Cuba Cigars | Sowing & Cultivating |
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Shade grown tobacco Pinar del Rio
Before the
operations with the cultivating machine and hilling are carried out several
works that have as basic objective to achieve a high population in accordance
with the recommended density for each type of tobacco.
These
works receive the names of replant and retransplant. In the specific
case of tobacco for wrappers at present is not necessary to carry
out these works, because the plantation is verified by means of seedlings
from the cepellón and it facilitates that dead plants practically
don't exist.
Nevertheless,
if one of the seedlings dies it is recommended to substitute it in order
to guarantee the quality of the field. |
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Objectives
and importance of the work of cultivation (cultivating machine)
These works
are carried out to loosen the soil, to improve its physical properties,
to facilitate a better use of the fertilizers, to contribute to the appropriate
balance of the humidity of the soil, to facilitate the work of internal
hilling and the elimination of undesirable plants (overgrowths). |
Keeping in
mind what was stated before reaffirms that the necessity of applying the
work is valid for all types of soils, but in the cases of lands with low
percentages of organic material and lacking of physical properties it
is necessary to increase these works. This of course is not applicable
for shade grown tobacco because the soils used for the production of wrappers
are of very good physical qualities.
The
moments in which this operation is carried out are the following:
- Before
covering the furrow (six or eight days after the transplant)
- Before
the external Hilling (from 20 to 22 days). The work is carried out two
times, at this time the Creole plow can be used.
- After
having carried out the external hilling (after 30 or 32 days of having
planted), this operation is carried out with the hoe and it should be
done carefully without damaging the leaves.
The works
with the cultivating machine are generally carried out with animal traction
using in this case the Grilla (see picture) or the Creole plow (see picture).
Objectives
and importance of hilling around the plant
a)
Internal hilling. It is carried out in shade grown tobacco as
early as possible, between six or eight days after the sowing if seedlings
from the cepellón were used and between seven or nine days if the
seedlings used have the root without earth. Next you can appreciate the
objectives of this work:
- To stimulate
the development of adventitious roots or roots coming from the stem.
- To strengthen
the stem of the plant and to achieve that they remain erecting.
- To improve
efficiency in the use of the fertilizers.
- To adapt
the hydric régime of the soil.
- To eliminate
the undesirable plants.
- To match
the surface of the land and to diminish the losses of water due to evaporation.
b)
External hilling. This work is carried out simultaneously with
another group of works, being the order the following: cultivation, fertilization,
cultivation, hilling, handy hilling with the hoe, phytosanitary application
and deep watering.
In any type
of tobacco it is important to maintain the previous sequence, but it is
much more important in the case of tobacco for wrappers. Next are expressed
the objectives of this work:
Besides
the objectives before enumerated, with this work we achieve:
- To facilitate
watering furrow by furrow.
- To loosen
the surface of the soil.
- To improve
the airing of the soil and other physical properties.
- To increase
the resistance of the plants to the wind.
- To improve
the external drainage of the soil.
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& Sources:
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