Sweet tobacco, despite its name, is a member of the nightshade family. Many gardeners are drawn to this plant for its vibrant flowers, which have a strong, alluring aroma. This plant blooms from early summer until the first subzero temperatures, making it a delight to behold on gray autumn days.
Sweet tobacco flowers can be grown from seeds (photo); they resemble five-pointed stars in shape and come in a variety of crimson shades. What else should you choose? flowers for a flower bedso that they bloom all summer.
Description of the plant
When the plant begins to bloom, it reaches a height of 22 to 145 centimeters. As dusk approaches, the buds open and begin to emit a fragrant fragrance. The scent becomes most noticeable as sunset approaches.
However, it's important to remember that this aroma captivates not only humans but also insects, which awaken and begin their activity in the late afternoon. The color palette includes flowers in purple, white, pink, lilac, and red. Because growing fragrant tobacco from seed (photo) is a simple process, these flowers are increasingly seen in flowerbeds. Moreover, it's one of the few flowers that continues to delight with its brightness even in cloudy weather, as the flowers don't hide behind the clouds; on the contrary, they bloom.
How to grow fragrant tobacco
Sweet tobacco seeds are small, so it might seem difficult to grow sweet tobacco from seed (photo), but the personal experience of many gardeners proves this to be a big mistake. The plant thrives in warmth, which is surprising, considering it continues to bloom even on the first cold days.
To grow fragrant tobacco from seeds, first of all, you need to select the right containers and soil.
It has already been mentioned that the crop prefers warmth, so it is better to first plant it as seedlings and then transplant it into open ground.
When purchased fragrant tobacco seeds are planted as seedlings, the first shoots will emerge within 10-20 days. The best time to sow seedlings is late March or early April. Flower options for successful cultivation in the garden.
The small seeds of this unusual plant should be planted no more than 6 centimeters deep, moistening the soil first. To speed up germination, soak the seeds in a damp sack of guava before planting. Once the seeds have swollen, they can be planted in the soil. A mixture of equal parts lowland peat, humus, and leaf mold is suitable.
Cover the seed container with transparent film to create a greenhouse effect. Leave the film on until the first sprouts appear. Once sprouts appear, you can begin to lift the film slightly to allow the plant to breathe. While growing fragrant tobacco from seeds (photo), the plant requires moderate watering. Once the first full-fledged leaves appear, it's best to plant the seeds 4 centimeters apart.
What to do with seedlings
Once the seedlings are ripe, they can be transplanted into prepared open ground. Before planting, loosen the soil and add humus. Next, water the soil thoroughly and make small holes for the plants. Add a teaspoon of superphosphate (the kind found in ranulas) to each hole. Then, lightly cover the holes with soil.
The fragrant tobacco seedlings should be transplanted into the holes, along with the small lump of soil that remains when the plant is removed from the seedling container. Once the plant is in the ground, water it with a cup of water (each).
Advice! It is necessary to maintain a distance of 20-30 centimeters between crops and transplant them into open ground when the weather outside is already consistently warm and all frosts have finally retreated.
Further cultivation of fragrant tobacco from seeds will only involve proper watering and fertilizing.
The first feeding of the plant is done during the flowering period, which usually occurs in the evening of the first month of summer. The plant is fed with a mixture for "beautiful bloomers," which comes with detailed instructions on how and how much to feed. The plant should be fertilized twice per season.
As for watering, fragrant tobacco requires watering once every 7 days. If it's hot outside, it's best to increase the watering frequency to twice a week. To ensure the plant can breathe properly, it's necessary to loosen the soil regularly. We'll tell you how. How to grow marigolds from seeds at home.
The advantages of growing fragrant tobacco from seeds include not only its attractive appearance and dizzying aroma, but also the fact that the plant is never affected by pests and diseases.
With proper care, which isn't all that difficult to provide, your garden will be covered in a fragrant carpet of colorful flowers throughout the summer and fall, making it hard to pass by. You'll want to stand there for a while, inhaling the scent and admiring its beauty.