Germination temperature
Warm days and mild nights. NC State Extension raises tobacco at about 30 °C (86 °F) by day and 20 °C (68 °F) at night; below 20 °C germination slows.
2 growing guides
Tobacco plants from seed
Tobacco seed is dust-fine and needs light to germinate, so it is sown on the surface of a fine nursery bed or tray and the seedlings are transplanted after several weeks.
Dust-fine seed, raised in a nursery
This topic covers tobacco plants of the genus Nicotiana in the nightshade family (Solanaceae): common tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), the short, yellow-flowered rustica tobacco or makhorka (N. rustica), and the ornamental flowering tobaccos grown for their scented evening flowers. They share a growing method. The seed is so small that it cannot be buried; it germinates on the surface in light and warmth, the first ten days decide success, and seedlings are always raised in a nursery bed or tray and planted out once they are sturdy. All of them are warm-season plants, and all are related to tomato, potato and pepper, which matters for pests and viruses. These guides cover growing the plants only.
At a glance
Seed treatment
None. Sow on the surface and do not cover: the seed needs light. Freshly harvested rustica seed needs about three weeks of after-ripening, according to PROSEA.
Germination time
Fast: PROSEA reports about 95% germination within 5 days for after-ripened rustica seed in warmth.
Sowing season
India: ICAR-CTRI sows most tobacco nurseries in August, and flue-cured tobacco in Karnataka in March. Temperate climates: sow indoors in spring and plant out after the frosts.
Transplanting
At about 35-45 days (PROSEA) to 7 weeks (ICAR-CTRI), when seedlings are 10-20 cm (4-8 in) tall.
How these plants are raised from seed
Prepare a fine, well-drained bed or tray
ICAR-CTRI raises nurseries on raised beds 1-1.2 m (3.3-4 ft) wide with drainage channels, on sandy or sandy loam soil. At home, a seed tray of fine, moist seed compost works.
Sow thinly on the surface
Mix a pinch of seed with dry fine sand, scatter it over the moist surface and press it in. Do not cover it with soil.
Never let the surface dry
ICAR-CTRI calls the first ten days the most critical: missing a single watering on a hot afternoon can ruin germination. Water with a fine rose or mist and use a light mulch or shade cover, thinned once seedlings appear.
Harden off and transplant
Remove shade gradually, and hold back water for the last 7-10 days before planting so seedlings toughen. Plant out pencil-thick seedlings into a sunny, well-drained field or bed.
Which guide do you need?
Rustica tobacco (makhorka, shag)
The guide to Nicotiana rustica covers a short, hardy, yellow-flowered tobacco grown in the cooler north and north-east of India, with nursery, transplanting and harvest notes.
Common tobacco
The general tobacco guide covers Nicotiana tabacum, the main field tobacco, raised the same way in a surface-sown nursery.
Common mistakes
Burying the seed
Covered seed stays in the dark and fails. Press it onto the surface instead.
Letting the nursery dry out
One missed watering in hot weather can kill germinating seed. Check the surface twice a day at first.
Leaving the shade cover on
Seedlings kept covered after emergence grow thin and weak. Thin the cover as soon as they are up and remove it gradually.
Growing next to tomatoes and peppers
NC State Extension warns that tobacco shares viruses such as tobacco mosaic virus with tomato, potato and pepper. Keep the beds apart and wash hands between them.
Tobacco seeds from Deodar
Sow tobacco seed on the surface of a fine, moist bed and transplant sturdy seedlings for a strong crop.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should tobacco seed be sown?
Not at all. The seed is dust-fine and needs light to germinate, so press it onto the surface of the moist bed and keep it there.
How long does tobacco seed stay viable?
A long time. PROSEA reports that rustica seed kept dry and cool stays viable for more than 10 years.
Is handling the plants safe?
The CDC describes green tobacco sickness in harvest workers who absorb nicotine through the skin from wet green leaves. When handling wet leaves in quantity, wear gloves and water-resistant clothing and change out of wet clothes.
Guides in this topic
Open the guide that matches the seed name on your packet.