Is there anything productive that can be done with the tobacco plant stalks? I have quite a few and would hate to just give them to the dump if they could be used for anything. I have heard that tobacco leaves in general aren't advised for composting, would the same be true with the stalks? Are there other random/creative ways to make use of the stalks instead of throwing them away?
What to do with stalks?
- Thread starter vpnisnice
- Start date
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
I compost them. The only reason I can think of for avoiding it would be related to building up mosaic virus in one's soil, something that hasn't been an issue for me.
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
You can also use them with other tree or bush cuttings to make hugelkultur beds.
I donate them to a beekeeper, he smokes the bees with them when he opens the box, he says that some parasites are killed by the nicotine present in the smoke. Other times I gave them to a farmer to make a natural insecticide. I have a powerful tobacco grinder, I noticed that if I put them through it twice, they can be smoked.
Brown Thumb
Well-Known Member
On a related note... not the stalks per se but the roots. I've cut down the stalks in my raised bed, and now have big root balls and the bottom few inches of stalk remaining in the soil. Should I just leave them, pull them up and chop, or what? I plan to mix in a bunch of compost and additional soil before planting next year, because these were brand new planters and the soil has settled quite a bit. Because of the way I planted the tobacco this year it's pretty much a solid mass of roots.
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
They will be in the way next spring so they will have to be pulled out at some point
Thanks, kind of figured that. I know they would eventually decompose but assumed it wouldn't be soon enough for next spring. Bear with me, anything I've planted up until this point has been grass seed or trees... this is more like corn in a lot of ways, including the stalks.
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
Where I am it's usually not warm or wet enough for that to happen. I doubt NE is any different.
