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1) Editor's Comments:Over the past few weeks we've received numerous requests from people wanting to grow their own tobacco. We thought this would be an excellent time to rerun an article from a year ago on the subject. Back then we had many fewer subscribers -- in fact, over 95% of you will be reading this for the first time. Rest assured, we are not here to promote smoking, but many people don't realize that tobacco has more uses than just for smoking. We am also amazed by the number of people growing tobacco in their gardens, which we can attest to by the number of questions and orders we've received. We've also included a couple other items which were prompted by reader comments and questions. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop us a note. Tom Krueger Rex Gregor 2) Tobacco:Probably no other plant is used more than the noble tobacco plant. Few people realize it has many uses other than for smoking products. It has many medicinal uses and is also extremely valuable as an ornamental and flower garden specimen. You might be surprised, but it also makes one of nature's finest natural pesticides. Raising tobacco is very easy. The seeds should be started in flats. If you plan to raise more than one variety, we recommend using separate flats for each. In northern states, start the seeds four to six weeks before the last frost. Tobacco can be ready to harvest in about 60 days after transplanting. Therefore, it can be raised in almost any state. I bet you thought it was only suited for growing in southern states of the US and similar climates. A mixture of peat humus and potting soil should be used as a starter soil. Potting soil alone should only be used if you select a high grade commercial potting soil. Place the mixture into flats and soak with water. The next day, sprinkle the tobacco seeds onto the surface of the damp soil. Do NOT cover the seeds because they need light for germination. Tobacco seeds are very tiny, almost dust like, so be careful to spread the seeds evenly. Keep the soil damp being careful NOT to wash the seeds around when you water. Transplant in the ground after all danger of frost is past. If you have a moderate growing season, you can start the seeds outside. Try to sow the seeds where wood has been burned -- the plants will thrive in those spots. Tobacco requires a lot of nitrogen and potash which is supplied by wood ashes. Ash from charcoal grills is also beneficial. We recommend applying a good brand of garden fertilizer to the area where the plants will be grown. Working in rotted manure is very good for the plants. Never raise tobacco plants in the same spot in the garden over a few year period because tobacco plants will totally deplete the nutrients in the soil. You should space the tobacco plants about two feet apart. The plants are large enough to transplant when the largest leaves are two inches or larger. Always transplant outside in late evening or when it is cloudy or overcast. Water the plants thoroughly after transplanting and water daily until the plants have become established. Tobacco plants need to be grown in full sun. Tobacco roots grow quickly and often close to the surface -- this means you need to be careful around the plants when hoeing or cultivating. Try not to disturb the soil any more than necessary. As the plant begins to grow remove all suckers as they will sap the plants growth nutrients. You should know that tobacco plants are susceptible to several diseases, and are sometimes attacked by several leaf chewers. We recommend using "seven dust" to control insects. Be careful not to use any form of systemic insecticide that will penetrate the leaf. ** If you plan on using the tobacco for chewing or smoking, you should NOT use any chemical that will leave a residue. You will not want to be ingesting the chemicals. For a truly natural pesticide, purchase an ounce of tobacco dust from us and then make your own supply of pesticide by mixing one teaspoon of tobacco dust, one teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap to one gallon of water. Remember, tobacco seeds are so small they are dust like! http://www.rexseedco.com/tobacco.htm Hope you didn't miss the six dozen new items to the Gardener's Home Medicine Chest: 3) Humor for Today:A Texas farmer goes to Australia for a vacation. There he meets an Aussie farmer and gets talking. The Aussie shows off his big wheat field and the Texan says, "Oh! We have wheat fields that are at least twice as large." Then they walk around the ranch a little, and the Aussie shows off his herd of cattle. The Texan immediately says, "We have longhorns that are at least twice as large as your cows." The conversation has really gone south when the Texan sees a herd of kangaroos hopping through the field. He asks, "And what the heck are those?" The Aussie replies with an incredulous look, "Don't you have any grasshoppers in Texas?" 4) Potting Soil:
In our opinion, organic compost is the best potting soil. If you do not make your own compost, it may be purchased at almost any local gardening center and many hardware stores. Organic compost is a mixture of organic peat moss and perlite - it may or may not contain macro or micro nutrients. Macro and micro nutrients are best because they help your plants stay healthy and helps plant growth, as well. If you purchase potting soil, choose the type that has been pasteurized. Do not purchase the kind that has a built in fertilizer mixed in the soil -- seeds of your baby plants may not tolerate a strong fertilizer. All plants need something to eat as they grow (fertilizer), but not when they are seeds or at the baby plant stage. Some gardeners use regular garden soil for planting their seeds. Sure, this is less costly, but you may be subjecting your plant to possible disease. If you choose to use regular garden soil, we recommend you pasteurize it by placing it in a 180° oven for 30 minutes - this will kill most of the harmful bacteria or microorganisms in your soil. Be careful when you take the soil out of the oven - it will be very hot. Be warned, pasteurizing garden soil in the oven will likely leave your kitchen with an unpleasant odor. Moisten the soil after it has been pasteurized. Don't soak it - simply use enough water to leave the soil moist - seeds and baby plants do not like wet feet. Follow these tips and you'll have better results with your seeds. 5) Sad News - Mister Rogers Passes Away:Thousands of parents and grandparents are familiar with Mister Rogers Neighborhood, and millions of children have grown up with his TV program. Fred Rogers, better known as television's "Mister Rogers," a cultural icon and kindly neighbor to generations of American children, died Thursday at the age of 74. There is an excellent article at cnn.com you might like to read. Click Here or visit http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/27/rogers.obit/index.html Click Image for Our Angels Gallery 6) Quote for Today:"Why always, 'not yet?' Do flowers in spring say, 'not yet?'" 7) American Bittersweet:This must be our week for addressing inquiries. We have received several questions these past weeks about American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandenus). American Bittersweet is a fast growing, twining vine known to engulf shrubs and trees. The foliage is a beautiful glossy green that turns to a yellowish color in the fall. The fruit is a three lobed yellow/orange capsule. It produces a massive quantity of berries. The best spot for these vines are along fences or walls. The vines require very little care. They are quite invasive, so you may want to keep them trimmed. The vines and berries are used extensively for dried flower arrangements. The American Bittersweet has a few known pests, but they are usually not much of a problem. Some landscapers suggest you plant the seeds in "poor" soil so the vines will not overgrow as easily. The vines will grow in Zones 3 to 8. We suggest you cut the branches and berries in late fall, before frost. Be sure to use the cuttings in your Thanksgiving or Christmas decorations. American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) (#D8570) 8) Protect Your Peach Trees:
You'll then notice a powdery gray, moldy look to the leaves and not long after, they'll begin to wither and fall from the tree. When this happens yearly, the tree can become weak. The disease can also infect the twigs and fruit, as well. If you want to use a fungicide to protect the tree, this is the time to do it, during dormancy and before the buds begin to swell. Make sure to read the label of any product you decide to use. Remember, once the symptoms are there, it is too late to control it. 9) Subscribe/UnsubscribeThis newsletter, the Green Thumb Times, is sent out only to those who have requested a FREE subscription by signing up at http://rexseedco.com or specifically asked to be added PRIVACY: Your email address is held in the strictest of privacy. It is never traded or sold to anyone else. To subscribe to The Green Thumb Times To unsubscribe Tom Krueger, Editor and Publisher Rex Gregor, Contributing Editor Please feel free to forward The Green Thumb Times to a friend. Rex’s Seedco has searched the world for quality
growers of garden seeds. Many of these farmers bring together ancient
wisdom and modern science so people everywhere may have good health
and enjoyment in life. We are dedicated to providing the best wherever
they are found.
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We
had a question this week from a daughter of one of our subscribers regarding
potting soil. She was doing a paper for school, and we thought why not
share some of the information with our readers.
For
us in Minnesota, we certainly don't have many peach trees, but there
may well be many of you who have them in your backyard. One of the common
fungal diseases that can occur on peaches, apricots, and nectarines
is peach leaf curl. It is easily recognized by the thickened, folded,
puckered leaf blades it produces. Not long after, the leaves change
color with a red- purplish blush. It is very noticeable.