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Growing Tobacco in Upstate NY

Last year I tried to grow tobacco without much luck, and learing from my mistakes I decided to try again this year. I started a few weeks back, so the process is already well underway.

Here's my process thus far, plus the next few provided I succeed.

What I bought: 3 tobacco varieties (Sumatra, Havana, and Tennessee Red), starter trays, potting soil, gallon size Ziploc bags

When I started: Middle of May (I forgot the specific date, but I started too late last year. Probably some time in mid to late April.)

Step 1: Buy starter trays and potting soil from local farm store. Just some cheap plastic ones work just fine, and Baccto seems to suit my needs.

Step 2: Fill aforementioned trays with Baccto, then sprinkle seeds over the top. This was more nerve racking than I expected as I had to do it outside in a light breeze, and I was worried the tiny seeds would blow away. But I managed.

Step 3: Place trays in a metal tray base, then fill the base with water. Put gallon bags over the top.
(This is another place I went amiss last year, as I didn't cover the plants or fill with water from the bottom up.)

Step 4: Put the whole contraption on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen. It just has to be somewhere warm, light not really being required just yet.

Step 5: Wait until seeds sprout and seedlings are 1/2 an inch tall. Make sure to keep the tray filled with water. I also found myself using the oven a little more often, not just for tasty food but to make sure the room stayed warm. :biggrin1:

Step 6 (Where I am now and where photos begin.): Once seeds have successfully started, move the tray somewhere warm with light. It can be grow lights, or a window with regular sunlight. For me it's on a bench by the giant dining room window facing south.
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Of note: The Sumatra is the middle, the Havana is the left, and the Tennessee is the right. They seem to be growing the fastest in that listed order.

The next thing I'll be doing is thinning out the seedlings once they get a little bigger, and after they're big enough I'll move them outdoors. Just for a couple hours in the afternoon at first (provided it isn't raining), then permanently after the last expected frost.

I might transfer them into bigger trays for a while before planting them, just to give them a better chance of surviving in my soil.

Any tips or pointers would be appreciated. Wish me luck!
 
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