We grow tobacco "Turkish" from seeds: instructions for beginners, features of the variety

The smoking properties of tobacco were known long before our era, but since then the plant has undergone multiple changes. Ardent supporters of a healthy lifestyle reject tobacco, considering it the main enemy for the human body, but there is nothing unambiguous in the world. The healing properties of tobacco are known - it is even used in official medicine. The plant is used to control pests on the site, and housewives add tobacco leaves to cooking, giving the dishes a unique rich taste. For this reason, tobacco crops are in demand by gardeners around the world.

Turkish tobacco - unique grade, capable of satisfying any connoisseur of tobacco products and hookah smoking. We will tell you in detail about the nuances of tobacco growing and reveal the secrets of yield.

What kind of tobacco is this

It is an annual plant that, at home, grow through seedlings. Its seedlings are large, they grow over 1 m in length. Initially, the Turkish variety was bred only in Turkey, Greece and Macedonia, but gradually it conquered other regions.

History of origin and development

The history of tobacco smoking dates back to long before our era. Smoking pipes were found during excavations dating back to Ancient Egypt. It is known that the ancient Greek scientist Herodotus described in his writings the Scythian habit of inhaling the smoke of burnt leaves.

Many researchers associate the beginning of smoking with the culture of Native Americans - it is known that the Indians chewed tobacco and lit the so-called pipes of peace. Subsequently, this habit became a cult tradition.

All over the world tobacco plants were spread by Christopher Columbus: the smoking Indians were the first natives met in the new lands. Columbus brought the leaves of an unusual plant to Europe. The name "tobacco" comes from the island of Tobago, where the plant grew naturally.

Today, tobacco cultivation is practiced all over the world.

Features, characteristics and description

Tobacco is a cultivated plant, it needs some care.

The Turkish variety differs from other species in its medium-sized leaves, which are dried only in the sun.

The stem is elongated, with many medium-sized leaves of a light green color. After the flowers fall, small capsules form - fruits, inside of which there are many small seeds. They are harvested for the next sowing.

The color of the dried leaves acquires a greenish-yellow or golden-orange hue, which is not typical for other varieties. It has a sweetish pleasant aroma, some note chocolate notes in the taste.

They are used primarily for the preparation of tobacco mixtures and for hookah smoking. Turkish pipe tobacco has become widespread, which, when smoked, forms a thick white smoke, and chocolate notes are guessed in the taste.

Interesting fact. Numerous studies confirm the pain relieving properties of tobacco, which allows the plant to be used for medicinal purposes.

The leaves of the tobacco plant are widely used in cooking as a decoration for various dishes and an excellent addition to the taste sensations in the preparation of meat products.

Reference! Ready-made Turkish tobacco from Tanya (Tanya) is intended for hookah. This is a quality smoking blend that is in high demand due to its sweet honey aroma.

In fairness, it must be said that finished Turkish tobacco does not contain mmc, that is, mephedrone is an empathogen and psychostimulant, which is added to the composition of modern cigarettes in scanty quantities. Often, hookah products do not even contain nicotine, they include: marinade (molasses and honey), flavorings, glycerin and preservatives.

Where to buy and how much do seeds cost?

Turkish tobacco seeds are sold in any specialty store at affordable prices. The price varies between 130-180 rubles per package. One package contains at least 100 seeds.

Reference! Seed material keeps germination for several years.

Growing features

So tobacco itself does not grow. First, seeds are sown for seedlings, and then transplanted into the ground. You will find everything about growing Turkish tobacco at home in this section.

Requirements for conditions

The tobacco crop is a thermophilic one, therefore, seed material is sown directly into the ground only in the southern regions. It is believed that the harvest will be richer if grown through seedlings. But if the southerners have the opportunity to cultivate the culture by the seedling method, then the inhabitants of other regions are forced to use only the seedling method.

For sowing, planting containers and light fertile soil are prepared. During the seedling period, the seedlings are provided with lighting, moderate watering and dressing. The seedling period lasts no more than 45 days.

Sowing and caring for seedlings

Before sowing, the seed is germinated for 2-3 days. To do this, it is wrapped in cheesecloth and placed on the bottom of a glass container. The container is left in a warm place.

The soil is prepared from humus and washed river sand in a ratio of 3: 1. The sand acts as a baking powder and gives lightness to fertile humus.

Sprouted seeds are mixed with sand and laid out on the surface of the prepared soil mixture, which is well moistened in advance. From above, the grains are covered with the remaining soil and slightly moistened with warm, settled water from a spray bottle. Then covered with foil to create a greenhouse effect. The temperature in the room until the emergence of shoots is maintained at around 24-26 ° C.

Saplings do not like picking and do not grow for a long time after this procedure. Therefore, individual planting containers are chosen so as not to injure young plants.

Important! Tanks and soil are subject to mandatory disinfection to destroy pathogens. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is used for disinfection.

When shoots appear, the film is removed and the containers are placed on the windowsill. The duration of daylight hours should be at least 12 hours. If there is a lack of natural light, additional lighting is installed, otherwise the sprouts will begin to stretch upward, which will lead to a weakening of the stem.

Watered as needed with warm, settled water from a shallow watering can, preventing the soil from drying out. With excess moisture, there is a risk of developing fungal diseases. Seedlings are aired twice a day, but without drafts, which will have a detrimental effect on seedlings.

When two true leaves are formed, the room temperature is reduced to 20 ° C.

For the first time, seedlings are fed a week after the formation of two true leaves. As a fertilizer, 20 g of sodium sulfate and 30 g of ammonium nitrate are dissolved in one bucket of water.

A week before transplanting into the ground, the seedlings begin to harden, taking the containers out into the open air in the daytime. The initial period of stay on the street is no more than an hour. Every day, the time spent outdoors is increased by 30-40 minutes.

The seedlings are ready for transplanting as soon as the seedlings grow to 15 cm and form six true leaves.

Transfer to soil

After the threat of frost has passed, they begin to transplant. Two days before, the seedlings are not watered and moistened abundantly right before planting.

The beds are prepared in advance, the soil is dug up and wood ash is added. The distance of the holes from each other is at least 50 cm. A little rotted mullein is placed on the bottom of the hole and filled with water. After transplanting, the holes are first covered with moist soil, and then dry. Tobacco is planted most often along a fence or in corner places where there is no stagnation of moisture. The plant does not like wetlands and direct sunlight.

Further tobacco care

For the full development of the plant, they provide competent watering, weeding, loosening and timely feeding.

If the plant is able to tolerate a short-term lack of moisture, then its excess will lead to the death of the crop. Therefore, watered sparingly, as far as possible, preventing the soil from drying out. The main indicator of the need for watering is the foliage of the seedlings. They should always remain green, and not yellow and wilt.

After watering, the beds are loosened and weeds and roots are removed. Loosening promotes the penetration of oxygen to the roots, which is necessary for the growth of seedlings. Weeds absorb numerous nutrients and carry a variety of diseases. These are highly undesirable neighbors for tobacco plants.

A few days after the transplant, the first feeding is carried out. The main fertilizer for tobacco is minerals containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The second top dressing is applied three weeks after the first. And the third time the culture is fertilized three weeks after the second feeding.

Important! All dressings are applied after abundant watering.

During growth, seedlings grow a large number of stepchildren, which take nutrients. These are unnecessary lateral processes: if not removed, they will lead to thickening of the plantings. In addition, the main foliage will be poorly nourished due to the growth of the stepsons. Therefore, they are carefully removed, and the places of the cuts are sprinkled with ash.

To limit the growth of seedlings, perchkovka is carried out, that is, pinch the crown, thereby limiting further growth. Saplings grow up to 2 m without pinching.

Disease and pest control

The culture is immune to many diseases, but there is a risk of becoming sick with downy mildew and powdery mildew. These are fungal diseases that develop in a humid environment. Therefore, it is important to observe moderate watering. Loosening and weeding are also preventive measures. To combat fungal diseases, Benlata powder and Cineba are used.

Tobacco mosaic is a viral disease that does not respond to treatment. Diseased plants are burned. As a preventive measure, the bushes are sprayed with formalin solution.

Of the pests for tobacco planting, tobacco thrips and wireworm are dangerous - the larva of the click beetle. Insects settle on leaves, sucking juices out of them, as a result of which the plants wither. To combat thrips, use the drug "Rogor" or "Metathion", and get rid of the wireworm with the help of "Hexachloran".

For the purpose of prevention, weeds with roots are necessarily removed, since the life cycle of most pests passes through it.

Harvesting

As soon as the leaves stop growing, they begin to harvest. By this time, the leaves are gaining a special density, which indicates the quality of the product. Harvested tobacco leaves in the evening, starting from the lowest ones, so as not to damage the sheet plates.

Further processing

The harvested crop is not immediately ready for use. For the intended use, the leaves are further processed.

Drying and fermentation

The leaves of this variety can be dried only in the sun. The procedure combines two processes: drying and fermentation. Fermentation - This is the breakdown of nutrient molecules, without oxidation in its pure form.Under the influence of the sun's rays in the leaves of tobacco containing moisture, biochemical processes lead to a change in the product. The leaves darken with a tobacco flavor.

Reference! Other tobacco varieties require artificial fermentation.

Aromatization

Aromatization involves the addition of odor-altering substances. Aromatization softens the tobacco, reducing its strength. The procedure is carried out at the final stage, more precisely, before use. At home, dried foliage is sprayed with an alcohol solution, for example, infused with dried fruits. The alcohol evaporates, but the fruity aroma remains.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's start with the benefits:

• high productivity;
• unpretentious care;
• the possibility of breeding in all regions;
• unusual taste;
• use in cooking;
• the possibility of combining drying and fermentation.

The negative side includes susceptibility to powdery and downy mildew.

Reviews

Reviews of Turkish tobacco are mostly positive. Tobacco growers are happy to share their opinions about him:

Artem, Tambov: «I always dreamed of growing tobacco products at home. I decided to start with Turkish. Everything worked out. The harvest was great, and caring for the plants took a minimum amount of time and effort. Drying and fermentation took place simultaneously under the sun. Very satisfied. Next year I will land him again. "

Inna, Kazan: “I have been engaged in tobacco growing for a long time, I have tried many cultures. I like the Turkish variety the most. It does not require complex maintenance, and the result is simply excellent. I recommend this culture to all lovers of quality products. "

Conclusion

Turkish tobacco is distinguished by numerous advantages, the main of which are simple agricultural technology and high yield. The culture is able to withstand many dangerous diseases. But most of all, this variety is valued by the plant for its unusual chocolate flavor combined with thick white smoke.