Махорка is a plant

In our society, the word makhorka is associated with tobacco. But in fact it is another plant. And it is used not only for smoking. Although its powdered leaves and stems are used to make cigarettes, chewing and snuffing powder.

Continuous use

Seeds of makhorka are used for the production of oils for the paint and varnish industry and the soap industry. Also, nicotinic and citric acid is produced from it. In addition, the drug from makhorka is used in garden areas in order to get rid of pests. Indians are preparing from her broth, neutralizing snake venom, clearing the wounds from infection. Shamans use it to drive out evil spirits. It turns out makhorka is a plant that can bring benefits, and not only spoil the health of those who smoke.

Where does it live and what does it look like

She came to us in the beginning of the XVII century. Prior to this, in the 16th century, tobacco was spread in Europe, where it was brought from Florida. Its name was received in the VIII century. Raw materials from this plant in large quantities came to the Netherlands city of Amersfoort, where it was used to make smoking powder for the whole of Europe. And the often repeated phrase "tobacco from Amersfoort" has been transformed into a name already familiar to us. It is grown in our country in the south and in the middle zone, as well as in Algeria, India, Poland, Tunisia, the USA and other countries. The plant is unpretentious and capable of settling on any soil, although the best for it are sandy loamy, loamy, podzolized areas fertilized with organic fertilizers. It has round leaves with a fleecy, resinous surface, as well as yellow or white tubular flowers with a pungent odor. In height, it can reach 1 meter. A makhorka is a plant that does not tolerate frost. It dies even at -2 degrees.

Down the stairs

Although we are used to the fact that those who do not have the financial means to buy cigarettes are more expensive to smoke, in the 8th century even Peter I was fond of smoking cigarettes. His environment shared the tsar's predilection for pernicious fun. Therefore, tobacco was smoked by members of the upper class, and different varieties of this plant were offered for selection. But it was available to ordinary people, who did not have the money to buy ready-made products for smoking. Therefore, ordinary people have adapted to do "roll-on". For this, fragments of thin paper were used. Gradually, for the sake of greater profit, the manufacturers of the smoking mixture began to make it not from leaves, but from stems. Therefore, those who could afford it, switched to tobacco. The mahork went into the background, because the raw materials from which it was now prepared contained much less nicotine. Nowadays, smokers prefer tobacco. But makhorka contains less harmful tar and additives and, thus, less harm to human health. And it is cheaper.

Cultivation of makhorka

In the field, it tries to plant after leguminous, vegetable crops, perennial grasses, corn, winter bread, root crops. The soil must be necessarily fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plant it by sowing or using seedlings. Seeds in the ground are lowered to a depth of 1 centimeter, using both sprouted and dry, which allows you to harvest, even if some of them die from unfavorable natural conditions. If all the conditions are met, then the chemical composition of this plant will meet the standards, and hence, it will produce an excellent makhorka. At home, it is also possible to cultivate and produce for your own needs.

Try it yourself

To plant tobacco, it is necessary to choose its seeds. They can be bought in a store for gardeners. Pahlets local, Pechlets 4, Durman 4 are considered to be common. Mahork is an unpretentious, but not resistant to frost, plant, so if you plan to plant it not in the apartment but on the plot, select the month of planting correctly. It is best to use one in which there are no frosts in your strip, starting from May. In cold regions it is necessary to use greenhouses. The soil on which the tobacco will grow should be fertilized and moistened. Poor in composition and dry soil will not allow to get quality raw materials.

Prepare in advance

While cultivating makhorka at home, it is better not to sow, but to plant pre-seedlings. Thus, you will know exactly which plants are able to survive, and do not have to wait for the seeds to germinate, which can die in the ground, and the optimal time for planting will be missed. In the apartment, use boxes or pots, installed on the windowsill on the south side. Germination of seeds begin in March, then in May you can already plant the seedlings in the street soil.

What's next

They are placed at a distance of 25 centimeters from each other. The land between them should be regularly loosened, fed, and weed-free. Water should be seldom, but profuse. When flowers appear, they are stepchildren. With proper care and harvest, which can be collected in 70 days, will be good. Now we need to dry the plants properly, having previously collected them in the correct order. Begin with the lower leaves, then move to the rest from the bottom up. Lay them in a layer no more than 30 centimeters and keep in the shade for 12 hours. Then, for the preliminary drying, string on the cord and hang in an open, sheltered place for 2 weeks. Then remove from the ropes, stacked in closed premises until the fall. Then it remains only to grind the raw materials and use for their own needs.

A makhorka is a plant that helped our people in difficult times. And now, people who want to grow it can get a natural smoking mixture that is different in quality from purchased cigarettes for the better without any material and physical expenses.