How to Care for Nicotiana

Nicotiana is a flowering relative of the tobacco plant that can grow up to 10 feet tall. It has strongly fragrant, sweet-smelling flowers that can be pink, white, yellow or red, depending on the species. Nicotiana is an annual that is native to subtropical climates, but it does well in temperate regions both in containers and in gardens. Although it is not drought-tolerant, it is a hardy plant that is relatively easy to grow and take care of.

Things You'll Need

• Nicotiana seeds
• Sand
• Seeding flats
• Potting mix
• Trays
• Pots
• Compost

Instructions

1. Mix the tiny nicotiana seeds with sand to make planting easier. Use twice as much sand as seeds, and sprinkle the mixture into seeding flats filled with a rich potting mix that contains peat, loam, and sand or perlite. Do not bury the seeds after sowing.

2. Water the seeds by setting the potting flats into trays full of water, so the soil absorbs the water from the bottom. If you water the flats from the top, you risk disturbing the seedlings or flooding the tiny seeds out of the flats.

3. Germinate the seedlings in a well-lit place where the temperature is at least 65 F. Nicotiana usually takes 6 to 8 weeks to germinate. Transplant the seeds a week after they've germinated when they're still very small. Do not put the seedlings outside until the danger of frost has passed.

4. Transplant nicotiana seedlings into soil mixed with compost. If you're planting into a container, use a pot that is at least 10 inches in diameter because nicotiana roots need a lot of room. The plants need full or partial sun to thrive.

5. Thin the transplanted seedlings when they develop their first true leaves. Nicotiana plants should be spaced about 12 inches apart.

6. Water the plants to keep the soil moist but not wet. In the garden, nicotiana needs well-drained soil, but in a pot the plants will die if they dry out too much.

7. Remove spent blooms from nicotiana plants to extend the blooming period. At the end of fall, remove the plants from the garden and compost them.

Tips & Warnings

• Nicotiana is not the same plant that tobacco comes from. Some varieties have a much higher nicotine content than tobacco, and the leaves can be poisonous if smoked.

References

• Growing Nicotiana
• FLowering Tobacco

Resources

• Nicotiana Varieties