a year. I plucked the weakest plants out regulary every 2-3 days and after another two weeks they were supposedly strong enough for replanting to a special tray . So about five - six weeks after sowing, I had some 50 % of the plants that actualy did germinate removed. I plucked out mostly thin ones and those with smallest leaves. Then I prepared my special tray for seedlings, filled it with good soil and using a pair of tweezers replanted 18 of the strongest seedlings. Be warned, baby tobacco plants are weak and prone to die if not handled with
utmost care. If You squeeze the plant too much, it will break and die. So I had to try and pluck it out of the soil with roots covered in soil and then put it into new soil as gently as I could. Off course, doing this first time in my life resulted in only eleven plants surviving. So I had to replant another seven, out of which another two died. After my third attempt, I now have 18 plants each in its own separate cubicle. Now all I have to do is wait for them to grow and then plant them in my greenhouse. I suppose the end of April might be ideal. It makes no sense to plant these
outside in these parts, as the climate here is more cold than mild and tobacco, originating in south America if I am not mistaken, is happier about warmer environment. I am looking forward to rolling my first homegrown fag.
As soon as my plants grow bigger, I'd share more pics, sorry for the quality, I am a better craftsman than photographer : ) See You later...
As soon as my plants grow bigger, I'd share more pics, sorry for the quality, I am a better craftsman than photographer : ) See You later...
