Tobacco Virginia VA-116 Seeds

Virginia VA-116 is a variety of Nicotiana tabacum, the cultivated tobacco species, grown from seed as a tall, upright plant with long, narrow leaves and small pink flowers. The card describes it as a flue-cured leaf type that grows 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres) tall. It suits gardeners who collect Nicotiana varieties or want a tall, leafy plant for a warm, sunny bed.

Also known as: common tobacco, cultivated tobacco, tambaku (Hindi), tabaco (Spanish/Portuguese), tabac (French), Tabak (German), tütün (Turkish)

About the plant

• Species: Nicotiana tabacum. Nicotiana species are not all sown the same way, so check the Latin name when you compare sowing advice.
• Height: 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres) when fully grown.
• Leaves: long and narrow, smooth and slightly oily to the touch.
• Flowers: small and pink.
• Climate: warm and sunny, with well-drained soil.

Growing

Nicotiana seed is very fine and needs light to germinate, so it goes on the surface and is not buried. Fill a tray with a fine, moist growing mix, level it, and scatter the seed on top. Press it in lightly so that it touches the mix, and leave it uncovered.

• Timing: sow indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area.
• Sowing: press the seed onto the soil surface without covering it, because it requires light for germination.
• Temperature: keep the tray at about 75 degrees F (24 degrees C).
• Moisture: keep the soil moist.
• Germination: typically within 7 to 14 days at that temperature.
• Transplanting: move the young plants outdoors after the last frost.
• Spacing: set plants 2 to 3 feet (about 60 to 90 cm) apart.
• Site: full sun and well-drained, fertile soil.
• Care: regular watering and occasional feeding support steady growth.

Because Virginia VA-116 reaches 1.5 to 1.8 metres, plan the bed with that height in mind. Pick a spot in full sun where each plant has room for its long leaves, and where the tall stems will not shade smaller plants beside them. Prepare the soil before planting out so that it drains well and holds some fertility.

Choosing a sowing date

The timing we hold for this variety is the indoor start, 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost, and the move outdoors, which comes after the last frost has passed. Work backwards from your own last frost date. In a cool climate, where the last frost comes late, the sowing date falls later in the year than in a mild one. Seedlings should be strong enough to go outside once the weather is reliably warm, so avoid sowing much earlier than this window.

The germination window of 7 to 14 days is a typical range, not a guarantee. A cooler tray slows it down, so keep the tray steadily warm and check the surface moisture each day without disturbing the seed. When the seedlings are growing well, move them into individual pots so that each root system has room before planting out.

FAQ

How do I sow Virginia VA-116 seeds?

Press the seed lightly onto the surface of moist, well-drained growing mix and do not cover it. The seed needs light to germinate, so burying it works against it. Keep the tray at about 75 degrees F (24 degrees C) and keep the soil moist.

When should I sow them?

Start the seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area, and move the seedlings outdoors after the last frost. The calendar date depends on your local frost dates, which vary from one climate to another.

How tall does the plant grow?

The variety is described as growing 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres) tall, so allow 2 to 3 feet between plants and choose a sunny position with well-drained soil.