First attempt at growing tobacco (Burley) need advice please.

[Knucklehead]

Long term for soil improvement

Fertility - Liming & pH | NC State Extension

Provide the ideal pH of 5.8 to 6.0 through the application of dolomitic limestone. This is a key step in a cost-effective and responsible nutrient management plan. Low pH causes greater solubility…

tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu

For short term, you should add a calcium supplement from a garden supply. Sooner the better.
Growing in pots is a different animal.

 

[deluxestogie]

Visit a garden shop, and purchase some elemental sulfur for acidifying the soil. Coffee grounds give wildly unpredictable results.

Bob

EDIT: Also purchase a small azalea for your wife. The azalea will benefit from...sulfur in the soil.

 

[Knucklehead]

I'm changing my answer to Bob's elemental sulfur recommendation.

 

[oldfellainspain]

Thanks for quick replies. Elemental sulfur ordered, should be here in two days. They say smoking is bad for your health. Growing it, not smoking it is the killer.

 

[MadFarmer]

Thanks for quick replies. Elemental sulfur ordered, should be here in two days. They say smoking is bad for your health. Growing it, not smoking it is the killer.

Elemental sulfur will lower your soil's pH, but it'll take months. I've found growing tobacco to be more addictive than using it. I can smoke a cigar, I HAVE to grow tobacco.

 

[deluxestogie]

Aluminum sulfate (available at garden shops) lowers soil pH almost instantly, since in combination with soil moisture, it releases sulfuric acid. Ditto on your skin, eyes, etc. So the elemental sulfur is usually the wisest choice to lower soil pH, specifically because it is a slower process.

Bob

 

[oldfellainspain]

Aluminum sulfate (available at garden shops) lowers soil pH almost instantly, since in combination with soil moisture, it releases sulfuric acid. Ditto on your skin, eyes, etc. So the elemental sulfur is usually the wisest choice to lower soil pH, specifically because it is a slower process.

Bob

I'm going to go for the elemental sulfur even though it is a slower process. I have read about mixing a cup of white vinegar with 1 gallon of water to raise soil acidity. Is this a quick fix or just someone's misguided opinion?

 

[deluxestogie]

I'm going to go for the elemental sulfur even though it is a slower process.

Good choice.

 

[Controlled Chaos]

If your soil pH is off by just a bit you could pH adjust your water after mixing in nutrients. It's not going to cure your problem overnight but there will at least be some nutrients more available to the roots. If you were to use a soil-less mixture and used this method it would be called a "passive hydroponics" system because the nutrients are in the water, not the growing medium

 

[oldfellainspain]

If your soil pH is off by just a bit you could pH adjust your water after mixing in nutrients. It's not going to cure your problem overnight but there will at least be some nutrients more available to the roots. If you were to use a soil-less mixture and used this method it would be called a "passive hydroponics" system because the nutrients are in the water, not the growing medium

That sounds interesting for the future. This year I'm stuck with what I've got in terms of the soil quality etc.

 

[oldfellainspain]

Elemental Sulfur has arrived. Instructions say 300g per 100 square meters. My 25 pots work out at about 1.5 square meters so 4.5g.
Any tips on how to apply it and how often please? No instructions on packet.

 

[deluxestogie]

https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/Lowering_Soil_pH_with_Sulfur.pdf

 

[oldfellainspain]

Thanks for the link. After reading it through about ten times I feel as though it's sunk in. I've calculated that 7g per grow bag is okay, but I'll just use 5g to be on the safe side. I'll just do two bags to start with, in case they just flop over and die. If they're still alive in 4 or 5 days time, I'll do the others. Most of the burley plants seem to have stopped growing now and look pretty sad. Most leaves are curling under and bottom leaves turning white and some falling off.
I have 10 Virginia plants that all seem to be doing okay, same soil mix, maybe a little less clay. Hopefully they'll give me some tobacco this year.

 

[oldfellainspain]

Just noticed....3 of the burley plants have suckers starting at soil level. I think I remember reading that this is in response to poor roots?

 

[deluxestogie]

The bottom leaf of some burley varieties turn white.

The nonetheless color-cure to a lovely brown.

Bob

 

[oldfellainspain]

I've made many mistakes with my first attempt at growing tobacco in bags on a roof terrace. I have spent many hours on the FTT forum reading up on the type of problems I'm encountering and asking questions that you have been kind enough to answer. I believe that I can resolve most problems for next years grow with one exception......Sunlight.
Because my roof terrace is walled on three sides and partially roofed, the plants only get about three hours full sunlight each day. I’m thinking about ways to redirect sunlight onto the plants for more sunlight hours, (white painted panels, convex mirrors etc.). I think I could get about six hours with a bit of luck. Shade temperatures can hit 35ºC+ (95ºF+), direct sun temperatures 50ºC+ (122ºF+) in July and August, the two hottest months, with very little air movement. Plants really wilt in direct sun but recover quite quickly once I lose the direct sunlight. Are these direct sunlight temperatures too high? I could start seeds early so that plants are more likely to be fully grown before the hottest months. We get no frosts here, and lowest night temperatures are about 45ºF in January and February.
I guess my big question is... Can I successfully grow tobacco with the amount of sunlight available (3 hours direct and 3 hours reflected)?

 

[Knucklehead]

I've made many mistakes with my first attempt at growing tobacco in bags on a roof terrace. I have spent many hours on the FTT forum reading up on the type of problems I'm encountering and asking questions that you have been kind enough to answer. I believe that I can resolve most problems for next years grow with one exception......Sunlight.
Because my roof terrace is walled on three sides and partially roofed, the plants only get about three hours full sunlight each day. I’m thinking about ways to redirect sunlight onto the plants for more sunlight hours, (white painted panels, convex mirrors etc.). I think I could get about six hours with a bit of luck. Shade temperatures can hit 35ºC+ (95ºF+), direct sun temperatures 50ºC+ (122ºF+) in July and August, the two hottest months, with very little air movement. Plants really wilt in direct sun but recover quite quickly once I lose the direct sunlight. Are these direct sunlight temperatures too high? I could start seeds early so that plants are more likely to be fully grown before the hottest months. We get no frosts here, and lowest night temperatures are about 45ºF in January and February.
I guess my big question is... Can I successfully grow tobacco with the amount of sunlight available (3 hours direct and 3 hours reflected)?

Could you move the plants around for more sun? I have my grow bags in 4' kiddie pools and can spin the whole pool around for more sun. With fewer plants (less weight) or a blanket or tarp under the pools you could slide them around for more sun. I'm getting maybe five hours of direct sun (summer. Less in spring) with mottled sun through some trees morning and evening. I think you can certainly work with what you have. I'll post a link to my grow blog. It may not work exactly with what you are doing but it may jog something in your mind and inspire your own light bulb moment. Reflected light will help.

Knucklehead's 2023 Grow Blog

I plan to start seed 1 Feb for a planting date of 1st week of April. I will have 48 cells of Reams 158 flue cure variety. Four will be backups. My seedling mix is several years old and dry so I went down earlier and dumped a gallon of water in the bag to help premoisten the soil. I struggled...

fairtradetobacco.com

 

[deluxestogie]

I have a narrow, 24-foot-long bed that is up against the west-facing wall of my house. That bed gets no direct sunlight until early to mid afternoon. My tobacco always grows well there, because the adjacent wall is white. So the tobacco is getting direct sunlight along with reflected sunlight and heat. I believe your suggestion of white panels would help considerably.

I think moving the starting date to a cooler portion of the year would at least reduce the frequency of watering. You may be able to do two separate grows each year, with the later grow starting germination during the hottest time, and going outdoors during somewhat cooler weather.

Bob

 

[oldfellainspain]

Could you move the plants around for more sun? I have my grow bags in 4' kiddie pools and can spin the whole pool around for more sun. With fewer plants (less weight) or a blanket or tarp under the pools you could slide them around for more sun. I'm getting maybe five hours of direct sun (summer. Less in spring) with mottled sun through some trees morning and evening. I think you can certainly work with what you have. I'll post a link to my grow blog. It may not work exactly with what you are doing but it may jog something in your mind and inspire your own light bulb moment. Reflected light will help.

Knucklehead's 2023 Grow Blog

I plan to start seed 1 Feb for a planting date of 1st week of April. I will have 48 cells of Reams 158 flue cure variety. Four will be backups. My seedling mix is several years old and dry so I went down earlier and dumped a gallon of water in the bag to help premoisten the soil. I struggled...

fairtradetobacco.com

Hi Knucklehead, I've read your 2023 blog 4 or 5 times in the last week and intend to use your kiddie pool system next year. It would be ideal for me. I never thought of them being maneuverable.

 

[oldfellainspain]

I have a narrow, 24-foot-long bed that is up against the west-facing wall of my house. That bed gets no direct sunlight until early to mid afternoon. My tobacco always grows well there, because the adjacent wall is white. So the tobacco is getting direct sunlight along with reflected sunlight and heat. I believe your suggestion of white panels would help considerably.

I think moving the starting date to a cooler portion of the year would at least reduce the frequency of watering. You may be able to do two separate grows each year, with the later grow starting germination during the hottest time, and going outdoors during somewhat cooler weather.

Bob

That's just the sort of news I needed to hear. I didn't want to spend time and money just to find out that I had no chance because of sunlight problems. Thanks.