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Question on how to kill a tobacco plant

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USHOG

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I was wondering how do you kill a tobacco plant so it will quit growing new shoots without pulling the roots out of the ground. We normally do not get a freeze to kill them off so I have to pull all of them up and this is a huge chore in our soil. To much clay it took 3 people pulling to get most of them out of the ground. There has to be a better way. How do people get the roots out of giant tobacco fields. I assume a tractor but I would like to know if there is a better way


Joe
 

deluxestogie

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In my soil, tobacco roots are very difficult to dislodge when the soil is dry. I wait for a rain, allow it to mostly dry, then dig them out with a right-angle spade. The root system is relatively shallow, so even a light rain makes a world of difference in the amount of force required.

Another issue to consider is that the root systems may harbor tobacco pests if left in the ground.

Bob
 

USHOG

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I understand the pest problem. I just had so much trouble pulling all of the stalks I was hoping for an different solution. How do tobacco farmers pull large crops?
 

Chicken

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That has to be the oddest question I've ever seen on this site..lol.
 

Brown Thumb

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I have tried hand pulling. Not happening.
I have drug them out with the tractor bucket. A PITA.
This year I pulled some out with wratchet straps and tractor. Still a PITA.
I just figure I will till them under in the spring.
When you find a easy way, Please Let Me Know.
 

USHOG

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I do not think easy is the word for removing the stalks. I would like to know how to kill the suckers from keep coming out of the ground without pulling the stalk. I have thought about broad leaf killer but I really do not want that in my garden
 

Brown Thumb

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How about cutting the stalks low and then just run the lawn mower over them when cutting the grass.
 

USHOG

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The stalks would break my mower, and since we do not really freeze they just keep coming back until they are pulled out. I already have them all out this year but it was very hard work and I added 300 feet of new row so I have to figure out something before the end of this season. Plus when the stem goes all gooey it is just nasty. I also use very tall rows to keep the water out when it floods so no mowing except for the walk ways.

I wonder how long does the broadleaf killer stay in the soil.
 

DGBAMA

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I just cut mine down to about 1.5' (leaves a handle) and wait till a day after it rains. Rock back and fourth a couple times and pull. Only a few needed assistance from a shovel this year. Did my whole patch (several hundred) in a couple hours.
 

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The effects of strip tilled cover crops: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3380468/

This could be a form of crop field rotation. Alternate between planting strips one year and the alternating strips the following year. The cover crop is left in place between the tilled strips.

Both articles can be converted to PDF by using a link on the upper right of the pages. Then save to computer.
 

USHOG

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These are great practices and cover crops between the rows could work if it could stand up to the foot traffic. Any ideas of a good row cover crop? The main problem is that I grow in this garden 11 months a year. My garden is a hybrid of organic soil and aquaponics as I have a 7000 gallon fish pond that feeds that whole garden continuous fish waste water through the irrigation system

Thank you for the information
 

Knucklehead

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These are great practices and cover crops between the rows could work if it could stand up to the foot traffic. Any ideas of a good row cover crop? The main problem is that I grow in this garden 11 months a year. My garden is a hybrid of organic soil and aquaponics as I have a 7000 gallon fish pond that feeds that whole garden continuous fish waste water through the irrigation system

Thank you for the information

FmGrowit posted a great link to an article about cover crops. If I remember correctly, one of the best was fescue grass, and might work best in your situation. It would be more hardy than clover. I have no idea where he posted the link, but I may have saved it to my basement computer. I'll give a look when I'm down there.
 

webmost

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Gee, I never had a problem killing mine, without even trying. My pal here SmokinHarley reports he has a black thumb too.
 

norest

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Up here we use round up to kill cerial crops and and have all the grain ripen atbthe same time.the stuff goes inert once it hits soil. I can't see the harm in it. We feed our kids the stuff.. so I can't see any harm in smoking it haha the plant dies at once harvest then since you got clay soil leave the plant mass there and get a mean mean rototiller and get the fiber back in the ground perhaps
 

chuditch

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Glyphosate.
It kills all the plants that you spray the foliage of and doesn't harm the soil and is non residual.
You can spay around plants if you are careful as in no breeze and careful where the spray is going.
I had a lot of weeds come up between all my tobacco plants and used it to weed between them with no detriment to the tobacco.
I use it in the vineyard in spring so the drip line along the vines is clear of growth and use it before replanting a paddock with pasture so have killed all the weeds.
It basicly excites the plant to death and you will find worms and other good things already at work on the root system within days of spraying.
 
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