Raised bed or perhaps psuedo raised bed?

[Bix]

Hello folks! I would start by saying that although I have a green thumb, I have never raised tobacco before

I was originally going to create a few raised beds to grow tobacco in, but I hada different thought, what about instead of entire beds being raised, just circular sections right around the plants, using circular tubes? Would this work at least for this year until I can get the full beds put in?

Is there a reason not to try it anyway? Does anyone know how big a tobacco root ball gets? (width, it will be in the ground so I am not really worried about depth...)

Thanks!

 

[dkh2]

Most of the root wads on my plants are about the size of a soccer ball or smaller.

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome, Bix
My results from planting tobacco at different densities indicated that full size varieties, like FL Sumatra and Comstock Spanish, produced ~15% smaller leaves when planted at 3.0 sq.ft per plant, in a deeply dug bed, compared to the same varieties planted at 3.75 sq. ft. per plant. Smaller plants, like Little Dutch and most of the Oriental varieties, did fine at 2.5 sq. ft. per plant. 3 sq.ft. would be a diameter of almost 24 inches. 3.75 sq.ft. would up the diameter to a bit over 26 inches. When you grow tobacco in a pot--or in a circular tube--the roots simply grow as best they can to that size. If the size is restrictive, then the plant yield is reduced.

If you plan to use soil that is different from your garden soil, then you might consider just digging it into the garden, without raising it.

What type of soil do you have? Is it red clay?

Bob

 

[Bix]

pretty much solid red clay, and I don't really have time to create a full garden bed if I want seeds in this year. I had thought about the pots or buckets, but when it gets very hot and dry in the summer I think having the bottoms open to the ground might be a better way to keep the roots wet until I can water after work.

 

[Bix]

well running some numbers today basicly told me its just about as expensive to make a set up with 5 gallon pots as it is to just take the time and create the beds... *sigh*

What do you guys think the best lay out would be for either 8'x4' beds or 12'x4' beds? probably 12-16" deep of soil in each bed, with weed mat underneath

 

[deluxestogie]

You could consider simply adding compost and Black Kow composted manure (~$5/50# bag) directly to your soil. A good idea would be to contact your local agricultural extension service and getting info on a soil test. The results might surprise you.

Bob

 

[SmokesAhoy]

What about digging 5 gal size holes in your red clay and just amending that soil? Seems like the roots would have the same room to grow and save you some cash while taking a longer time to dry out if you flood the whole area. I tried growing veggies like that in fl somewhat successfully. Anyway my .02 if you have limited time

 

[Daniel]

Bix, I am facing the same issues here but on a grand scale. I am planning to grow 1651 plants in soil that very likely will not grow weeds much less tobacco. IN order to dig out a 1 cubic foot hole and fill it with top soil and compost would require 60 yards of material.

I grew 132 plants in 5 gallon buckets of top soil, compost, peat moss and sand last year. I placed the buckets side by side touching each other in spaces 4 buckets wide and 11 buckets long. 44 buckets per bed if you want to call them that. This worked perfectly fine until the plants got large. at the very end they where so crowded it got pretty hard to harvest leaves but we managed. The plants being in buckets and movable was one of the keys to making this work. We will be doing this again this year in addition to the 1600 plus other plants.

Not sure at this moment what we are going to do with the big patch. We plant to go out there today and collect some buckets of dirt and see what can be done with it. if it can have some stuff added to it and make tobacco grow then we may move ahead. 60 yards of top soil would most likely cost us about 1600 dollars. The location is fairly remote so delivery may cost more than I expect. Buying that dirt puts a dent in the savings but there is still a huge savings over buying tobacco. buying buckets and dirt resulted in the most expensive tobacco I have ever bought. $1000 for 15 lbs. but that was all a one time cost so it gets diluted with each year we grow tobacco. I do suggest you make raised beds over using buckets but you will need to give more space between plants. I don't have space to give so am pretty much limited to how I do it. Tobacco is tough and will grow. just not as well. The tobacco is good smoking and that is what really counts.

 

[Obi]

Look into 'hugelkulture', it's very effective.

 

[Boboro]

My back garden is hardpan clay every 5 years or so I like to break it up with a track hoe.I made most of my topsoil with compost oak leaves and make rows about 1.5' tall so they are rasied beds.A lot of citys will give compost if you ask for it Tupelo will load it for you.Some of the clay inwest Alb. that has sand in it will grow a good garden.