Smoking tobacco growing from seeds and when to collect. Features of growing tobacco in the garden for smoking
Smoking cigarettes is very bad habit. In our country, there is practically no real tobacco on the cigarette market. Everything is saturated with deadly chemicals and various flavorings. Another thing is real, personally grown tobacco, which is guaranteed to be free of harmful impurities. You can try to grow your own tobacco, in terms of quality and taste, it is simply not comparable to what they sell us in the store. You can grow tobacco right on your own plot; the growing process is similar to the process of growing tomatoes. Just like tomatoes, tobacco needs to be planted as seedlings, picked, and planted in the ground. In this article we will talk about the process of planting tobacco seedlings, we will talk about planting dates, how to plant correctly, etc.
Timing for planting tobacco seedlings
The birthplace of tobacco South America. The plant is heat-loving and ripens quite late. Therefore, in Russia, tobacco should be planted first as seedlings. The timing of planting seedlings is early spring. The packet of seeds tells you when to plant. Some seeds are planted in March, some in April. Follow the notes on the seed packet.
Container for planting tobacco
Plant tobacco in small shallow containers. Disposable cups, sour cream cups, butter cups, etc. are perfect for these. You can also buy special containers for seedlings in the store for summer residents; they are inexpensive.
Soil preparation
Before sowing, you need to properly prepare the soil. Tobacco loves fertile soil. 2-3 days before planting, you need to warm it up well and disinfect it. The earth needs to be watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
It is advisable to buy a special universal soil for seedlings in the store. With this soil you need to mix ordinary disinfected soil from the garden in a ratio of 1 to 1. Add a little wood ash to the resulting mixture.
Agricultural technology
Agricultural planting technology, in general, is quite simple, but has some very important points, which you need to pay attention to. Tobacco seeds are very small, you need to be careful when planting.
First you need to do drainage. At the bottom of the container you need to pour eggshells or small pebbles in a layer of 1 centimeter. Then you need to pour the soil, lightly compact it and water it generously. Now you need to very carefully, straight from the bag, pour the seeds evenly into the container. In this case, you need to be extremely careful.
All that remains is to cover it with soil. Sprinkle with a very small amount of soil, a layer of no more than 1 millimeter. To create a greenhouse effect, the container should be covered with film. This way the seeds will sprout faster. Tobacco usually germinates within 3-5 days. After it has risen, the container must be placed on the windowsill and the film removed.
Planting tobacco seeds for seedlings is a very responsible process; the timing of germination will depend on this.
Growing tobacco at home or in the country is not at all difficult; this crop has no more special features than ordinary vegetables from the garden. But the only thing you will have to struggle with is the post-harvest processing of tobacco - fermentation so that it acquires a more pronounced aroma. This process not difficult, but can be time consuming.
The tobacco plant (Nicotiana) is a genus or perennial plants, which belong to the nightshade family. Nowadays, tobacco is grown to obtain raw materials for production. tobacco products. By itself, tobacco is very heat-loving; its comfortable temperature is about 30 degrees Celsius. To successfully grow tobacco on a personal plot, in a garden or in a country house, you need to take care of the composition of the soil, since tobacco prefers moist, light, sandy soil. More details on how to grow tobacco will be written below.
Facts about tobacco: tobacco is valuable because it contains nicotine. This substance is concentrated in all parts of this plant (the largest amount is in the leaves - from 0.7 to 3%). Nicotine is a potent neurotoxin and cardiotoxin that, when exposed to the human body, causes short-term euphoria. Systematic use of tobacco can cause addiction.
As the Ministry of Health warns, nicotine is very toxic and contains many carcinogenic substances. It is not without reason that smoking tobacco is one of the main causes of lung cancer, so smoking is dangerous to health.
Varieties
Today, ordinary tobacco has a huge number of different varieties. Over the past 25 years, specialists in this field have managed to develop more than 20 new varieties that are characterized by productivity and increased resistance to various diseases. As in the case of growing vegetables, growing smoking tobacco in your garden or dacha, or in an equipped greenhouse, requires choosing a suitable variety that can take root in the existing conditions.
Planting seeds
The technology for growing tobacco is not complicated, and any person who is far from smoking will be able to independently grow tobacco in their garden or garden, and not necessarily to obtain smoking raw materials, but simply as a ornamental plant. To begin with, they advise you to try growing several bushes of this plant to evaluate your capabilities and become familiar with all the nuances of growing tobacco on your site. To do this, you will only need a small amount of seeds, which can be bought online or in a specialty store. Tobacco seeds are as small as dust; there are about 12 thousand of them in one gram.
In order to grow tobacco and get a high-quality harvest that can provide the annual requirement of one smoking person, it is enough to plant only 0.25 grams of tobacco seeds. After this, there will be no need to buy seeds, because they can be obtained from the harvested crop.
From 2-3 bushes of grown tobacco, you can get enough seeds to sow an entire hectare of land. TO positive properties tobacco seeds can be attributed to their long-term germination. 
In addition to direct sowing of the soil, tobacco seeds can be planted in small pots to produce seedlings. Ideal age seedlings are 40-45 days.
To grow large volumes of tobacco, it is sown directly into the ground in warm climates. Or they are grown in special greenhouses and nurseries. Seeds must be sown superficially, scattered on moist soil.
Experts advise sowing seeds to a depth of 0.7-0.8 centimeters. After sowing, you can water lightly, but so that the seeds are not washed away and do not go deep into the ground.
Planting seedlings
The ideal seedling is considered to be one that has reached 15 centimeters in height and has 5-6 fully developed leaves. In addition, you should pay attention to the condition of the root system. Before transferring seedlings from the windowsill to open ground, you should make sure that there will be no more spring frosts outside, and that the soil has warmed up to 10 degrees or higher.
Depending on the region, planting dates may differ, but the optimal time is considered to be the end of April - the end of May. About a week before transplanting the seedlings into the ground, they are hardened off, reducing watering and acclimating them to the open air outside. Watering is stopped completely 3-4 days before planting, but before planting (2-3 hours) abundant watering is carried out while still in the pots.
The seedlings are planted in separate holes, into which 1 liter of water is poured in advance. Any transplant is stressful for the plant, and to avoid serious complications, it is best to keep the earth ball on the root system.
Care methods
Caring for tobacco bushes that grow in a country house or garden is much easier than caring for tobacco in the field. During the period of active growth, tobacco requires regular loosening of the soil, weeding, watering and fertilizing. You can apply fertilizers based on the norms for fertilizing ordinary tomatoes.
The watering regime is limited to 2-3 waterings throughout the summer, with a consumption of 7-8 liters of water per plant, but exactly how much moisture is required will depend on the weather conditions of the region in which the plant grows.
Soil requirements
Tobacco is best planted in fresh soil; if there is none, it can be planted after fallow, or after winter crops that have other requirements for nutrients soil. Considering such factors, it is not advisable to plant tobacco after beets or potatoes. The best view The soil is considered sandy loam, which is enriched with potassium and nitrogen - substances that are necessary for tobacco. The negative side of growing smoking or ornamental tobacco is the fact that it depletes the soil, but adding fertilizer can correct this situation. The best fertilizer for tobacco is considered to be cow manure or bird droppings.
Cleaning begins at the time when the color of the leaves begins to change from green to yellow-green. Because one bush may have leaves different color, harvesting is often delayed for quite a long time.
Possible pests and diseases
Smoking tobacco very often becomes a victim of the influence of certain types of pests and diseases. The main ones include gnawing cutworms, wireworms, beetles, aphids, etc.
Peach aphid, for example, is capable of colonizing in all parts of the plant. It gradually absorbs all the juices from the plant, which will ultimately lead to a decrease in the yield and quality of the resulting raw materials after harvesting.
Blackleg– very often leads to mass death of seedlings. The base of the stem begins to become thinner and rots. A brown or white coating may be noticeable on the affected areas.
Powdery mildew – fungal disease, which develops after planting tobacco in open soil. On the leaves that sprout on the bottom row, individual specific spots (powdery coating) become visible. Over time, this plaque becomes more dense and eventually spreads to the entire foliage. The fungus is able to survive winter frosts on plant debris.
Black root rot- a disease that is more typical for seedlings, but adult specimens often suffer. Seedlings that have become infected with black rot have limp leaves that turn yellow and dry out over time. When examining the roots, you can notice their blackening and death. In adult tobacco that grows in open ground, the leaves also wither, and black and white spots appear on the root system.
Bacterial grouse– oily or weeping spots begin to appear at the tips of the foliage of young seedlings, or along the edges of the leaves of an adult plant. If the weather is damp outside, they begin to rot and can infect neighboring plants. The pathogen can survive in leaves, tobacco dust and on garden tools that were used in the care process.
Tobacco Processes
In addition to proper cultivation, the quality of the preparation of smoking tobacco also plays a significant role, namely its drying and fermentation after harvesting. If a person has never smoked, it will be a little difficult for him to navigate the degree of readiness of the dried leaves. It can either not be dried completely or rot.
Drying: Immediately after the tobacco harvest is completed, the leaves must be hung to dry in a well-ventilated room. Experts advise installing a small container of water in the same room to make the air more humid. The leaves should dry for about 1 month. After this period of time has ended, the leaves need to be moistened with a spray bottle and placed in piles, covered with polyethylene, kept in this state for about 24 hours to ensure uniform moistening.
In the end, the leaves should be soft, but not wet. The next step processing is cutting into small pieces, placing them in an airtight glass container (for example, a jar), for fermentation.
Fermentation: is a process that is carried out while maintaining constant temperature in the region of 50 degrees Celsius for several weeks. Smoking tobacco is fermented to reduce its strength and change its taste. better side, reducing the concentration of nicotine and tar.
This procedure can be carried out using an electric oven, which allows you to maintain a temperature of +50-60 degrees. It is more convenient to dry the cut leaves.
Ultimately, growing tobacco can bring a lot of fruit, and will also significantly reduce the costs of a smoker. Tobacco can be smoked using a regular smoking pipe or wrapped in ordinary cigarettes (today, special cigarette wrapping machines and tissue paper are sold in the public domain). And the most interesting thing that can be done with tobacco leaves is a cigar - the process is simple and very interesting.
Many gardeners have come up with the idea of growing natural smoking tobacco in their garden or backyard. However, such tobacco requires careful attention and care. Before planting tobacco seeds, you need to familiarize yourself with some recommendations, as well as the basic rules for planting and proper care of this plant. So, to grow tobacco you need:
1. Grow seedlings
High-quality planting of plants is carried out only through seedlings. To grow tobacco seedlings you need:
Already in mid-March, plant tobacco seeds in a warm place (at least 19 C);
If smoking tobacco is being planted, its seedlings should be planted in peat;
Before planting, mix small seeds with dry sand;
Distribute the seeds as evenly as possible over the ground in the tray;
Do not cover the tobacco seeds with soil, but press them slightly into the ground;
Ensure good lighting is allowed in the area where the seedlings grow;
Cover the tray with a glass lid or transparent cellophane;
The first shoots will appear in 2 weeks; after 3 weeks, almost every tobacco plant will have its first leaf. All this time, the soil moisture should be regulated (the soil should be neither dry nor wet);
If second leaves begin to appear on the tobacco, it means it’s time to replant each specimen in separate small containers with soil;
Watering should be done as the soil dries out;
Before planting in garden soil, seedlings must be hardened off.
2. Choose the right quality variety.
The most preferred variety for growing in the garden is aromatic tobacco. It is also used as a smoking mixture after collecting and drying. During flowering, it will not perform a decorative function, as it has an unremarkable appearance. But there will be plenty of aroma and fragrance. In addition, fragrant tobacco, due to the phytoncides it contains, will protect other garden crops from pests. Other types of tobacco that do not have strong phytoncides cannot be planted next to potatoes, since the resulting tobacco pest affects the root crops.
3. Determine landing time
Smoking tobacco should be planted early in the summer season, but stable warmth should already be established.
4. Make a correct landing
Tobacco should not be planted under trees, sheds, or other areas that receive insufficient sunlight. This plant loves loose, fertile soil. During planting, an exact distance of 20 cm should be maintained between plants. Immediately after planting, the tobacco must be watered and fed. The second feeding is carried out only when the plant begins to bloom.
Today, most of the world's population cannot imagine their lives without smoking. This bad habit confidently binds you more and more more people. Some prefer cigarettes, others would not trade their pipe for anything. Human, pipe smoking, enjoys not only the smoking process itself, but also caring for his pipe. For such tobacco gourmets, preparing for smoking turns into a whole ritual. They slowly fill it with tobacco and carefully clean and polish it after smoking.
Many smokers grow their own. This interesting activity becomes a real hobby for them. Gardeners often grow tobacco along with other plants that benefit humans, heal and delight the eye.
Tobacco varieties
Due to the fact that growing tobacco has become quite a popular activity, breeders have taken care of a variety of tobacco varieties. The exclusive seeds of this plant allow you to grow tobacco that is difficult to distinguish from real Cuban varieties.
If you do not have a garden plot, but have a great desire to grow smoking tobacco, then this can be done even at home on the windowsill. You can sow cigar tobacco or shag. There are a huge number of varieties of tobacco.
- For those who decide to grow pipe tobacco, the Orinoco variety is perfect. It is a classic smoking tobacco with the taste of prunes and aromatic vanilla. Its cultivation does not require special knowledge or care.
- Another favorite among smokers is Kentucky. It is ideal for cigars and roll-your-own cigarettes and burns well in a pipe. Its taste walnut and chocolate will give real pleasure to tobacco connoisseurs. Kentucky surpasses all other varieties in terms of nicotine content. This tobacco does not require fermentation, is easy to use, and is dried, steamed and cut for smoking.
- The American variety is easy to grow. It is designed for pipes and cigars. Despite the high cost of its seeds, there are many fans of this variety. This classic smoking tobacco is practically disease-free and requires minimal watering. Due to its spicy taste, it is often used as part of smoking mixtures, which allows you to get a magical aroma.
- Unique is the Perique variety, aged in oak barrels.
IN wildlife More than 60 species of this plant grow, but as cultivated plant Only two types are grown in Russia: Verginsky tobacco and Makhorka. The first type loves warmth; growing it is problematic and expensive. Therefore, Makhorka has become a real favorite of gardeners. It is otherwise called Village Tobacco precisely because it is easy to grow on your own plot.
Planting and growing smoking tobacco
Growing tobacco on garden plot, gardeners often face a lot of problems. Seeds are sown for seedlings in winter; only after three and a half months do the first shoots appear. Every day, smoking tobacco plants need weeding, loosening, fertilizing and tying up the stems. The difficulty of caring for tobacco is that it reaches a height of 3 meters. Shag is much easier to grow.
Tobacco seeds are sown as seedlings in flower pots or wooden boxes with nutritious soil, which are installed in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. It is better to soak the seeds first so that they hatch a little. Soak them for a day in a warm clean water. You can add some potassium nitrate crystals or a couple of drops of tartaric acid to the water. This way you can increase the yield of tobacco.
After a day, the seeds are washed and left in a warm place for 4 days for germination. The sprouted seeds are dried, mixed with fine sand or humus and placed in boxes. When planting seeds in the ground, it is important to monitor the planting depth. Shag should not be deeper than 0.5 cm, and tobacco should not be deeper than 0.8 cm. Before and after sowing, water the soil through a thick sieve.
Periodically, seedlings are fed with mineral fertilizers or chicken droppings. When it reaches 15 cm in height, you can begin planting it in open ground. A week before planting, seedlings need to be accustomed to open air and less watering.
Care and protection from diseases
So, in the second half of spring, tobacco is planted in open ground. Now it is important to take proper care of it. Like other plants, smoking tobacco needs regular loosening of the soil, removal of weeds, timely watering, etc.
During the growing season, tobacco is watered at the rate of 6-8 liters of water per plant. Two or three waterings per summer are enough. Plants that bloom must have their tops and side shoots broken off.
Various solutions are used to combat diseases. If aphids appear on your plants, treat them with Actelik at the rate of 30 grams of the product per 10 liters of water or with Rogor at the rate of 20 grams per 10 liters. A 0.3 percent solution of polycarbacin or a 0.4 percent suspension of zineb will do an excellent job of treating peronosporosis.
Growing smoking tobacco is a very difficult task, but the result is worth it. After all, tobacco grown with my own hands, has an indescribable special aroma that is not at all similar to cigarettes from the store.
Despite the fact that tobacco seeds are very, very small, they have enough high percent germination, which persists for many years, as well as high germination energy. There are several reasons why high-quality seeds do not germinate. I will list them:
1. Deep placement of seeds into the soil.
How to plant tobacco seeds correctly: Tobacco seeds are sown superficially, scattering them on slightly moist, but not damp soil. After sowing, they are only slightly pressed into the ground with the tip of a finger. Then the soil is lightly sprayed from a spray bottle. It is impossible to water in any other way, otherwise, together with large volume water, the seeds will go deep underground through the pores in the soil. Tobacco seeds sprout in the light, but if the seedling containers are placed in a dark place, the seedlings will appear much later. To reduce the evaporation of water from the surface of the container, cover it with polyethylene. Twice a day it must be removed for half an hour for ventilation.
2. Low temperature soil and air in the room where tobacco seedlings are grown.
What temperature is optimal: Optimal temperature for the germination of tobacco seeds from plus 23 to plus 28. Ideally, this is plus 25. Tobacco is a southern plant, so if the room temperature is from plus 18 to plus 22, this can delay the emergence of seedlings for several weeks. And at temperatures from plus 10 to plus 15, they may not sprout at all (they will simply rot). Therefore, look for a place indoors where it is light and warm. I usually place the planting containers on a high (under the ceiling) shelf in the kitchen, where it is warm and light. And before germination, I don’t move it to the windowsill, where it is always a little cooler than in the back of the room.
3. High soil moisture.
What is the optimal humidity: Tobacco seeds, in addition to water, also need air, or in other words, they must breathe. Without access to air, they suffocate and rot. Optimal humidity is achieved by shallow planting of seeds in the soil (see point 1), rare watering only in the pan, and ventilation. And of course the composition of the soil itself. If you sow seeds in loamy soil, nothing good will come of it. The soil should be sandy loam. Ideally, this is a mixture of turf soil with well-rotted and sifted humus in a ratio of three to one (three parts of sandy loam turf soil and one part of well-rotted and sifted humus). If you do not have turf soil and humus, you can buy ready-made soil in the store, but it must be improved before sowing. Sift it through a large mesh sieve to get rid of peat clots, sticks, etc. Add vermiculite to it (also sold in the store) at the rate of two glasses of vermiculite per 5 liters of peat soil and one glass of vermicompost (which can also be bought in the store). This mixture will be identical to sod-humus.
Now about the landing itself point by point:
1. Prepare everything you need: soil, planting containers and trays for them, pieces of polyethylene, a spray bottle with water at room temperature, bags of seeds.
2. Fill the seedling containers with slightly damp soil (it should not get your hands dirty). The filling should not be loose, but slightly compacted. Fill, leaving about five millimeters to the edge of the container. Place filled containers on pallets.
3. Ideally level the surface of the soil in the containers.
5. Using your fingertip, lightly press the seeds into the soil.
6. Spray the crops a little from the spray bottle (two or three presses on its handle will be enough)
7. Cover the containers with plastic so that the polyethylene does not touch the soil.
8. Pour some water into the pan to moisten the soil from below.
9. Place it all in a warm, bright place (for example, on the top shelf in the kitchen)
That's all. Do not forget to lift the polyethylene twice a day for half an hour for ventilation.
Water only in the pan, or on the surface of the soil. This type of watering can be conveniently done with a medicinal bulb:
Dmitry Gusev.