One of the most popular and well-known summer aromatic plants is fragrant tobacco. It belongs to the Solanaceae family and was introduced back in the 15th century by the famous traveler and discoverer Christopher Columbus. Today tobacco is grown not only for smoking, but also as a decorative garden flower.
The plant lives only one season, but true amateur gardeners give great preference to such a flower. Growing from seeds will not cause much trouble even to the most inexperienced gardener.
The flower is sown in the spring: in March or April, in greenhouse conditions or at home. The plant is very heat-loving, in principle, like any summer plant. Prefers light and fertilized soils. However, if you are faced with the fact that there is clay soil in the garden, then good growth it is necessary to dig it up and fertilize it abundantly. The seeds of fragrant tobacco are quite small: from one gram of seeds you can get up to five thousand flowers such as fragrant tobacco. Growing from seeds must begin by pressing them into the ground. It is not recommended to sprinkle soil on top, since the seeds themselves are very small. Sowing must be covered with polyethylene or glass. On the fifteenth day, flower shoots appear, after which the temperature in the room should be slightly reduced. When leaves appear, fragrant tobacco, the cultivation of which is not a particularly complicated process, must be transplanted into separate pots for each flower.
By the time the seedlings become stronger, the flower must begin to be hardened in the fresh air. With the onset of consistently warm summer weather, the plant must be transplanted into outdoor soil. Flower bushes are located at least twenty centimeters from each other. They also need to be provided with moderate watering. Do not overdo it with water, as fragrant tobacco does not like excess moisture. Growing from seeds is not the only method of propagation. The flower can also reproduce by self-sowing. However, the flowering of such a plant will begin only in the second half of the summer season.
In cases where it is necessary to preserve the flower, before the onset of cold weather it is necessary to transplant it into a pot and bring fragrant tobacco into the warmth. Growing from seeds requires certain knowledge. So, you need to remember that the flower tolerates a lack of heat, light or moisture, as well as
slight drops in temperature. The plant is a phytoncide - this means that some types of pests are not afraid of it.
A few bushes of a well-developed plant can fill an entire garden with a pleasant aroma. Especially fragrant tobacco in the evening. Having a couple of bushes, for example, on your balcony, you will be provided with abundant flowering until late autumn.
The most common are white tobacco flowers. During the day the flower is closed and has almost no odor. However, now hybrids with pink or red flowers are often found. The smell of such flowers is no less pleasant and will fill your garden with a strong honey aroma even in the daytime.
If you are attracted by the aroma and Amazing beauty fragrant tobacco, then it’s worth familiarizing yourself with how to grow it on your summer cottage. This plant will decorate any flower bed. Currently, in stores you can find various hybrids of fragrant tobacco, which differ in color, shape and aroma.
Growing fragrant tobacco
Now this plant is mainly found in European flower beds. Fragrant tobacco has become an adornment for any summer garden. The plant was first introduced by Columbus in 1492.
The plant belongs to the annual family. America is the birthplace of tobacco. The plant is distinguished by its aroma, which has spicy notes. The buds look like five-pointed stars. Some representatives of the flora bloom and smell fragrant only in the evening.
Landing
Fragrant tobacco grows well in light and fertilized soils. A piece of land that is well lit is ideal. sunlight. If only clay soil is found on the site, then before planting it must be fertilized with compost and humus.
Reproduction occurs thanks to small and round seeds. Flowers tolerate various transplants and weather anomalies well.
How to plant seedlings
Many summer residents plant all their plants in open ground as seedlings. Fragrant tobacco was no exception. The ideal time for planting seeds is considered to be the beginning of March. It is worth remembering that tobacco seeds are small, so you should not bury them deep in the ground. To increase seedlings, seeds can be processed.
To do this you need to do the following:
- wrap the seeds in gauze;
- fill with warm water.
The seed can be planted when it is completely swollen. The main thing is not to wait until the seeds have already hatched.
For planting, you can use ready-made soil mixtures, which are sold in specialized stores. If you wish, it is easy to prepare the soil yourself. To do this you need to prepare:
- land from your plot;
- peat;
- humus.
All ingredients are added in equal proportions. Do not forget that garden soil must be disinfected. The easiest way is to pour it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and let it dry completely.
After the seeds are planted, it is necessary to cover all containers with film to create a greenhouse effect. The first shoots should appear within 2-3 weeks. After this, the film is removed to allow fresh air to reach the plants. Watering seedlings should be done as needed.
Basic seedling care
At the stage of two true leaves, all seedlings must be picked. This must be done in separate containers. In order for the seedlings to take root well, they can be hardened off.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Transplantation to a flowerbed is carried out once all the frosts have passed. The optimal time for this is May. Fragrant tobacco is planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other.
The flower bed in which the seedlings are planned to be planted must be prepared. To do this, dig up all the soil with manure or any other organic fertilizer. On 1 square meter approximately 5 kg of manure is consumed. We make small holes. We add superphosphate to each of them. After transplanting, all seedlings are watered.
Basic care for fragrant tobacco
To make the plant pleasing to the eye, it is necessary to carry out a number of caring procedures:
- Watering. It is enough to moisten the soil once a week. If the summer is dry, then the procedure must be repeated.
- Fertilizer. It is enough to feed the plants twice during the entire season. The first time fragrant tobacco is fertilized is when its buds form, the second time is during the flowering period. To do this, you can use complex fertilizers for flowering plants.
- Loosening the soil. After each watering, approximately 1-2 days later, it is necessary to loosen the soil. The procedure is carried out so that oxygen reaches the roots. Loosening is also necessary after rain.
- Treatment. Fragrant tobacco is one of those plants that are resistant to various infections and pests. Since this is a plant of the phytoncides class, all ill-wishers bypass it. Many gardeners plant tobacco near orchards and other plants that need to be protected.
Useful tips
In order for tobacco growing to be successful, it is worth studying several growing recommendations:
- If you want to continue caring for the plant during the onset of cold weather, then the tobacco bush must be transplanted into a pot and brought into the house.
- Care for homemade tobacco in the same way. The first flowering occurs after the New Year holidays.
- Remove all wilted buds in a timely manner.
- If you carry out proper and timely care, you can grow one bush for about 10 years.
Fragrant tobacco is an annual plant with a pronounced sweet aroma; when planted in a group, it can become a real decoration for a flower bed, rock garden or alpine slide. Because the this flower It is thermophilic and should be planted as seedlings in flower beds. The rules for planting fragrant tobacco in a greenhouse, the features of caring for seedlings and adult plants, will be discussed in this article and in the photo.
Fragrant tobacco - a modest flower with a heady aroma
Fragrant tobacco or winged tobacco is an annual herbaceous flowering plant, 40-150 cm high. It owes its popularity among gardeners primarily to its amazing aroma, which intensifies with the onset of darkness.
Fragrant tobacco is a very popular plant among gardeners.
Attention! Brightly colored flowers - red, lilac-red, carmine or burgundy - are found only in hybrid forms of Sander tobacco, which do not have an aroma. Such flowers do not close during the day, unlike aromatic varieties, but are distinguished by bright and long-lasting flowering.
The stem of the plant is covered with hairs that secrete a fragrant sticky substance. The flowers of fragrant tobacco are collected in inflorescences; the buds themselves can reach 8 cm in diameter, resembling stars on a long tube. Since most existing varieties have flowers that open in the evening, the color of the buds is pastel:
- white;
- pink;
- lilac;
- light green;
- yellow.
The classification of varieties of fragrant tobacco distinguishes between low-growing forms - 40-80 cm and tall forms - 90-150 cm.
To popular low-growing varieties relate:
- “Green Light”, blooming with pale light green inflorescences;
- "Winged" - has a strong aroma and different shades inflorescences;
- "Night Bonfire" blooming with bright red buds.
Among the best tall varieties are:
- “Ringing bell” is a hybrid form with red, profusely blooming buds;
- "Aroma Green" - unusual shape fragrant tobacco with green bell-shaped flowers;
- “Pleasure” - characterized by rapid growth, long flowering and abundant branching;
- "Maju-Noir" blooms with snow-white inflorescences. Feature varieties - rich exotic aroma;
- “Dolce Vita” is a large-flowered hybrid, characterized by a variety of bud colors.
By choosing fragrant tobacco for landscaping gazebos, balconies, verandas, it is easy to create beautiful mixed flower beds or spectacular flowering mono groups.
How to grow fragrant tobacco seedlings
Fragrant tobacco, like all annuals, reproduces well by seeds. The seeds of the plant are small, spherical. To achieve early flowering, fragrant tobacco is grown using seedlings.
For getting flower seedlings, seeds are sown from February to April in a greenhouse. As a substrate for growing fragrant tobacco, it is recommended to use a soil mixture consisting of equal parts of earth, peat and humus, with the addition of a small amount of sand. Since tobacco seeds are very small, they are sown superficially, without being buried in the ground, moistened on top with a sprayer and covered with film or glass. Shoots appear on 10-14 days.
Seedlings of fragrant tobacco appear 10-14 days after planting
Attention! Before emergence, the temperature in the greenhouse must be maintained at 21-23° C, then reduced to + 16° C and maintained at this level for about a week. This technique allows you to avoid pulling the seedlings. To maintain the required soil moisture, crops should be moistened every other day using a sprayer.
In separate cups it is produced in the phase of 2 true leaves. 10 days after picking, it is recommended to feed the seedlings with a solution of azofoska, kemira or other complex fertilizer. Repeated feeding is carried out after 2 weeks.
Seedlings of fragrant tobacco easily tolerate transplantation. The optimal time for planting tobacco seedlings in open ground depends on climatic conditions: in the southern regions, fragrant tobacco is planted in early May, in middle lane and further north - in early June. The recommended gap between bushes depends on the varietal characteristics and is 25-50 cm.
Advice! In the southern regions of the country, bypassing the stage of growing fragrant tobacco seedlings in a greenhouse, you can directly sow its seeds in the ground. It also reproduces well by self-sowing, but such plants bloom much later.
It is not difficult to turn fragrant tobacco from an annual into a perennial. To do this, adult plants should be dug up in the fall and transferred to. Transplanted bushes should be trimmed by 1/3 and watered periodically. With the onset of spring warmth, the bushes can again be planted in open ground.
Growing conditions and care features
Fragrant tobacco belongs to the category of unpretentious plants to care for. It withstands temperature fluctuations, lack of moisture and slight shading. Tobacco blooms from July until frost, firmly enduring the first short periods of cold weather.
- Any soil that is loose and rich in humus.
- Periodic weeding.
- Regular watering. Compliance with the watering regime is especially important during dry periods.
- Monthly deposit complex fertilizing. For getting abundant flowering use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, fertilization leads to the formation of green mass and lack of flowering.
- Pinching bushes to improve bushiness.
- Cleaning up faded inflorescences.
- Carrying out anti-aging pruning after the first wave of flowering.
The advantages of fragrant tobacco include a certain resistance to fungal diseases and damage by insect pests. The only danger to fragrant tobacco is downy mildew or powdery mildew, a disease that causes premature death of foliage.
Compliance with the correct growing conditions will allow you to fully enjoy the divine aroma of this modest but lovely flower, using it in mixed and mono plantings.
Growing fragrant tobacco - video
Fragrant tobacco - photo
When growing fragrant tobacco flowers, be prepared for the fact that during daylight hours you will not be able to admire their modest beauty, since these plants bloom only in the evening. But in the dark, you can fully enjoy the smell of fragrant tobacco - it is so strong and pleasant that it fills the entire garden and its surroundings with a magical fragrance.
Description of fragrant tobacco and photo of flowers
The strong aroma released in the evenings has made this plant a favorite of many gardeners. Even though the description of fragrant tobacco is not particularly sophisticated, and its flowers are not so elegant, and besides, they close during the day, this culture is very loved by the people.
It has a straight thin branched stem up to 80 cm high. The leaves are large, the basal leaves are rounded, the stem leaves are elongated.
Pay attention to the photo - the flowers of fragrant tobacco are regular, non-double, single:
The flower shape is star-shaped with a long tube, the flower diameter is from 6 to 8 cm.
The color of the main species is white, but there are varieties with greenish, yellow, pink, lilac-red and red coloring. The red color is characteristic of tobacco hybrids, the flowers of which do not close during the day, but also have no smell.
When growing fragrant tobacco from seeds, remember that this plant is heat-loving, shade-tolerant and moisture-loving, it does not tolerate spring frosts, and autumn colds down to -4 ° C do not cause significant harm to the plants. Tobacco blooms from mid-June to late autumn.
How to grow fragrant tobacco: planting in the ground and care
How to grow fragrant tobacco on garden plots? Well-fertilized, light soil is provided for this plant and the plants are watered abundantly. Semi-shaded places are most suitable, since in the sun its flowers droop and close.
The flower is propagated by sowing seeds for seedlings. It is possible to plant fragrant tobacco in open ground immediately permanent place. The plant also reproduces by self-sowing.
Tobacco tolerates transplantation well even in the flowering state.
Seedlings are planted in March, and in the ground at the end of April. Shoots appear in 10-12 days. Tobacco seeds are very small (up to 8,000 pieces in 1 g), so before sowing they are mixed with sand and not covered with soil.
They are planted in a permanent location in May, when the threat of frost has passed, at a distance of 15-40 cm, depending on the height of the variety. Seedlings and young plants are watered regularly; flowering plants do not require frequent watering. The seeds ripen in August-September and easily fall out of the boxes.
Soaking flower seeds is best combined with heating. To do this, snow water is heated to 50°, seeds are poured into it and left until the water cools down. Then they are dried, and the crops are watered with melt water heated to 25°.
Flowers grown in this way take root well in open ground, grow faster, bloom more abundantly and are more resistant to disease.
How aromatic plant tobacco is planted near gazebos, verandas, balconies and loggias. Low varieties, the flowers of which do not close during the day, look good in gardens, mixborders, etc. potted plants. Tall varieties are used in the garden when creating groups and in single plantings. Tobacco is also suitable for cutting.
When planting and caring for fragrant tobacco, do not forget to protect the plants from diseases. The greatest danger is downy mildew (downy mildew), which causes premature death of leaves and loss of decorativeness of plants.
The best varieties of fragrant tobacco
The best varieties of short-growing fragrant tobacco (45-70 cm):
"Green light"- with flowers of a delicate light green color.
"Winged"- a mixture of colors, a strong evening scent.
"Night Fire"- dazzling bright red color, opens in the evening and during the day in cloudy weather.
Tall varieties (90-150 cm):
"Ringing Bell" F1- a hybrid, elegant red bell flowers completely cover the plant from June to October.
"Aroma Green"- original tall, spreading plants with unusual green fragrant bell flowers.
"Pleasure". A new interspecific hybrid, which is characterized by high resistance to diseases. Great for landscape gardening: plants are tall, fast growing, with abundant branching. Covered with an incredible amount of flowers all season long!
"Maju Noir"- has the most intense and exotic aroma, bell-shaped flowers of snow-white color.
"Dolce Vita" F1- large, fragrant flowers of this tobacco are open all day and have an amazing variety of colors.
How I want to fill the garden not only with beautiful colors, but also with aromas. Aromatic tobacco is ideal for this purpose. This plant from the nightshade family was brought along with potatoes and tomatoes from America and, of course, it is heat-loving. In our climate, it is an annual plant that blooms from June to autumn frosts.
Most often, fragrant tobacco comes in white and purple colors. And these are the flowers that are the most fragrant. Now many varieties and hybrids of this amazing plant. Therefore, you can find a wide variety of colors. But not all of them are suitable for collecting seeds. Usually this plant is tall (60 cm - 1.5 m), but there are also dwarf varieties (30-40 cm). You can find species that are almost not closed for the whole day. But usually this plant is nocturnal. Fragrant tobacco is a powerful natural phytoncide (with its smell it repels many pests not only from itself, but also from its neighbors). Therefore, it is very useful to plant it under trees and near fruit bushes. It looks very beautiful both independently and in groups.
Sweet tobacco: photo
How to grow a miracle flower?
Growing fragrant tobacco from seeds is very simple. Therefore, this is the main way to cultivate flowers at home. Tobacco can be grown by seedlings and without seedlings; it can also bloom by self-sowing in the southern regions. For abundant and early flowering, seedlings are used.
How to grow fragrant tobacco seedlings yourself?
If you have the opportunity to provide the necessary light and heat conditions, grow the bushes yourself, starting from the last week of February until April. Let's consider the sequence of work.
- Preparing the land for sowing. You can buy ready-made light soil for indoor flowers. But you can mix sand, compost and soil from the garden in equal parts. After thoroughly mixing, warm the soil in the house for a day.
- Sowing and first shoots. Tobacco seeds are very small, so they are not immersed in the ground, but only slightly pressed and sprinkled with water. Cover with a piece of oilcloth or glass. After 10-14 days, shoots appear. Now you need to make sure that they do not stretch out. Therefore, we reduce the temperature to 17-18 degrees and provide 10 hours of daylight. And so on until the first 2 true leaves appear.
- Picking and preparation for planting . With the appearance of 2-4 true leaves, the seedlings are ready for picking. That is, you need to plant each seedling in a separate container, pinching a slightly thin root. It is important to keep the soil moist, and after 1.5 - 2 weeks you can fertilize the plants and begin to harden them - open the window or take them out to the balcony.
Low maintenance and lots of fun
Fragrant tobacco (planting and caring for it) will not take much of your time. When planting, you need to remember that it is better to choose sunny areas, but partial shade is also suitable. In the shade it tends to stretch out. Fragrant tobacco has wide growing leaves, so you need to maintain a distance of 30-40 cm between the bushes. The earth should be fluffed up.
Care consists of watering, loosening the soil after each flowering, removing faded buds and pinching 3-4 leaves, which will give 4-5 flowering branches instead of 2-3. You can also fertilize the plants every 2 weeks organic fertilizers. This will help maintain flowering until the first frost.
But even in winter you can arrange a garden in a pot on the windowsill. To do this, cut the bush by 2/3 and shorten the root. Transplant into a pot and cover with a bag (don’t forget to ventilate!) and limit watering. After some time, the fragrant tobacco will grow and bloom in winter. You can also choose dwarf varieties and plant the seedlings directly in pots. When the cold comes, simply bring them into the house in a cool, well-lit place without drafts.
