Alchimia presents together with Kokopelli Association partnership Costa Rica 589, an old tobacco variety characterised by its resistance to cold weather.
It is also called Iztepeque and resembles Turkish tobacco varieties such as Black Sea Samsun. This plant is about 1.5m tall, with pink flowers and shiny dark green leaves. It is used as pipe tobacco as well as wrapping tobacco.
Costa Rica 589 Tobacco, cultivation
Tobacco cultivation requires well-drained, sunny and nutrient-rich soils. Germination is usually done in seedbeds or pots, keeping the soil moist. Care must be taken because the seeds are very small. They start to germinate after a week, although some seeds can germinate after a month.
The transplanting is done at about the sixth week, when the plant reaches about 15cm in height. It is advisable to space the seedlings 1m apart. They should be planted in soil with plenty of sun exposure and in a well-drained, well-fertilised soil. It is a great consumer of nutrients and should be fertilised regularly. The same fertilisers can be used as for peppers or tomatoes.
It is advisable to prune the inflorescences in order to obtain larger leaves. The harvest is ready when the leaves start to turn yellow. The tobacco leaf must be dried and properly cured to be smoked.
