Replant or not?

[Anders A]

First, I want to apologize for my possibly bad English, I hope my choice of words works and that you can still understand me

Last year I let the plants grow in the plug tray until I moved them out into the open field. The end result was good with a high yield. Maybe it was a few weeks later harvest compared to if I had replanted the plants a few times into larger pots. I plan to do the same this year as last year.

Are there any downsides to not replanting the plants a few times before setting them out? Should I absolutely replant them a few times before setting them out, and if so why?

The picture is from last year, when I had just moved the plants over one by one to plug tray.

 

[Old Gasman]

I'm far from an expert but if last year you had a good crop doing what you did then this year I'd keep on doing it. Also I think that the more you replant them the more you disturb the root system, but as I said in far from expert.

 

[loui loui]

Look at the roots, if you can see a lot of roots the plant probably want a bigger pot.
Yellow leaves can be a sign also.

 

[deluxestogie]

Commercial tobacco growing is about maximum productivity vs. cost. Cost is mostly labor. Commercial growers go directly from a float tray (usually 72-cell) to the field. My own preference is to go from my 48-cell 1020 tray to the field. But I am in Virginia, with a Virginia growing season.

If you need the growth early (before the plants are set out to the field), then replanting may be worth the considerable extra effort and expense. (Your labor is free, but replanting costs extra soil and pots.) You might consider running the comparison experiment this year: some replanted, some (same variety) not replanted.

It does not harm the plants to have crowded roots. The plants self-regulate their size and growth to their setting. Once they go to the field, they typically achieve their expected height and productivity. I believe the question pivots entirely on whether or not your growing season is adequately long.

Bob

 

[Anders A]

Commercial tobacco growing is about maximum productivity vs. cost. Cost is mostly labor. Commercial growers go directly from a float tray (usually 72-cell) to the field. My own preference is to go from my 48-cell 1020 tray to the field. But I am in Virginia, with a Virginia growing season.

If you need the growth early (before the plants are set out to the field), then replanting may be worth the considerable extra effort and expense. (Your labor is free, but replanting costs extra soil and pots.) You might consider running the comparison experiment this year: some replanted, some (same variety) not replanted.

It does not harm the plants to have crowded roots. The plants self-regulate their size and growth to their setting. Once they go to the field, they typically achieve their expected height and productivity. I believe the question pivots entirely on whether or not your growing season is adequately long.

Bob

I had some problem last fall getting the tobacco cured and dried in time, ie our growing season is quite short. This year I'm going to take a bit of a chance and plant some a few weeks earlier, and I'm also going to do as you suggest replanting some of the same variety and then compare the results.

 

[deluxestogie]

Each one of us is conducting an experiment each growing season. Sometimes the magic works.

Bob

 

[skychaser]

You might consider running the comparison experiment this year: some replanted, some (same variety) not replanted.

I've done that. The only difference is that you get a bigger plant to set out at planting time. A bigger plant has a little more resistance to weather and predators, but 30 days later you won't be able to tell the difference between them and a smaller one. It didn't have any effect on when they mature. Most tobaccos act like determinants. They will bloom in a given amount of days from when you start them, give or take a week due to varying weather conditions. Very few are triggered into maturity by decreasing daylight hours.

I have planted tobacco seedlings into the field from 162 hole plug trays and everything in between up to 6 inch pots. At the end of the season you can't tell one from the other. I use 6 pack inserts with 72 plants per flat. It's the most efficient use of my greenhouse space. I seed them 8 weeks ahead of my average last frost date. But they can easily be held to 10 weeks if necessary.

 

[Anders A]

I've done that. The only difference is that you get a bigger plant to set out at planting time. A bigger plant has a little more resistance to weather and predators, but 30 days later you won't be able to tell the difference between them and a smaller one. It didn't have any effect on when they mature. Most tobaccos act like determinants. They will bloom in a given amount of days from when you start them, give or take a week due to varying weather conditions. Very few are triggered into maturity by decreasing daylight hours.

I have planted tobacco seedlings into the field from 162 hole plug trays and everything in between up to 6 inch pots. At the end of the season you can't tell one from the other. I use 6 pack inserts with 72 plants per flat. It's the most efficient use of my greenhouse space. I seed them 8 weeks ahead of my average last frost date. But they can easily be held to 10 weeks if necessary.

Great. Thank you.