Regrow from Stalk or Plant new - sucker crop?

[JennyLeez]

Hi,

This is the one area I have not been able to find a clear answer to although I am not at this stage yet.
Once all leaves have been stripped from the stalks which is my best option.

(a) Pull out stalk and plant a new plant
or
(b) Let the suckers/leaves continue to grow on original stalk.

On the photo below I have left the new growth on 1 plant to see what would happen. It grew



Thanks in advance for any help

Cheers
Jenny

 

[deluxestogie]

Re: Regrow from Stalk or Plant new.

A second crop of leaf on the same plant after harvest is often referred to as a "sucker crop", since it grows from suckers that sprout at the leaf axils of the original stalk.

If you still have a full-length growing season after your first harvest, then:

1. Clear the ground and replant new transplants: this is the most work, but the best quality leaf
2. Remove all but a single sucker per plant, allowing this to create a single new stalk: this is the least work, but lower quality leaf

If you have only 60 or so days until expected frost, then your only realistic option is to choose option 2 above.

My experience (in southwest Virginia, mind you) with sucker crops is that, unless you have severely limited growing space or don't care about the quality of the second crop, sucker leaf is generally of so much lower a quality that it's not worth the trouble for all this "free" leaf. If you "need" that extra leaf, then expect it to be mediocre at best.

Bob

 

[A Scotsman in Argentina]

A timely post. I've just cut three of my plants to colour cure on the stalk. As I hadn't the heart to dig it out and don't need the space I left the 'sucker' just to see what happens.

 

[deluxestogie]

...I left the 'sucker' just to see what happens.

That's an excellent point. It's probably worth the experience for a season or two. Some forum members regularly harvest sucker crops. In some seasons, my cut stumps produce suckers that look so excellent that I allow them to grow. (I'm a slow learner.)

Bob

 

[Hasse SWE]

Jenny here in Sweden hobby grower often save it and let it grow. It will not bring you the same yield or even quality of the tobacco as the original plant did. But to be honest I have a to bad grow zone to tell you more (I have never tasted the tobacco from those myself).

 

[JennyLeez]

Thank you for the replies.
I have since left the suckers on one plant only to see how big they grow. I am removing them off all other plants after reading the above from Bob.
As you state, the leaves are not the same quality. They are much much smaller and thinner. I have picked a couple and tried yellowing them. This is taking 5 times longer than the yellowing of the main leaves.
I will definitely be uprooting the main plants once stripped and planting new plants.

Again, thanks for advice
Jenny