Uploaded September 2019 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
During our visit of the Dominican Republic where we toured Davidoff's cigar production facilities, Klaas Kelner demonstrated how tobacco seeds are planted and grown. Watch this video to learn how tobacco seeds are sowed and first grown in greenhouses.
CONTINUE WATCHING:
Take a look at the other videos of our #davidoffcigars Dominican experience!
From Seed To Smoke, full-length cigar documentary: youtu.be/_mGFeOwjfbs
How Tobacco Is Grown In The Fields: youtu.be/7BQgCZhs5tQ
How Tobacco Is Cured & Fermented: youtu.be/b_qEDN9oTzg
Full Davidoff Cigars Playlist:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfsWHCy_hDdq-Cir85QVpMqilLi9mMCH8
READ ABOUT CIGARS:
Learn tobacco plant anatomy and leaf primings: bespokeunit.com/cigars/anatomy
Read all of our Davidoff cigar articles:
bespokeunit.com/theme/davidoff
Bespoke Unit Cigars Home
bespokeunit.com/cigars
How Are Cigar Tobacco Seeds Planted & What Do They Look Like?
Davidoff has 52 greenhouses, which are used to plant over 9 million plants every year! This begins by using a Canadian soil from the tundras, which is processed in the USA for added nutrients. A very light soil, it encourages root growth for the seedlings.
A tobacco flower is typically a hermaphrodite like a majority of plants as it features both male (stamen) and female (stigma) reproductive systems. The stamen produces pollen, which fertilises the ovule via the stigma.
A single ovule on a plant will contain thousands of seeds. These aren't all used for producing tobacco. In fact, Davidoff will filter the seeds by weight and only use the heaviest 30%. Furthermore, each plant can contain up to 150 ovules.
However, Davidoff has selectively bred hybrids whose stamen doesn't produce pollen. This avoids the growth of wild tobacco and protects the tobacco's genetic capacity and characteristics. It also avoids the tobacco being grown and appropriated by other companies.
Selective breeding of Davidoff's tobacco hybrid strains will take approximately 8 crossings over 4 or 5 years. The result is a sterile plant that produces the same quality of tobacco leaf.
Using a mixture of white, sterile ash, the seeds are carefully scattered over a tray using a container with a grated bottom. The ash is used to track where the seeds have already been scattered.
The ash and seed mixture is then covered with dried rice husk in order to retain the soil's humidity as well as prevent them from moving.
After 10 days, shoots will begin to appear. At 21 days, they are ready for being transplanted by hand one at a time. Only the largest plants of the same size are selected during this process.
Workers will wear latex gloves dipped in raw milk so to protect the roots from trauma when transplanted. The plants are moved to a second tray with individual compartments for each one.
Currently, there is only one root system. By transferring them to their own dedicated compartment, the roots will grow and develop.
This job is particularly seasonal that takes place over September and October. By 45 days, the plants are ready to be transplanted in the fields.
The first leaves that grow aren't commercialised and are instead trimmed. This shocks the plants and encourages growth in the roots rather than the leaves. By this time, the roots are much more complex, which creates and strong and robust plant.
After the plants have been transplanted in the field, the first commercial leaves will appear in a matter of weeks. As the plants grow from the bottom upwards, the Volado will be the first that you will see.
30 days after transplanting, the plant will be a metre in height. After 100 days, its height will be approximately 2 metres.
REMEMBER to comment! Let us know your thoughts on tobacco seeds, about our Dominican experience, or any other cigar topic you'd like us to feature on Bespoke Unit!
Yours,
The Bespoke Unit Team
CONNECT:
Web: BespokeUnit.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/BespokeUnit
Facebook: Facebook.com/BespokeUnit
Twitter: Twitter.com/BespokeUnit
Subscribe to Newsletter: BespokeUnit.com/newsletter
How Are Cigar Tobacco Seeds Planted & What Do They Look Like? youtu.be/Wb_kBCdg4sY
During our visit of the Dominican Republic where we toured Davidoff's cigar production facilities, Klaas Kelner demonstrated how tobacco seeds are planted and grown. Watch this video to learn how tobacco seeds are sowed and first grown in greenhouses.
CONTINUE WATCHING:
Take a look at the other videos of our #davidoffcigars Dominican experience!
From Seed To Smoke, full-length cigar documentary: youtu.be/_mGFeOwjfbs
How Tobacco Is Grown In The Fields: youtu.be/7BQgCZhs5tQ
How Tobacco Is Cured & Fermented: youtu.be/b_qEDN9oTzg
Full Davidoff Cigars Playlist:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfsWHCy_hDdq-Cir85QVpMqilLi9mMCH8
READ ABOUT CIGARS:
Learn tobacco plant anatomy and leaf primings: bespokeunit.com/cigars/anatomy
Read all of our Davidoff cigar articles:
bespokeunit.com/theme/davidoff
Bespoke Unit Cigars Home
bespokeunit.com/cigars
How Are Cigar Tobacco Seeds Planted & What Do They Look Like?
Davidoff has 52 greenhouses, which are used to plant over 9 million plants every year! This begins by using a Canadian soil from the tundras, which is processed in the USA for added nutrients. A very light soil, it encourages root growth for the seedlings.
A tobacco flower is typically a hermaphrodite like a majority of plants as it features both male (stamen) and female (stigma) reproductive systems. The stamen produces pollen, which fertilises the ovule via the stigma.
A single ovule on a plant will contain thousands of seeds. These aren't all used for producing tobacco. In fact, Davidoff will filter the seeds by weight and only use the heaviest 30%. Furthermore, each plant can contain up to 150 ovules.
However, Davidoff has selectively bred hybrids whose stamen doesn't produce pollen. This avoids the growth of wild tobacco and protects the tobacco's genetic capacity and characteristics. It also avoids the tobacco being grown and appropriated by other companies.
Selective breeding of Davidoff's tobacco hybrid strains will take approximately 8 crossings over 4 or 5 years. The result is a sterile plant that produces the same quality of tobacco leaf.
Using a mixture of white, sterile ash, the seeds are carefully scattered over a tray using a container with a grated bottom. The ash is used to track where the seeds have already been scattered.
The ash and seed mixture is then covered with dried rice husk in order to retain the soil's humidity as well as prevent them from moving.
After 10 days, shoots will begin to appear. At 21 days, they are ready for being transplanted by hand one at a time. Only the largest plants of the same size are selected during this process.
Workers will wear latex gloves dipped in raw milk so to protect the roots from trauma when transplanted. The plants are moved to a second tray with individual compartments for each one.
Currently, there is only one root system. By transferring them to their own dedicated compartment, the roots will grow and develop.
This job is particularly seasonal that takes place over September and October. By 45 days, the plants are ready to be transplanted in the fields.
The first leaves that grow aren't commercialised and are instead trimmed. This shocks the plants and encourages growth in the roots rather than the leaves. By this time, the roots are much more complex, which creates and strong and robust plant.
After the plants have been transplanted in the field, the first commercial leaves will appear in a matter of weeks. As the plants grow from the bottom upwards, the Volado will be the first that you will see.
30 days after transplanting, the plant will be a metre in height. After 100 days, its height will be approximately 2 metres.
REMEMBER to comment! Let us know your thoughts on tobacco seeds, about our Dominican experience, or any other cigar topic you'd like us to feature on Bespoke Unit!
Yours,
The Bespoke Unit Team
CONNECT:
Web: BespokeUnit.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/BespokeUnit
Facebook: Facebook.com/BespokeUnit
Twitter: Twitter.com/BespokeUnit
Subscribe to Newsletter: BespokeUnit.com/newsletter
How Are Cigar Tobacco Seeds Planted & What Do They Look Like? youtu.be/Wb_kBCdg4sY
