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KY 190 is a bold, fire-cured Burley tobacco with a reputation for delivering serious strength and smoky character. This Kentucky heirloom grows 5 to 6 feet tall, producing broad, richly colored leaves that reach harvestable maturity in 50 to 90 days from transplant. Open-pollinated and non-GMO, it's built for consistent performance whether you're growing in a garden plot, raised bed, container, or greenhouse, and deer leave it alone entirely.
Full Sun
Moderate
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60in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Kentucky 190 commands attention with its deep, smoky flavor and the bold strength that made Burley tobacco famous across the South. The leaves are visibly distinctive, broad and richly colored, telling you exactly what kind of tobacco you're growing. At 5 to 6 feet tall with reliable maturity in under three months from transplant, it offers dependable performance without the fussiness of some heritage varieties, thriving equally well in fields or containers.
KY 190 is grown for tobacco leaf harvest and processing, traditionally fire-cured to develop its characteristic smoky flavor and strength. The leaves are prepared through curing and aging for smoking, chewing, or other tobacco preparations, with the fire-curing method bringing out deep, complex notes.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Tobacco seeds are tiny and need light to germinate, so sow on the surface of moist seed-starting mix without covering them. Maintain soil temperature around 70-75°F and provide consistent moisture. Seedlings emerge in 7-10 days under warm, humid conditions.
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant after all frost danger has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60°F. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, in full-sun locations. Tobacco is sensitive to cold, so wait until nighttime temperatures reliably stay above 50°F.
Harvest tobacco leaves as they mature during the 50- to 90-day growing window, typically beginning when leaves turn from green to a yellowish or light tan color and feel papery or slightly leathery to the touch. Pick leaves individually from the bottom of the plant upward as they ripen, or harvest entire plants once most leaves have reached maturity. The leaves are ready for fire-curing once harvested, a process that develops the characteristic smoky flavor.
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“Kentucky 190 carries the legacy of Burley tobacco culture, the distinctive fire-cured style that became a cornerstone of Kentucky agriculture. This open-pollinated heirloom has been preserved through generations of farmers who valued its consistency and flavor, reaching modern gardeners as a non-GMO seed that honors that regional tradition while remaining accessible to home growers.”