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Monte Calme Yellow is a high-yielding Burley tobacco that brings practical abundance to the garden. This heirloom, open-pollinated variety grows as a tall, upright plant reaching 5 to 6 feet, producing broad, substantial leaves ready to harvest in 65 to 70 days from transplant. Deer leave it untouched, and its disease resistance to Mosaic Virus adds reliability to cultivation. Whether you're growing in a field, container, raised bed, or greenhouse, this variety delivers generous yields with straightforward handling.
Full Sun
Moderate
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60in H x ?in W
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High
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Monte Calme Yellow stands out for its combination of impressive height, leaf quality, and practical vigor. The plant produces broad, easy-to-handle leaves that speak to its Burley heritage, making it genuinely workable for growers rather than ornamental. Its open-pollinated nature means you can save seed year after year, anchoring it firmly in the tradition of self-sufficiency that draws many gardeners to heirloom varieties.
Tobacco varieties like Monte Calme Yellow are grown for leaf harvest and curing. Growers cultivate this Burley type for traditional tobacco production, where the broad leaves are dried and processed according to established methods.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds on moist seed-starting mix, pressing them lightly into the surface without covering, as they need light to germinate. Maintain temperatures around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and keep the soil consistently moist. Seedlings should emerge within 7 to 14 days.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date, once soil has warmed and plants are 4 to 6 inches tall. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 24 inches apart with rows 36 inches apart to allow air circulation and room for the broad leaves to develop fully.
Harvest begins approximately 65 to 70 days after transplanting. Pick leaves when they reach full size and develop a slight yellowing or color change indicating maturity. Begin with lower leaves as they mature first, working upward over successive harvests. Handle leaves gently to avoid bruising. The leaves are then dried according to traditional curing methods appropriate for Burley tobacco.
Allow Monte Calme Yellow to develop its natural upright growth habit without aggressive pruning. Pinching the growing tip early in the season can encourage branching and fuller leaf production if desired, though the variety's tidy, tall growth develops well without intervention. Remove any damaged or diseased leaves promptly to maintain plant health.
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“Monte Calme Yellow is an heirloom, open-pollinated Burley tobacco variety with roots in traditional tobacco cultivation. Burley tobaccos, which emerged as a distinct type in the 19th century, are prized for their light color and distinctive growing characteristics. This variety carries forward that heritage as a non-GMO heirloom, preserved and shared through seed catalogs and gardeners committed to maintaining old varieties.”