Makes sense, I know nature has a system of checks and balances and nearly everything has something that eats it... makes sense though...BlindedByScience said:Since the process of aging and fermentation dramatically reduce the nicotine levels, my guess is the beetles prefer the leaves after fermentation and aging due to that basic chemical change. Else, they'd chow down on them while they were on the plant.
kona1000 said:My understanding from that was that there are bugs that eat the plant raw and there are beetles that eat the dried leaves.
Thanks for sharing. Love the insight/input.ashauler said:The only pests I encounter regularly are the horn-worms and cut-worms, and only during the time the plant is in the field.
On the scale that I grow each year (between 30 and 75 plants) I'm able to control them organically, i.e. pick and squish or BT.
During harvest it is essential to closely inspect every priming so that you don't miss one of the little bastards and hang him in the coloring barn to feast, been there and done that.
I've never had a single issue with tobacco beetles. I use traditional curing/fermenting techniques for the most part, but have made accommodations for my climate in the past. I don't use any intentional freezing or pesticides, though I do have some tobacco hanging in the garage attic that has undergone several freeze/thaw cycles. I get to smoke some of it this summer as it was a 3 year experiment, well see.
ashauler said:The only pests I encounter regularly are the horn-worms and cut-worms, and only during the time the plant is in the field.
On the scale that I grow each year (between 30 and 75 plants) I'm able to control them organically, i.e. pick and squish or BT.
During harvest it is essential to closely inspect every priming so that you don't miss one of the little bastards and hang him in the coloring barn to feast, been there and done that.
I've never had a single issue with tobacco beetles. I use traditional curing/fermenting techniques for the most part, but have made accommodations for my climate in the past. I don't use any intentional freezing or pesticides, though I do have some tobacco hanging in the garage attic that has undergone several freeze/thaw cycles. I get to smoke some of it this summer as it was a 3 year experiment, well see.
madurotrout said:
Thanks for sharing. Love the insight/input.The only pests I encounter regularly are the horn-worms and cut-worms, and only during the time the plant is in the field.
On the scale that I grow each year (between 30 and 75 plants) I'm able to control them organically, i.e. pick and squish or BT.
During harvest it is essential to closely inspect every priming so that you don't miss one of the little bastards and hang him in the coloring barn to feast, been there and done that.
I've never had a single issue with tobacco beetles. I use traditional curing/fermenting techniques for the most part, but have made accommodations for my climate in the past. I don't use any intentional freezing or pesticides, though I do have some tobacco hanging in the garage attic that has undergone several freeze/thaw cycles. I get to smoke some of it this summer as it was a 3 year experiment, well see.
Btw,does this post mean that jsm11(John) should now be referred to as "the Riddler" going forward?
I've got a friend that works at WCNOC. if you find yourself in southwest Michigan in May I could take you on a tour of my plant. We do a friends and family day every year.jsm11 said:Shoot, I wish I would have joined this site earlier, I lived in Burlington, outside the power plant for 2 years, I'd of loved to see it in operation.