growing regular old tobbaco

[JohninWI]

Hi Guys,
I have about 60 little tobacco seedlings (that I started about a month late ) that I'm planning to put in the ground once they get another inch or two taller.

My soil is fairly sandy, but spent some time as a horse pasture/grass land so it has halfway-good fertility. I got the neighbor to use a big John Deere disc harrow (ever try to rototill 3 year old sod?).

So this whole thing is less than idea--I wish I had it turned under last fall (and maybe manured), I wish I had the seeds started on time...

I'm wondering though--I should be able to use my regular 400W HPS and keep them on 18 hour light for a week to really crank up the growth rate, wouldn't you think? It's just, I have about 3 weeks of wasted time to try and catch up on.

Any thoughts on what kind of ferts to use outdoors? I was hoping to shovel in a good load of rotted horse bedding, a handful of bone meal, a tsp of lime, and a pinch of blood meal.

Also, any thoughts on curing it?

Sorry for all the questions--I really should have got this figured out around Feb! I'm up here in WI, about 45 degrees north.

 

[Grubbycup]

Trying tobacco for the first time this year as well. Good luck!