Ornamental tobacco is not only used for tobacco production. The plant is also visually an ornament for every garden. And so easy to plant too.
The pretty tubular flowers, which come in a wide variety of colors, provide visual adornment. The nightshade family is extremely diverse and the ornamental tobacco (Nicotiana sanderae) alone occurs in more than 60 species worldwide. These differ in their size, flower shape and flower color. The location requirements and the procedure for planting do not differ significantly for ornamental tobacco, so that your favorite variety can be cultivated well with the following planting instructions.
Ornamental tobacco - versatile and always an ornament
The ornamental tobacco is the perfect companion for a wide variety of gardens. The plant is a welcome guest in borders in the ornamental garden as well as in the colorful flower beds of the cottage garden. The versatile plants can also be arranged in the flower box. In the evening, the plants exude an aromatic scent and thus enhance the seating on the balcony and terrace. Popular bed neighbors are Verbena, Loyal to Men or Cosmea.
Popular types of ornamental tobacco for beds and tubs
The species-rich plant can be planted in numerous different colors and shapes. Some species are more suitable for balcony boxes or tubs due to their low growth. The higher-growing species, on the other hand, make a good background planting in the bed.
Tobacco plants can generally assume a shrub-like habit and grow up to two meters in height. Tobacco trees up to ten meters high are also not uncommon. However, the ornamental tobacco species remain significantly smaller. For example, the following species are particularly beautiful:
❍ Ornamental tobacco mutabilis:
This wild species has a special feature, because it is able to change the color of the flowers. First, the plants, which grow up to 1.5 meters high, produce white flowers. In the course of the flowering period, the flowers first appear in a delicate pink and finally change to a rich pink. The fragrance released in the evening hours is particularly intense.
❍ Ornamental Tobacco Black Knight:
This one is a great contrast to the other types of ornamental tobaccoChocolate-brown flowering species. The splendor of the flowers often lasts until the first frosts. The first flowers appear in May. The plants do not like dry feet and can grow up to a meter tall.
❍ Decorative tobacco maritima:
This type of tobacco is quite rare and originally comes from Australia. The plants prefer a sandy site. The ornamental tobacco maritima can also be cultivated well as a balcony plant in conventional potting soil. The trumpet-shaped flowers appear particularly numerous on the plant, which can grow up to 70 centimeters high. The plants are very easy to care for and convince with rich and long-lasting flowers.
Find the right location
If you want to enjoy the flowering of the ornamental tobacco for as long as possible, choose a sunny location. The plants also thrive in partial shade, but to the detriment of the abundance of flowers. The plant, which originates from South America, would not do well in a shady location and you would probably have to forego flowering.
The ideal location in keywords:
- light
- sunny
- warm
Select the right substrate
The soil should be loose and permeable. Ornamental tobacco does not like to stand dry, but it does not tolerate waterlogging either. So a sure instinct is required here. To improve the permeability of heavy soil, you can add coarse sand or gravel to the substrate. So that the moisture is not lost so quickly and the soil does not dry out if you have missed watering, you can use the water-storing properties of compost or stable manure. Compost also has the advantage that poor soil is upgraded and the plant receives valuable nutrients over a longer period of time.
The ideal substrate in keywords:
- loose
- permeable
- moisture retaining
- nutrient rich
- moist
Planting ornamental tobacco - step by step instructions
You can start planting the ornamental tobacco as soon as there are no more night frosts to be expected. So it makes sense to wait until after the ice saints in mid-May. Then do the following:
❶ Loosen, clean, work up the soil:
Depending on the soil quality, you must loosen it well, remove weeds and stones and mix it with sand, manure or compost . Ultimately, the substrate must have good storage properties.
❷ Observe planting distances:
Should be ornamental tobaccoare planted in a group, you must keep a planting distance of at least 30 centimeters. You should not plant more than nine plants per square meter.
❸ Insert plants:
Now dig sufficiently large planting holes, insert the plants and close the planting holes again. Then press down the soil and water the plants well.
Keep ornamental tobacco in the bucket
If the plants are to be cultivated in flower boxes or planters, you must make the substrate particularly rich in nutrients. Furthermore, there is an increased risk of waterlogging in the bucket. It is therefore advisable to work a drainage made of clay granules or gravel into the bottom of the vessel. So that the liquid can also be stored at the same time, you should add compost to the substrate. Also make sure that the planter has enough drainage holes.
After planting, potted plants should be given a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants (e.g. available from Amazon) so that the flowers develop quite lavishly. Since these are annual plants, the winter protection of the potted plants is not an issue. You simply have to remove the ornamental tobacco from the tub before the frost and replant it next year.