Deans grow log 2013

[Dean]

Ethylene trial posted in the curing gas post.

I am rapidly approaching a conundrum I need some input on. In the past and this year plants in the ground have 2' spacing, I have found this to be adequate.

With the list above and varying reports of spacing on certain varieties I am wondering what you guys have been using to get the best bang for your buck. I don't doubt a 1' spacing works or even a 3' but would like to get the most in for the ground allotted. Even if I cut the average 1.5' between rows of two May work ok. I can work around tight packed plants but it will be a chore I am willing to do.

i have spent a few days preparing and cultivating the beds and have prior horticultural experience, some of it has been baccy basically spot planted around the permaculture garden. Some spots grow better than others etc. with this lot of seed I have foregone sowing many veg seeds to get a reasonable harvest. My pot culture is not up to the standard of previous years grown in the ground. It looks like I will be left wanting till this lot grow out.

i am also looking at spacing like this to get 3 rows between paths.
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Any and all help appreciated.

I am also going to space out a few for wrappers, some shade some sun.

i want to weigh up all options after seeing some small growing Little Dutch plants reach 5'x5'

i have looked quickly through the grow logs and without spending days going over individual logs and reading all pages it is hard to settle on an answer. I have seen some great plants planted close ans well as with wider spacings.

water and feed are not an issue if that helps I am fully irrigated and will side dress or liquid feed if needed....damn a liquid root feed will take some time but will do it.

cheers

 

[jekylnz]

I seen you post in ethylene thread. ...I just know that the guys always like having pictures and grow .etc. threads to read & look through being off season and all. ..everyone loves pic's. .

This is bigbonners commercial recommended spacing..if this helps?
Burley 20 inches
Flue cured 20 to 22 inches 50.8 to 55.9 cm
Fire cured 22 to 24 inches 55.9 to 61 cm
Broad leaf 24 to 26 inches 61 to 66 cm
Havana 20 to 26 inches 50.8 to 66 cm[/QUOTE]

 

[jekylnz]

So basically an average of 1/2 a meter..I still think 10inches for orientals & some filler or smaller varieties. .like someone was saying about restricted feed when spaced closer..just feed more than usual. .and replenish well in the off season...with mustard. Clover .animal dung.... .even bring in more top soil dirt.sand.compost or whatevers needed..
At the start of this season I was lucky that the neighbours were redoing their fence...& dug a heap of tops soil from behind the fence..score for my beds to put a bit of new dirt back in

 

[AmaxB]

it is not only about work space but also plant yield, you can grow more plants in less space and actually reduce yield

 

[Dean]

Today's observation of growth has got me excited. These late sown seeds have got away a lot faster than any I have had in before. I usually start indoors under lights. And it has sometimes taken a few weeks to get to the size these have in a week.

I am putting it down to warmer ambient temperature and non artificial UV. I'll put up a progress piccy early next week.

 

[jekylnz]

Its amazing what a bit more heat to the roots can do to speed up growth.

 

[Dean]

9/12/13

They are really coming away quickly. looks like some will be ready to prick out into cells in a few days.




Weather has been Hot and Dry all week.

 

[Dean]

I was aiming to get 10 good plants of each up. some are less but can be made up with like varieties. ill use this as a diary as I get through positions and spacing etc.

As of today Seedlings roughly number below, there may be a couple of stragglers.
Kelly burley 10
Orinoco 5
MA 609 15
Pens Red 5
FL Sumatra 25
TN Red Leaf 30
B21 40
Zimmer Spanish 20
RSE 5
Black Mammoth 30
Little Dutch 20
Bursa 60
Bafra 25
Havana 50
Aztec 4
VG gold 40

There will be plenty of each variety available. I can grow 160-170 or so. I have plenty of hanging space etc for harvest.

I will have to now work out numbers of each to get potted up plus 20% for dead loss.

cheers

 

[jekylnz]

That's a good list there Dean. ..it looks like you've done okay with the f.l. sumatra to...I had a pretty low germ rate with mine. ..I only ended up with about 10 out of 60 seeds (approx 20%) I also found the penn red slow to start.

 

[Knucklehead]

Coming along good Dean.

 

[Dean]

12/12/13

Got these picked out of the community pots and into cells, numbers as below.

Also sowed YTB and VA Bright leaf that arrived today (Thanks Doc) I will be looking to grow 16 each of these.

Kelly burley 8
Orinoco 8
MA 609 8
Pens Red 7
FL Sumatra 8
TN Red Leaf 16
B21 8
Zimmer Spanish 8
RSE 5
Black Mammoth 8
Little Dutch 8
Bursa 16
Bafra 16
Havana 8
Aztec 4
VG gold 24

Picking out and potting up into cells.











The stand out performers so far were the Bursa and Bafra. Long deep roots and largest leaves.

cheers guys.

 

[Knucklehead]

Those look good. I like your set up.

 

[Dean]

17/12/13
Culled them down to 1 per cell, I must have been careless with the potting and/or there were a lot of stragglers germinating late. I tried to keep like sized plantlets.

Bursa the clear fore runner in the growth stakes. Twice the size of all the others

I have germination of YTB and VA Bright Leaf.
I am loving the vigour of these fresh seeds and the heat at this time of year and growth is 3 times that of under lights started in the cooler months.

The Aztec is a clear second in growth with very wide stem and thick leaves.

 

[Dean]

 

[DGBAMA]

Off to agood start there.

 

[Rickey60]

Very nice looking plants. I can't wait to get started.

 

[Dean]

06/01/14

A bit of growth happened over xmas. These will be ready to plant out in a few weeks.





I have been starting to feed weekly. The screening will come off in the next few days to harden them off for a week or two before planting.

The individual cells are inch x inch for size comparison. Most have 4in of root coming out the bottoms of the cells.

cheers

 

[jekylnz]

Looking good there Dean. ..coming along nicely in all this warm weather. ..its still been raining too much here for what tobacco likes. .im hoping it will be a bit more dryer from now on. .

 

[Knucklehead]

Your off to a good start. Keep us posted. I like the code in your profile. I can figure out who you are from that. lol

 

[rainmax]

Bravo Dean. I see the way now how you can move your plants out sooner. I have some styrofoam boxes.
You will harvest soon.