Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Soil and Climate
• Part 2 of 4: Planting and Transplanting
• Part 3 of 4: Tobacco Grooming
• Part 4 of 4: Collecting and Drying Tobacco
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

For centuries, farmers and gardeners have grown tobacco for personal use and sale. Although today the vast majority of tobacco is grown and harvested by large corporations, it is also possible to do it yourself, provided you have the necessary knowledge and patience. Growing tobacco is not prohibited by law, but it is a rather complicated process. In this article, we'll show you how to get started.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Soil and Climate

1. 1 Be aware that tobacco can grow in almost any soil. Tobacco is a very picky plant. It grows wherever other crops are capable of growing, although it works best in a soil that is well drained. It is important to remember that the quality of tobacco is highly dependent on the soil: if the soil is light, the tobacco will be lighter, and if the soil is dark, it will be darker.
2. 2 It is best to grow tobacco in dry and warm climates. Between planting and collecting the leaves, 3-4 months should pass, during which there will be no frosts. The tobacco does not like heavy rains. Excess moisture makes the plant thin and fragile. It is recommended to grow tobacco at temperatures between 20 and 30 ° C.

Part 2 of 4: Planting and Transplanting

1. 1 Scatter the tobacco seeds over the sterilized seedling soil and lightly sprinkle with water. Take a small pot, preferably with holes in the bottom. Seeds should be germinated indoors for 4-6 weeks.
   • The seedling soil contains compost and other nutrients that help the seed germinate. This soil is sold in all gardening shops or in the garden section of supermarkets.
   • The tobacco seeds are very small (no larger than a pinhead), so be careful not to plant them too close. Leave enough space between the seeds so that the plant is not crowded.
   • Due to the small size of the seeds, it is not recommended to plant them in open soil. In addition, the nutrient requirements of tobacco seeds are different from those of other plants, so it is worth adding some special fertilizer or gravel to the soil.
   • Tobacco seeds germinate at 23–27 ° C. If you do not have a greenhouse, make sure that the room will always be at this temperature.
   • Do not cover the seeds with soil as they need light to germinate. If you cover the seeds with soil, they will germinate more slowly or will not germinate at all. Seeds usually germinate in 7-10 days.
2. 2 Water the soil regularly to keep it moist but not squishy. The soil should never completely dry out.
   • Water with great care, as the pressure of the water can rip germinated seeds out of the soil and kill them.
   • Water the seedlings from below if you can. If you are using a pot with holes in the bottom, place it in a saucer of water. Leave it on for a few seconds to soak the water into the soil. This will allow the plant to be watered without affecting the leaves.
3. 3 In three weeks transplant seedlings into a larger pot. If you did everything correctly, by this time the plants will already be large enough to transplant.
   • If plants are transplanted into a larger container, it will be easier for them to form a strong root system.
   • To check if the plants have reached the correct size, try grabbing them.If you can easily pinch the plant with your thumb and forefinger, it can be repotted. If the seedlings are still too small, do not replant them until they are old.
   • Transplanting seedlings directly into open soil is easier and faster, since you only need to transplant once, but this can stress the plant, and most of its largest leaves will turn yellow and fall off. After a week, the tobacco will start growing again, but it's better to protect it from stress and win the week by replanting the seedlings in a large pot.
4. 4 Water the seedlings with a special growth solution (for example, one that contains algae or fish emulsion). This will allow the plants to receive all the nutrients until they are transplanted into open soil after 3-4 weeks.
   • If the plant begins to turn yellow and wilt, another dose of fertilizer may be required. Do not overdo it with fertilization, as excess nutrients can burn the roots or cause plants to stretch too long.
5. 5 Prepare an area in the garden for planting grown seedlings. The place should be constantly in the sun, and the soil should be well-drained and loosened.
   • Lack of sunlight will slow down growth, the plants will turn out sluggish and thin. But if you plan on using tobacco leaves for cigars, there is nothing wrong with that, as shade-grown tobacco has the right characteristics for this application.
   • Check the acidity level of the soil. Tobacco grows well in moderately acidic soils with a pH of 5.8. If the pH is 6.5 or higher, the plant may not develop well.
   • Do not plant tobacco in soil that is infected with diseases and nematodes. Nematodes are parasitic worms that eat tobacco leaves and are very difficult to remove if the plant is infected with them.
6. 6 Transplant the tobacco into the soil in your garden. When the plants reach 15–20 cm in height and the frost period has passed, the tobacco can be transplanted into open ground. Plant the plants at least 60–90 cm apart in each row, and place the rows 105–120 cm apart.
   • Tobacco draws out all the nutrients from the soil in two years. Try to plant plants in new places every two years and give the soil at least a year to recover.
   • To avoid leaving space empty, alternate tobacco planting with plants that are not susceptible to infestation by soil-borne pests (such as corn or soybeans).

Part 3 of 4: Tobacco Grooming

1. 1 Water the tobacco thoroughly in the evening for several days in a row after transplanting. When the seedlings are fixed in the soil, watering can be done less frequently to prevent the accumulation of excess moisture in the soil.
   • Make sure that the soil is moist, but does not turn into liquid mud. If the area is likely to be dry, install an irrigation system. This will prevent the earth from drying out and the tobacco plants will not die.
   • If several days of light rain are expected, the soil can be watered less frequently. The structure of tobacco leaves allows it to collect and use the water that collects on them.
2. 2 Apply a low chlorine fertilizer that contains only nitrogen in the form of nitrate. Fertilizers for tomatoes, peppers and potatoes are also suitable.
   • Excess fertilizer is dangerous because it can disrupt the salt buildup. The amount of fertilizer will depend on its concentration, soil characteristics, leaching of nutrients from the soil and other subjective factors. There will be instructions on the fertilizer package - there you will find the correct dosage.
   • Fertilize the tobacco several times. When it begins to bloom, there will no longer be a need for fertilizer.
3. 3 Pinch the plant when it starts to bloom. To do this, cut off the apical bud. Cutting off the top allows the top leaves to grow larger and thicker.
   • The apical bud is the most prominent and is usually located at the top of the stem. This bud can be torn off or cut off, preferably before it blooms.
   • After removing the apical bud, new buds and shoots will appear on each leaf. Cut them off as well, otherwise they will degrade the quality and quantity of the leaves.
4. 4 Gently hoe the soil around the plants to get rid of weeds. Loosening the soil at the base of the plant will make it stronger.
   • Tobacco roots grow rapidly. Its root system is quite large, with hundreds of small roots-filaments that grow near the soil surface. Be careful when weeding or loosening, and do not immerse the hoe too deep to avoid hitting the roots.
   • After 3-4 weeks after planting, you need to stop carefully loosening the ground. Just run your hoe lightly over it to kill the weeds.
5. 5 Treat the plants with special tobacco pesticides if pests or rot appear on the leaves. Most often, leaf rollers, caterpillars and pathogens are found on tobacco.
   • Tobacco is susceptible to infection by a wide variety of insects and infections. Transplanting a plant to a new location can reduce the risk of infection, but there is no guarantee.
   • If the plant is still sick, buy tobacco-specific pesticides from your garden supply store. There are different brands of pesticides; remember that some fight insects, while others only kill the fungus. Find the remedy that works best for your situation.

Part 4 of 4: Collecting and Drying Tobacco

1. 1 Cut the plant along with the stem without removing the leaves. You can also cut only the leaves, leaving the stems in the garden. The tobacco can be harvested approximately 3 months after planting.
   • Cut the stems 3-4 months after pinching. The lower leaves by this time have already partially collapsed. If only leaves are removed, take 1–2 weeks breaks between harvests and start with the lower leaves. For the first time, the leaves should be cut shortly after the apical bud is removed, when they turn slightly yellow.
   • The flowers will slow down the growth of the leaves and compete with them for sunlight. It is important to break them off to get a large sheet.
   • Do not tear the leaves themselves as they will need to be hung during the drying process. Drying is essential as it prepares the leaves for consumption. The drying process reveals the properties of the leaf that give the tobacco a hay, tea, rose oil or fruit flavor. Drying also makes the tobacco softer.
2. 2 Hang the leaves in a well-ventilated, warm, damp place. A suitable temperature is 18–25 ° C and a humidity of 65–70%.
   • Place the stems far enough apart so that all the leaves can dry.
   • The drying process will take several weeks. If the tobacco dries too quickly, it will be green and unlikely to have a rich flavor and aroma. Leaves that take too long to dry can become moldy or rotten. Watch the leaves constantly to prevent this, and adjust the temperature and humidity as needed.
   • If you are drying the plant as a whole, cut the leaves off the stem when it is dry.
   • Drying is best done in a room that can be opened and closed to control temperature and humidity levels. Some farmers who grow their own tobacco sell special hand-made drying tools.
   • Air drying is used for leaves intended for cigars. Leaves can be dried by fire, in the sun and in a chimney. It takes 10-13 weeks to dry the tobacco by fire, and these leaves are used to make pipe tobacco and chewing tobacco. Sun-dried and chimney-dried tobacco is used in cigarettes.
3. 3 Cure the tobacco under conditions similar to drying. Commercially produced tobacco usually matures for a year or more, but homemade tobacco can take 5-6 years.
   • The holding process will not start if the temperature and humidity are not suitable. If the tobacco is too dry, the aging process will not start, and if it is too wet, it will start to rot. Unfortunately, there is no single recipe for the correct selection of temperature and humidity, so you have to find out everything experimentally.
   • Watch the leaves as they mature to keep them moist but not rot. Exposure is not an exact science, so you will need to make adjustments from time to time.
   • It is not necessary to age the tobacco, but be aware that unaged tobacco is usually harsh and does not have a pleasant aroma.

Tips

• The types and amounts of fertilizer, watering frequency, and pest control depend on your climate and location. Check with local experts and read articles on the specifics of growing tobacco in your area.
• Some people harvest tobacco several times during the season and remove each layer of leaves when they reach the appropriate length. From your own experience, you will understand whether it is worth collecting leaves from your plants or cutting them along with the stem.

Warnings

• Tobacco pests are often different from the insects that spoil other plants, so be sure to use the pests that do not harm other crops.
• Do not grow tobacco in the same place more than once every 4-5 years. This will allow the soil to restore the nutrient needed for tobacco.

What do you need

• Tobacco seed
• Shovel
• Pot
• garden plot
• Fertilizer
• Damp, warm, well-ventilated area