Barclay Poling (ret.) and Mark Hoffmann, NC State University


JULY

  • Make key decisions about varieties and plant types for next season. Order your plants!! Remember, tips need to arrive 4-6 weeks prior to planting.
  • Other immediate field operations: remove and recycle plastic – some growers use tobacco balers to compress the plastic before it goes to the landfill; consider planting a cover crop.
  • Before making the same plant order as last year, critically evaluate the relative profitability of your different markets (U-pick, Ready Pick, and/or Off-farm). For example, if you experienced further decline in U-Pick sales, this may the time to scale back Chandler production (this variety is primarily a U-Pick variety)
  • If your crop was really late this year, have you considered growing an early ripening variety Sweet Charlie? But, you will have to hurry to place this plant order, as Sweet Charlie supplies may be limited.
  • One thing you do not want to do is go with extra early Chandler planting dates. If Chandler is producing in excess of 100 flowers per plant, your planting date is probably too early – consider a slightly later planting date if you keep running into problems with excess blooms and small berries. Also, early plantings have the undesirable effect of making the crop later in the spring by another 3-5 days (that might mean not being open on a critical weekend).
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to order plants or tips – tips need to arrive one month prior to planting.
  • Soil test in early July. Lime early in the summer if necessary to raise pH to 6.0 to 6.2. Incorporate lime when existing beds are broken down.
  • Use overhead irrigate to soften soil as needed and subsoil completely.
  • If growing your own tips, get a mist system set up (also order soil, trays, fertilizer)
  • Stick tips by mid-to-late August, depending on location.
  • Make a fumigation plan, set a schedule, talk to custom fumigator and/or acquire necessary materials. If you fumigate your own: Check all your PPE (respirator, Tyvac, chemical resistant gloves, rubber boots) for functionality. Be sure to allow appropriate plant-back intervals and an additional cushion in case of bad weather.
  • If you fumigate your own: Check out your fumigation rig and do any adjustments and repairs well in advance of fumigation.
  • Renew respirator fit testing (must be current within one year of fumigation).
  • Make sure you have new respirator cartridges.

AUGUST

Preparing for Next Season

  • If raising your own plugs, be sure to order soil, trays, and fertilizer if growing tips.
  • Stay in close contact with your plant supplier this summer and do not be afraid to ask for periodic reports updates on plant health.
  • After soil testing, lime early in the summer to raise pH to 6.0 to 6.2. Incorporate lime when existing beds are broken down.
  • Use overhead irrigation to soften soil as needed and subsoil completely.
  • Get mist system set up by early August if growing your own tips.
  • Stick tips by mid-to-late August, depending on location.
  • For planting in mid-Sept (Western NC), apply preplant fertilizer in mid-August.
  • Make a fumigation plan, set a schedule, and acquire necessary materials. Be sure to allow appropriate plant-back intervals and an additional cushion in case of bad weather.
  • Check out your fumigation rig and do any adjustments and repairs well in advance of fumigation.
  • Renew respirator fit testing (must be current within one year of fumigation.

Planning Your Plant Order

  • Before making your plant order, critically evaluate the relative profitability of your different markets (U-pick, ready-pick, and/or off-farm). Plant varieties according to your predicted markets!!
  • Diversify. A combination of varieties can give you more weeks of fruiting, and not so much fruit in just a short two-week period! If your crop was really late this year, consider an early ripening variety.
  • Consider diversifying plant type. Fresh dugs can produce an earlier crop than plugs, and fruit size can be very impressive in the early season. You may also wish to experiment with California cutoff plants as another strategy for producing larger berries in the mid-season when Chandler plug berry size drops off.
  • If you grow ‘Chandler’ from plugs: consider planting dates over a week’s time, so that not all your crop peaks at the same time.
  • Consider the potential water situation for the season ahead – plugs are far more efficient in water utilization than fresh dugs.
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