No I did Not wear gloves. We did use some "sucker oil" once before my brother-in-law borrowed a tractor pulled sprayer, that we filled up in dish liquid bottles and squirted on the top of each plant after we broke the suckers off the top. My brother-in-law ended up in the hospital about 3 years later due to that. Of course he had been doing it that way for years. It did something to his lungs. I suppose God was with me then too as it did NOT affect me. However at the time I was a smoker myself. I gave it up September 16, 2016. Praise God.

I no longer work in tobacco. I have worked the plant beds; until we started getting greenhouse plants, set it; I loved working the setter, chopped it out or hoed it, topped it, cut it/tried to cut it; not any good at it, dropped sticks, picked up leaves and tied them, helped unload the scaffold wagons, not working the tiers/no way, stripped it, tied it and then we started baling it. So I suppose I've done and tried it all. Sorry, I do not know what strains are the best. Wish I could help you there. Good luck on your future tobacco crop. God bless.