M14 Forum

huntinghawk

Taxes on cigarettes have become an economic disaster to those that smoke. To save money on smoking I had been buying RYO (Roll Your Own) tobacco (Bugler). But this year the tax on it has doubled.

So I've been researching growing & processing my own tobacco which is legal.

I found some good links & will post later if anyone is interested.

Was wondering if anyone here has any experience in this.

HH

huntinghawk

http://www.ryomagazine.com/july/review.htm

http://www.seedman.com/Tobacco.htm

http://www.howtogrowtobacco.com/

HH

tmcfalls

I have plenty of experience growing it but only one bad experience trying to smoke it. It is a lot of work to grow it, but probably won't be too bad on a scale just big enough to provide one person with smokes.

What do you have questions about?

huntinghawk

Just wondering if I would be best off building a work bench & putting them in grow pots after seeds are germinated versus planting them in the ground.

Thinking of converting a portable cart port for growing that I can cover with clear plastic in the winter so can grow all year round. The car ports are 10x20 so would have roughly two 20ft long grow benches.

HH

huntinghawk

Darn there are alot of variables in calculating how much to plant. 2-4oz of finished tobacco from each plant that is 100% variable to start off with. And grow time is 110-165 days which is another huge variable.

HH

tmcfalls

I don't know if pots will work or not, tobacco puts down a pretty extensive root network and sucks up a lot of nutrients, I think a pot my hamper that too much.

When building your benches keep in mind that a mature tobacco plant is going to be 6' + tall.

If you have room for a garden I personally would start my plants in a float bed and transplant them to grow outside during the spring and summer growing season. If you have enough room I would just plant enough to last all year and only fool with it once a year. I think it will be more efficient and less bothersome to just put out a little more instead of trying to double crop it.

Have you thought about where you are going to hang and cure it come harvest time?

tmcfalls

You should be ready to top the plants about 90 days after you transplant them (if you get them set in a timely manner), after topping you let them grow about another two weeks (you will probably have to "sucker" (remove the secondary growth) the plants during that time unless you use chemicals, then you will be ready to cut and hang the plants to cure them.

Curing time will depend up on the weather and you will have to judge it by the stems in the leaves. After it is cured you will have to catch it on a day with enough moisture in the air to make the leaves soft enough to handle without damage. After that you can remove the leaves and process them as you need to.

huntinghawk

I've two good options here for hanging & curing.
One is basically an open air work shop.
Other is a 20ft shipping container.
Another option is like a hot box for welding rods. Plywood box with a light bulb in it.

I can easily do two growing seasons here & avoid frost.

Using the grow pots I just rather keep the plants off the ground away from critters. I had read an article about a guy in Alaska that does his own & only grows them in a green house up off the ground in pots. I figure to use the plastic nursery pots with the drain holes in the bottom.

Would be alot easier on the back having the plants somewhat elevated.

HH

huntinghawk

We normally have our first frost here about Thanksgiving so will probably wait till spring to plant. But I can start getting ready.

Batch of mixed seeds is plenty cheap at $24.50 + shipping for 1,000 seeds.

huntinghawk

At a rough, I figure my first cigarettes would be $16.10/carton. Subsequent would cost less as cost of lumber for framing shelfs, pots, potting soil, etc start paying for themselves.
Once set up, figure under $10/carton.

Read up on what to use for shredding the tobacco. Several choices but I think I'm going to go with a quality paper shredder.

HH

tmcfalls

Here in KY it is typically housed in barns with vent doors cut at intervals to allow more or less air flow through depending upon temp. and humidity. Where you are at you will just have to play with humidity and temp. for a few seasons to get the desired cure you want.

Also instead of curing it on the stalk it might be easier for you to pick the leaves off the stalk green, run a wire through them and dry only the leaves.

With the exception aphids and tobacco worms you won't have to worry about animals bothering it, they might knock a few leaves off the stalks but no animal is going to eat it. If you handle green leaves you will learn why.

As far as growing season goes, if you have room, I think you will be better off raising as much as you will need for a year at one time, other wise you have a bunch of labor twice a year instead of once. I think no more than a single person can smoke you can easily raise enough with one crop.

Just make sure you have enough head room for plants that will get 6-7 feet tall. Also keep in mind that you have to reach the top of them to pull the bud out toward the end of the growing season.

tmcfalls

How do hobbyist remove the stems from the leaves?

tmcfalls

The seed is a little high, but that is probably because it is specialty seed.

Check this place out for float bed supplies and coated seed.

http://www.londontobacco.com/greenhouse.shtml

The University of Kentucky extension service is probably one of the best sources of info on Burley tobacco you will find. Most of it will be tailored to KYs climate though.

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Tobacco/

huntinghawk

I very much like the idea of growing a mix. Best tasting smokes are a mix. And there is using the flavor enhancers also.

Cutting the center stem out depends on the person & how much you are harvesting at a time. Some use sissors. Some lay the leaf on a board & cut with a razor knife. Still others set a razor blade into a piece of wood & pull the leaves threw.
I think I'll be using a piece of plywood & a razor knife. Faster then sissors but safer then an embeded razor blade.

HH

huntinghawk

With Obama's latest Pact Act the tax on unfinished tobacco doubled. Made the tax on raw tobacco like Buglar & Kite almost as high as a cartoon of cigarettes. He also outlawed mail order cigarettes & raw tobacco for cigarettes.

Bugler jumped from $24 per can to $41 per can. That is a healthy tax increase. But get about two cartons out of a can. And commercial cigarettes start at $40 per carton here.
So investment of stuff to get started should be mostly recovered with the first harvest. And until harvest time, only would require a few minutes per day.

HH