Planning Staggered Rows

[istanbulin]

Here're two staggered row plans with different planting density.

1-

2-

For the first scheme, vertical distance between rows (d) is 0.86 of the within row spacing (D).

As an example for the 1st scheme, let's say you're transplanting some Burley with 60 cm (approx. 2') :

- First row is regular with 60 cm spacing between plants.
- Second, staggered, row's vertical distance from the first one should be; 60x0.86= 51.6 cm (say 50 cm). The spacing spacing between plants in this row is still 60.
- Third staggered row is same with 2nd and it goes like this.
...

For the second scheme, d is 0.76 of D. So, for a 60 cm spacing it only changes the distance between rows. It makes, 60x0.76=45.6 cm.

Apart from this, I know that some people use d=D for planning staggered rows.

The soil and climate characteristics are important for planning staggered rows as well as plant type (or variety), like soil moisture, soil type, slope, sun exposure etc. Richer soils may tolerate more density.

Learn more here; http://planstlaurent.qc.ca/en/riparian_revegetation_guide/planning_revegetation_work.html (where I took the schemes).

 

[deluxestogie]

Very nice. With full size plants, say burley, I've found my maximum reach is into the second row of staggered rows. That limits the number of contiguous staggered rows of full size plants to 4, with an aisle on either side. With close spacing of smaller Orientals, I can reach to about the 4th or 5th plant in.

Below is a sketch from my 2012 grow log. The circle size is arbitrary, and the aisle width is not to scale. While my beds are 12' long, the length can be as long as you want, so long as there is an aisle to either side.

http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/481-deluxestogie-Grow-Log-2012

Bob

 

[LeftyRighty]

What I've found to works well for me :

for large leaf Burleys, Bright Leaf, etc
Double row - rows 2 ft apart, plants spaced at 2 1/2 ft staggered
4 ft between each set of double rows.

For smaller leafed strains - Turkish/Oriental, Havana 142, etc
Dbl rows at 18-inch, plants at 18-inch staggered spacing
not less than 3 1/2 feet between dbl rows

small leaf orientals/turkish - Izmir Obzis
Triple rows at 12-inch spacing, plants at 12-inch staggered spacing.

I break too many leaves weeding and getting to suckers if I've had triple rows on anything but the smallest leaf strains.

 

[rainmax]

I'm using first scheme this year. 50-55 cm apart for cigar varieties also Virginia and about 20-25 cm for orientals but only two staggered rows. Last year I wasn't satisfied with three staggered rows. Not comfortable. I chased the balance and I was dancing around my plants. Sometimes I even step on roots of tobacco. No more.

 

[Chicken]

i staggered 2 years ago. and found it to be very benificial.. [ where space was limited ]

now i have bigger space. and more room..

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I was wondering if the purpose of the extra space between traditional rows is merely to allow foot (or tractor) access. I will be planting a section 7'x47' with flue cured and i was thinking I could fit three rows in if one is a double row. It runs east-west. On the north side I could leave a foot between the tobacco and the chain link fence, do a double row, then a three foot space, and still have room for a single row. Or maybe the double row by the lawn on the south side and have the single row next to the fence?

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I usually plant 5 foot wide rows. This is more for my convenience of walking between the rows and hoeing. I've also planted 3 foot wide rows. The only real difference is the ease with which I can get through my patch. Crowding tobacco will stunt their growth somewhat but in your case 3.5 foot rows are fine.

 

[Smokin Harley]

my spacing is kind of similar to yours ChinaVoodoo. I ran North to South rows last year ,worked well so I'll repeat. Fence to first row is about 18 inches (enough room for a bigger leaf spread variety but if the (west)wind decides to blow all day the lower 2 ft of leaves wont be damaged on the fence wires. Rows are staggered doubles ,plants are mostly at 18 inches apart but offset so plant to plant appears closer. Larger varieties like say this Colombian Garcia or a larger leaf similar to PA Red or Va Gold ,I'd space them more like 22-24 inches apart triangulated- pretty close to the 50-55cm as RainMax does. Not sure how he spaces plants 20-25 cms apart unless they are some tiny plants. Rows spaced a straight 36 inches to allow inspection/weeding/suckering. Its a close row spacing but I move carefully.

 

[Knucklehead]

I was wondering if the purpose of the extra space between traditional rows is merely to allow foot (or tractor) access. I will be planting a section 7'x47' with flue cured and i was thinking I could fit three rows in if one is a double row. It runs east-west. On the north side I could leave a foot between the tobacco and the chain link fence, do a double row, then a three foot space, and still have room for a single row. Or maybe the double row by the lawn on the south side and have the single row next to the fence?

If doing a staggered row, it will best to put it where you have access to both sides of it. Hard to reach all the way through to the other side.

 

[tmbutler]

Very nice. With full size plants, say burley, I've found my maximum reach is into the second row of staggered rows. That limits the number of contiguous staggered rows of full size plants to 4, with an aisle on either side. With close spacing of smaller Orientals, I can reach to about the 4th or 5th plant in.

Below is a sketch from my 2012 grow log. The circle size is arbitrary, and the aisle width is not to scale. While my beds are 12' long, the length can be as long as you want, so long as there is an aisle to either side.

http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/481-deluxestogie-Grow-Log-2012

Bob

Bob;

I realize that this post and these prints are damn near 10 years old. I wanted to ask whether or not this is still your current growing arrangement? The above layout would definitely cut down on me turning my subdivision home into a farmette, however I wanted to ask how the growth and production turned out in this layout as opposed to
'traditional rows". Currently, I have space for about 4-6 rows at 4 feet apart and about 20-30' long, but once again that'll have my yard looking like a farm (which does not bother me!)
With the 5x12 garden space, how deep did you till up the turf? Im down with garden space or rows, just trying to figure it all out before planting time.

 

[deluxestogie]

"Traditional rows" are ideal for fitting your mule or tractor between the plants. Because of soil compaction in the aisle between such rows, that extra space is not particularly useful to the plants.

I continue to plant in the very same staggered rows (as shown in my illustration) within 5' wide beds. So a 12'-long row gets 16 full-size plants, and a 6'-long row gets 8. For Orientals, I plant in the same hexagonal pattern, but with 8" to 12" between plant centers, so my 5' x 6' bed of Orientals will hold between 16 and 25 plants.

By having a wide, grass isle surrounding every bed, I never have to walk in mud to tend my plants. Another bonus is that it actually looks attractive to the average neighbor's eye.

Bob

EDIT: On the question of tilling depth, I got greater productivity when I hand-tilled down to 24", but such deeply dug soil is really crappy at preventing the tall wind sail of a fully grown tobacco plant from blowing down flat to the ground. So I currently dig to about 12".

 

[LeftyRighty]

for large leaf Burleys, Bright Leaf, etc
Double row - rows 2 ft apart, plants spaced at 2 1/2 ft staggered
4 ft between each set of double rows.

I've since gone to 5 ft between 2 ft double rows', was breaking too many leaves on mature plants while picking suckers or tilling weeds in the aisle.. But, will go to 4 ft for smaller plants like Silk Leaf, or some of the cigar strains.