# UPDATE: Damn Tobacco Seeds



## pawpaw

I've been gingerly caring for this year's new crop (exhibit A). Tenderly watering, placing the lot outside then bringing them in each night, etc.
My neighbor, who I gave a plant to last year, saved some seeds, then two months ago, simply threw them in the original bucket his gift came in.
Dammit! (exhibit B). You can even see the stalk from last year's plant. Everyone who was sent seeds & instructions should really be p**sed about this new development, as I am. 
He simply poured a couple cups of water in the bucket every week- and nothing else! I just can't win.......


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## mdprepper

Actually, this gives me hope! I am known for my ability to kill all growing things (Hubby is surprised the kids have made it this long! ). Maybe my brown thumb won't hinder me with the tobacco seeds!


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## Immolatus

Ive got mine in an outdoor greenhouse, and just for kicks threw some in vaious spots around outside.
How long will the leftover seeds stay viable, and how should I keep them? Its not 'many', but I'm hoping I can pass some along.


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## pawpaw

Indefinitely, I guess. Both batches in my pics (as well as MDprepper's) were saved from last year AND the year before. I guess I'm superstitious- I'm throwing a few dozen in a WHITE paint bucket just like he did. It's plain that there are plenty of active smaller plants under the fastest growers in the bucket. I'm going to re-pot the fastest growers and expose the hidden ones to more light & space, and when THEY'RE ready..... I'm doing that this morning, then- as in the Ronco oven commercial, I'm going to essentially 'Set it & forget it'. It obviously worked for him.....
As for "How to keep them?', I honestly just put them in a couple film canisters, & kept them in a drawer.


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## UniqueOldGal

I thought tobbaco might be an interesting trade item so I'm giving it a try this year. Actually nicotiana has pretty flowers and makes a good do-it-yourself garden pest spray too for when pesticides become unavailable?  I've never seen such tiny seeds in my life and its hard to think Anything will come from those specs!  My instructions say to leave them on the surface exposed to light but keep them moist. Since the surface dries first I'm spraying them once in awhile. I'll let ya know if mine sprout. I got several varieties from Victory Seeds online including the wild "mohawk"(I figured it would be easiest).


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## Emerald

I've grown the huge ornamental types before and for years they came up by themselves here. The fragrance is unbelievable.

but do not spray on your tomatoes or peppers.. tobacco can carry the tobacco mosaic virus and it will kill your tomatoes.

I'm not sure if the big ornamental ones are as smokable as the ones for smoking.


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## Gypsyshome

Just to stir the pot! I lived in Ky. about eight yrs ago and the government was "buying back" the tobacco bases"....farms/people that were ALLOWED to grow it. were offered $$ to no longer grow it. I guess its ok for private use only?? like wine/beer. anyone know? or care? LOL and..this is important, you can get very sick, nicotine poisoning, from handling large amounts of tobacco. FYI.


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## pawpaw

Perhaps the gubbermint will contact me after reading these posts. If there's a program where they'll pay ME not to grow it, I'd be more than happy to tell them where to send my checks. 
Uh.... they already _know that, don't they?_


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## *Andi

Not always ... see sometimes they just change the rules on you. Like stick barn or buck barns, we had stick... And just for 150,000. we could have put in a buck. Then we thought better of it and sold out. 

So you don't always get a check ...


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## UniqueOldGal

Well, those 1/4 pinhead sized seeds HAVE turned into plants and are blooming for me. I've ended up with 2 each of 4 varieties. Mohawk,One Sucker,Virginia,and native "wild". I had 60 seeds grow and no where to put them but I had no clue they'd live to grow for me since this was a new and side-line experiment (food starts get first attention).Now I feel bad I wasted so much seed.I could sure do this,small scale, for trade though. I'm real happy about adding a new option to my 'useful' experience/skill set. I learned that where I live just leaving them in the greenhouse until mature is the way to go. They seemed to want that humidity and didn't care how hot it got. The ones I put outside in late spring and early summer all got stunted -probably by the cold nights-except one that was in a sheltered area by the porch....hummm.This being a cool year for us until 2 weeks ago I JUST put the 2 1/2 ft plants outside. No pest or disease of any sort has touched them here yet. We don't smoke but have a couple of friends that will get a surprise box from me! I still have to look up that insecticide recipe too...

added note: Darn. I was looking up how to make nictotania pesticide and found out it's SO strong it kills pretty much all the good insects too....So it's an emergency type organic for major infestations;not a regular use thing


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## alwaysready

If you have chickens you can place the stems in the coop. When they use them in their nest it take care of lice.


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## Magus

Buy a few mantis pods from an organic dealer.hatch them in an aquarium and feed them raw hamburger until they are an inch long and set them free!

They'll murder ever aphid, cut worm and nibbler in sight and if you can stand them indoors,roaches.

A clutch of Southern spring lizards works nice too.some bait shops sell them.


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## jsriley5

Ya'll are making me sick. I have tried twice to sprout tobacco and had a friend with a green thumb try twice and never got a sprout. I am so very jealous. Perhaps I need better seed. Where did you get your original seed. Was there any special soil preparations? really don't tell me you just sprinkled seeds on potting soil. I would soooooo love to grow my own get better quality less poisonous tobacco and not pay all the stupid taxes. I had given up but maybe with a little sage advice I could try it again next summer. And just a little historical fact ounce for ounce tobbacco seed was many years ago (maybe now too for all I know) worth far more than itls weight in gold. I don't remember the ration but it was somthing like more than ten times it waight in gold I think.


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## OldCootHillbilly

Yeah, where yall gettin yer seeds?

An what varieties be the best fer say smokin an then chew?


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## jsriley5

Ya know i't s been a while I don't even remember fer sure where I got mine place had heirloom in the name if I recall. That place had all the different varieteis described by what they were best for. But whatever it was I want some that will grow like the op has.


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## Immolatus

See mine here.


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## labotomi

Gypsyshome said:


> Just to stir the pot! I lived in Ky. about eight yrs ago and the government was "buying back" the tobacco bases"....farms/people that were ALLOWED to grow it. were offered $$ to no longer grow it. I guess its ok for private use only?? like wine/beer. anyone know? or care? LOL and..this is important, you can get very sick, nicotine poisoning, from handling large amounts of tobacco. FYI.


In TN the your base decreased every year anyway. We sold our base long ago and I couldn't be happier.


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## labotomi

OldCootHillbilly said:


> Yeah, where yall gettin yer seeds?
> 
> An what varieties be the best fer say smokin an then chew?


We got ours from the co-op.

Burley and Virgina (Bright) are used individually and blended for cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigar fillers and for the chewing type. Same tobacco, just different processes (air vs fire cured and whatnot)

I can't comment on the other types because they weren't viable as a cash crop where I grew up.


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