tobacco seed

It is the time of year to harvest the tobacco seed pods. We typically leave just one or two plants to flower and make seed for the next year. It is said that the seed from one tobacco plant is enough to plant about an acre worth of land. I like to always have plenty so we save two plants. This year, however, I saved three so that I can try and naturalize some next season.

Once the tobacco flowers the plant will develop seed pods up where the flowers were. Some people like to bag the seed pods so that they will not break open and sow themselves but we have never had that problem so I don't. Once the pods turn brown they are ready to harvest. I put the seed in a bowl so that I don't lose them all over the place and just break each pod apart and then sift the seed though a small sieve. Make sure they are dry and package them up for next year. It's as simple as that. The photo of the seeds above is just one plant and is about a tablespoon of seed. Though it does not seem like much, tobacco seed is about the size of a toothpick head.

monday's mountain musings

Howdy ya'll! I'm still kickin n screamin, just been a bit busy. Have I ever mentioned that I hate math? Iffin I ain't I will now just so my whole world knows that if my postings are few and far between I am likely lost in numerical neverland. Not an enjoyable place really, so, no need for jealousy. No, really, I aint jokin. The next 4 months of my life is filled with math courses and while I do very well with stuff I use all the time, stuff I don't use frustrates me. Its all good as once it is done I should never have to take another math course again!

Things on the homestead are really slowing down now. We got some much needed rain (6 in) with depression 13 or "the storm formally known as lee." Unfortunately, it seems to have brought with it some yuck! Immediately after if stopped raining I noticed nearly all the summer plants were fading out and dying off. It isn't blight but it is definitely something. The tobacco, however, is still growing very well. I am not complaining a whole lot about the die off as it does not seem to be affecting the fruits on the plants, it has not bothered any of the fall plantings and quite frankly, it's time for summer gardens to die. I am ready for the more relaxing fall and winter garden seasons. Most of the fruit left on plants is for seed saving rather than eating with the exception of the tomatoes.

With the rain, thankfully, came some cooler temperatures which kicked the fall plantings into gear and got them growing. The cabbages are beginning to head and many of the greens are micro-green size. The cukes, beans and maters in the gh are all flowering and the peas are sending up tendrils. Lettuce is very slow to get growing this season because of the heat but hopefully they will get growing soon too.

Hopefully, now that I am a couple weeks into the new courses and the gardens dying I can get my act together and get back to posting a bit more regularly than I have been the past few weeks.