Growing tobacco

[forgeblast]

I bought some rare northern native tobacco, actually it was the iroquois native tobacco that they developed. I planted three tobacco plants this year since a friend of mine does sweat lodges (his religion not mine) and wanted the tradional tobacco. My problem is how
do I harvest it. When is it done? Right now its green, and has flowers on it that the big bumble bees love. Do i let it go to seed and then dry it in my barn? Or do I have to harvest it before seeding?
thanks.

 

[sweettractors]

I can advise on Burley tobacco. You pull the bloom out about the time it starts to flower. Keep the suckers pulled out. This allows the leaves to get bigger. Start at the bottom where the leaves turn yellow to brownish and pull off 5-6 at a time and put a rubber band around them. Hang them in a dry place until the stems are completely dry and all the yellow is gone. (it is now cured) Continue up the stalk with this procedure until you get to the top. The closer to the top you get, the higher the nicotine content will be and the leaves will be darker. Ken Sweet

 

[MarkV]

As usual Ken stated the way I have always been told. Here is a link that has some visuals that may help. Cultivating, Harvesting and Curing Tobacco -- Victory Seed Company

MarkV

 

[forgeblast]

Thank you thank you, I really apprecaite the info.

 

[czechsonofagun]

As always, just about any question gets an answer on TBN. The collected knowledge never cease to amaze me.:thumbsup: