Shag German #1 Seeds

Shag German #1 is a variety of Nicotiana rustica, an annual plant in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The name is kept exactly as it appears in our catalogue, where the seed is filed under Tobacco and Shag Seeds. The product card records the species and the name only, so this page does not describe the height, leaf shape or flower colour of this variety. It keeps to what is known about the species and about sowing its seed.

Also known as: Aztec tobacco, mapacho, wild tobacco (common names of the species Nicotiana rustica)

Plant at a glance

• Species: Nicotiana rustica, a separate species from the more widely grown Nicotiana tabacum.
• Family: Solanaceae, the same family as tomato, pepper and petunia.
• Life cycle: annual, grown from seed each season.
• Typical species traits: a branching plant with rounded leaves on short stalks and small greenish-yellow tubular flowers.
• This variety: no measurements are recorded, so individual plants may differ from the species description.

Sowing the seed

Nicotiana seed is close to dust in size, and it needs light to germinate. That is why it is placed on top of the growing mix and not under it.

• Container: a shallow tray or small pots filled with fine seed-starting mix, firmed gently and watered before sowing.
• Spreading: tap the seed out slowly over the surface. Mixing it with a pinch of dry fine sand shows where it has landed and keeps the sowing thin.
• Contact: press it lightly with a flat board or your palm so it touches the mix, and do not cover it.
• Moisture: mist the surface or water from below, since a heavy pour washes dust-fine seed into clumps. A clear lid keeps the surface damp until the first leaves appear.
• Light and warmth: a bright, warm spot. Cold or dim conditions slow Nicotiana seed down.

No germination time, sowing temperature or seed specification is saved for this variety, so no figures are quoted here. If seedlings are slow, check light and warmth first, then the surface moisture.

From seedling to garden bed

• Seedlings start tiny and grow slowly at first. Move them into individual pots when they are large enough to lift by a leaf, never by the stem.
• Harden the young plants off over several days before they go outside.
• Plant out only when frost is no longer expected, in a sunny spot with fertile, well-drained soil.
• Leave room between plants, since the species is described as branching. The card gives no spacing figure for this variety.

What is not recorded yet

The card for this item has no photographs, seed specifications or measurements. For that reason the page gives no seed count per gram, no viability period, no germination percentage and no mature height. These can be added once they have been checked against the seed itself.

FAQ

What sowing conditions does Shag German #1 need?

Sow it on the surface of fine, moist mix and leave it uncovered, because the seed needs light. Keep the tray bright, warm and evenly damp until seedlings appear.

When should I sow it?

Annual Nicotiana is usually started indoors several weeks before the last expected frost, so the seedlings are sturdy by the time the nights stay warm. The card gives no variety-specific date, so adjust to your own climate.

How tall does it grow?

No height is recorded for this variety. Nicotiana rustica is generally described as a branching plant, but final size depends on light, soil, spacing and the length of your season.