When Sam died last September I wept and gathered the seeds from our garden. There was so much dill and tobacco seed I decided to offer it commercially in a test market. Sunflowers, hollyhocks, calendula, basil, cilantro, lettuces, swiss chard and so many other seeds are now planted.
Dill Anethem Graveleons NVS $2.49 for 2.5 g.
Sow outside after danger of last frost has passed. Sow directly in shallow prepared beds. Dill does not like to be transplanted. Sow every two weeks for a continual harvest. Medicinal, culinary and floral purposes. Resistant to cross-pollination. Plant among beds where you don't want deer. Dill's aroma is a natural deer-deterrent. Swedes like to use dill to flavor fish, bread, potatoes, sauces, soups and all things pickled. If you've got cukes, you need dill. Home remedy for hiccups, nausea and colic. Plants will reach four to six feet in height.
Hopi Ceremonial Tobacco Seeds (Nicotiana rustica) $3.49 for .10 g. Plant
Intended for use in 2010 growing season.
With prices and taxes skyrocketing on all tobacco products and health concerns regarding commercial types of tobacco increasingly serious, a new generation is discovering that growing and processing their own tax free tobacco, free of dangerous chemical additives, is a very simple and straightforward process. A package of seeds should yield 6 cartons or more of cigarette tobacco.
Tobacco is a very easy plant to grow and requires only 65-70 frost free nights to mature once transplanted outside. It is grown in every state, even Alaska. In previous generations, nearly every farmer had a small patch of nicotiana rustica for home and personal use. It remains legal to grow and process your own tobacco at home. If you have ever grown tomatoes from seed, this will be a similar experience.
Planting Instructions:
The seeds you received should be started inside in flats. Start the seeds 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Tobacco can be ready to harvest for curing about 60 days after transplanting. A mixture of peat humus and potting soil should be used. Place the mixture into the flats, soak the soil with water and allow the excess water to drain off. The next day, sprinkle the tobacco seeds onto the surface of the damp soil. Do not cover the seeds as they need light for germination. Tobacco seeds are very tiny, so be careful to spread the seeds evenly. Keep the soil damp; be careful not to wash the seeds around when you water. Using a spray mister is recommended until the seedlings take root. You will begin to notice sprouts in about two weeks. Transplant outside after all danger of frost is past.
If you start the seeds outside, try to sow the seeds where leaves or wood has been burned. The plants will thrive in these spots. Tobacco requires a lot of nitrogen and potash which is supplied by wood ashes. The ashes from charcoal grills are also beneficial. Working in rotted manure before you transplant will be very good for the plants. Never raise tobacco plants in the same spot in the garden. In just a few years time the tobacco plants will totally deplete the nutrients in the soil.
You should space the tobacco plants about 2 ft. apart in rows 3 ft. apart when practical. The plants are large enough to transplant when the largest leaves are 2" or larger. Always transplant outside in late evening or when it is cloudy and overcast. Water plants thoroughly after transplanting and water daily each day until plants have become established. When growing in tubs, limit the number of plants grown. Do not overwater. Tobacco plants need to be exposed to full sun while growing.
Tobacco roots grow quickly and often close to the surface. Be careful around plants when hoeing or cultivating around them. Try not to disturb the soil anymore than necessary.
Be careful when you touch the plant or its leaves that you wash your hands afterwards. The nicotine enters your blood stream through your skin pores. Remember, nicotine is a natural toxin.
There are many plants in the garden that find nicotine toxic. Tomatoes, peppers, and green bean plants are especially prone to nicotine rust. If you touch these plants with nicotine residue on your hands, they will quickly turn brown, wither and die within two weeks.
CURING TOBACCO
After tobacco is harvested, it is cured, or dried, and then aged to improve its flavor. Before the plant flowers, cut the stalk at the base. Bunch a dozen or more plants together and hang to air dry.
Air-cured tobacco should be sheltered from wind and sun in a well-ventilated chamber, where it air-dries for six to eight weeks. Air-cured tobacco is low in sugar, which gives the tobacco smoke a light, sweet flavor, and high in nicotine.
ORNAMENTAL TABACCO
Many gardeners find the six foot tall plants an attractive addition to their garden. It serves as a natural pesticide to the rest of your garden plants.
FOR AGRICULTURAL USE ONLY
According to the U.S. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, "The Tax and Trade Bureau does not license, or require a permit for, growing tobacco. In addition, the Tax and Trade Bureau does not regulate the sale of tobaccos that are not tobacco products.”
