Anyone Here Grow Your Own Tobacco?

[TorturedSoul]

I've been thinking about growing my own tobacco. Outside, since it's perfectly legal to grow your own in the US (just not to sell it), so I'd guess I've missed the boat for this year. But since every attempt to quit leaves me a wreck - a smoking one at that - I'm thinking I might try some pure tobacco instead of tobacco plus 416 chemicals/etc. that are in the average commercially-available cigarette. If nothing else, IF I can make the switch, quitting ought to be 100X easier, since many of those additional substances are either addictive or increase the addictiveness of what they're packaged with. And having a ready supply of fresh/cured tobacco at hand would allow me to explore other options than just smoking. Nicotine does have health benefits, after all. And it'd be nice to save the money that I currently spend on up to three packs/week. (Would be more, much more, but... poor, lol.)

So, anyway, I never realized that there were so very many tobacco varieties available in seed form until today when I started looking into it. Does anyone have any recommendations?

If anyone has a method for making menthol cigarettes, that'd be appreciated, too. I can grow a source for menthol, just not real sure how to extract and add it to the tobacco. Steam extraction, maybe? IDK.

 

[DrDoob]

I have no answers but I’m also interested in growing my own, so I’ll sub along.

 

[TorturedSoul]

I've already read conflicting information about germinating the seeds. Some say they need darkness, like most seeds. Others say - and I believe this is the correct way - that you're supposed to sprinkle them onto the medium and NOT cover them, because they require light for germination.

The seeds are tiny, lol. Looks like they make radish seeds appear to be boulders. One seed pod has hundreds, possibly thousands - and they sell the things for like $3 for 100.

 

[DrDoob]

Well I ordered some Virginia 116 seeds, along with some flowers. They said like you to not bury the seeds. I guess I’d better read up on what to do. I don’t suppose they’d grow in hempy pots, but I got 1 gram of seeds for $3 so I’m bound to find out.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Maybe BIG hempy pots, lol?

I thought of mixing seeds with flour or sand to aid in spreading - but worry that suchlike will end up covering the tiny buggers. IF I ever get to the point where dropping a few dollars on a hobby becomes an option (next year, oh please, oh please, lol?), then I will probably wash hands and wipe them with alcohol, allow to dry, and then carefully drop one or two seeds at a time by hand.

The "keep damp, don't allow to dry, and keep uncovered" seems somewhat of a difficult combination outdoors. Thankfully, Seran Wrap exists .

I hadn't much hope that I'd find someone actually growing tobacco - and now I've given someone the nudge that they needed to commence! That feels nice, lol. Please keep us updated. And thank you.

 

[Scottsquatch]

I actually thought about this a few years back, but I seem to have kicked the habit other than the occasional social cigarette. If you have any luck with it, let us know. I find it very interesting.

 

[TorturedSoul]

LOL at "social cigarette." These days, that has become a bit of an oxymoron. I ended up not getting the seeds. I've been putting a little more effort into smoking cessation due mostly to my health. As cigarettes are the one thing (out of... many) that I've had trouble quitting at will - and that thing having become a serious 35-year addiction) - I don't think it'd be the wisest move to begin growing tobacco at this time.

I am still interested in nicotine's health and insecticidal benefits, but am not going to be growing it until some time after I manage to walk away from my menthol cigarettes.

 

[Scottsquatch]

You a Newport man?

 

[DrDoob]

I got too scared off by the Tabacco Mosic Virus stuff to grow the seeds then when I got over it I couldn’t find them. Maybe this spring I’ll get over my paranoia.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Was Kool for many years. Then decided to try saving money by machine-rolling my own - which would have worked great, except that they seemed almost as strong as the Kools did (and they were ranked second-strongest in the marketplace for quite a while ) and cheap enough that I was able to smoke as many as I wanted at the time. It was not unusual to leave for work with a full 60-space tin of cigarettes and return home that night with... well, not a whole lot left, I'll put it that way. I just ended up smoking all day, every day - at home, at work, in the car, fishing... Everywhere but the table, having sex, and (mostly) when taking a shower. I've cut down a lot since then; might already be dead if I hadn't, because I started early. Can't seem to entirely quit though, even after going without many times because I literally didn't have the money for a pack.

I got too scared off by the Tabacco Mosic Virus stuff to grow the seeds

Yeah, me too. It's not something that cannabis (/tomato/etc.) growers want to experience. With excellent garden hygiene and segregation, it'd be doable and probably not all that stressful. But I have limited space and not the best luck in the world.

then when I got over it I couldn’t find them.

I really shouldn't laugh. I've got cannabis seeds hidden in... huh. I'm really not sure how many places. And I'm planning to gather up the autoflowering ones tomorrow to pick out the next contestants. Hope I can remember where they're all stashed.

Maybe this spring I’ll get over my paranoia.

I'd be interested in that. If you do a journal in this section - and remember - please post a link to it.

 

[Joe Brewster]

Well I ordered some Virginia 116 seeds, along with some flowers. They said like you to not bury the seeds. I guess I’d better read up on what to do. I don’t suppose they’d grow in hempy pots, but I got 1 gram of seeds for $3 so I’m bound to find out.

I believe this is the correct way - that you're supposed to sprinkle them onto the medium and NOT cover them, because they require light for germination.

Wet seed starter soilless dirt so that when squeezed doe's not drip put in container sprinkle seed, place in clear bag & place on heat mat under light . check daily, mist lightly if soil starts to dry, when sprouted slowly harden off by decreasing heat & humidity.
I'll be starting my yearly flower & vegetable seedlings tomorrow

 

[I'mOne]

My grandpa said his grandpa always planted them after burning a brush pile. He would scatter the seeds on the warm ashy ground.

 

[I'mOne]

I have always wanted to try it but thought i could get busted...

 

[I'mOne]

My grandpa said his grandpa always planted them after burning a brush pile. He would scatter the seeds on the warm ashy ground.

He also said to "plant when the hickory leaves are the size of a squirrels ear"

 

[Weaselcracker]

I have grown a bunch of tobacco over the years. A few kinds, I don’t remember which other than the Hopi tobacco -which was good and quite strong. It comes up every year as a minor weed in my greenhouse - Alaskan climate. Easy to grow.
I always got a bit hung up on the curing method and that’s why I didn’t grow it more. It’s really not at all good for smoking without a good cure- which isn’t as easy as weed where you more or less just throw it in a jar and wait.
You can find info on large scale curing methods online, but when it comes to small scale I kind of got stuck on the process - basically meant building a special sweat curing box and putting a bunch of of effort into sweating this tobacco as it dried- and I got distracted with other things in life.
However- the development of cob-fermenting by vac-seal has since solved that hurdle. I’m 100% sure cobbing it would work very well. Unfortunately I’ve quit smoking now though so don’t have a need to cure tobacco anymore.

 

[DrDoob]

I

I’m 100% sure cobbing it would work very well.

I looked it up last year before I lost the seeds it seemed like Black Cavendish was a very similar process to cobs.

 

[HydroponicFireman]

I would like to grow my own ceremonial tobacco....I'll be keeping an eye on this thread but wont be able to try and sprout some tobacco for at least a few months.