Growing smoking tobacco at home yourself is a good way to save on buying cigarettes. The plant is not whimsical; it can be grown not only on an open dirt plot, but even on a windowsill. However, the crop requires the creation of special conditions that will allow it to fully grow and form leaves. And in order for her not to die, she needs the most basic care.
Features of growing tobacco at home
Despite the fact that cultivating tobacco for smoking is not difficult, you need to choose the optimal place for it in an apartment or private house. This plant is thermophilic, so low air temperatures are not suitable for it. It may not die, but the taste of the final product will be far from those to which the smoker is accustomed
The quality of raw materials is influenced by the following factors:
- humidity level;
- soil composition (concentration of salts and minerals in it);
- climatic conditions of the region;
- ambient air temperature;
- lighting.
Therefore, before you start propagating seedlings, think carefully about where to place them. Depending on the climate zone of your region, a place on a balcony or window sill may be a better option than, for example, a greenhouse or an open garden bed under the windows.
Suitable varieties
Tobacco varieties that can be grown at home are divided into 3 varieties:
| Group | Peculiarities | Popular varieties |
| Oriental | Most tobacco varieties in this category are considered aromatic. They contain high concentrations of resins and essential oils that enhance the odor of cigarettes made from this class of crops. | Samsun, Trebizond, American, Dyubek, Central Asian. |
| American or bigleaf | These types of tobacco have a high level of strength. Its nicotine percentage is higher than that of representatives of the aromatic series. | Burley, Maryland, Virginia. |
| Cigar | Elite varieties of tobacco that require special care. They are not grown at home as often as the two types described above. | Havana, Sumatra. |
Several varieties of tobacco can be cultivated at once.But try not to sow seeds of different varieties of plants in one pot - prepare a separate container for each of them.
Growing conditions
Tobacco is characterized by slow growth. If you plan to grow it indoors, there are no restrictions on when to sow the seeds. If you intend to plant it further in the garden, then sow it 2-3 months before planting. And do not forget to provide the culture with the following conditions for growth.
Lighting
The plant should be placed in the brightest corners of the house. Seedlings are placed on window sills in an apartment or on a balcony. In the evening, it is recommended to add additional light to the young shoots, so they will grow faster.
Temperature
Tobacco, as previously noted, is a heat-loving crop, so in the room for its cultivation the air temperature should be kept at 25-28 °C. A sharp decrease in these indicators will lead to stopping the growth of the plant, changes in the quality and taste of the raw materials, or the death of the bushes.
Advice! If you decide to grow the crop in winter, place the pots near heat sources. But do not place them directly on the fireplace or boiler: excessively high temperatures are just as dangerous for them as low temperatures.
Capacity
Tobacco requires spacious pots or long, wide wooden boxes. The plant has spreading leaves, so space is important for them.
You can sow seeds in plastic cups, and when the seedlings grow a little, transplant them into a larger container or garden bed. The pot for the culture should measure 15-25 centimeters, but it all depends on what variety you are growing.
Soil and fertilizers
Tobacco grows well in sandy loam soil with sufficient nitrogen and potassium.And since the plant is able to quickly absorb all nutrients, the land on which it is located must be fertilized regularly. Mullein or bird droppings are suitable for this. If necessary, the soil is mixed with lime to normalize its acidity.
When making your own soil mixture, use:
- garden soil - 2 parts;
- sand – 1 part;
- humus - 1 part.
Plant Formation
Tobacco formation is carried out periodically and as needed. When the crop sprouts and enters the flowering phase, the inflorescences must be removed along with excess side shoots. This will avoid wasting the energy of the bushes on maintaining the growth of unnecessary green mass. No additional formation activities are required.
Planting and care
The tobacco plant is grown from seeds. This process has the following specifics:
- for sowing, choose only strong, undamaged grains;
- after placing the planting material in the soil, do not forget to water it abundantly: tobacco loves moisture;
- the first shoots appear 3-7 days after sowing the seeds;
- so that plants planted in one pot do not interfere with each other, place the seeds at a distance of 5-7 centimeters;
- After decomposition in the soil, do not sprinkle the grains with earth, but simply cover the container with cling film or disposable plastic cups.
As soon as you notice that the plants have begun to take root and actively grow, remove all small and fragile specimens. Leave 1 of the strongest tobacco bushes in the pot.
Advice.If you are growing tobacco in a wooden or plastic box, you can leave 2-3 strong plants in each.
To grow healthy seedlings, do not forget to water them regularly. To do this, you do not need to wait for the top soil layer to dry out. Irrigation should be carried out every 2-3 days, using at least 1-2 liters of water for one bush.
The plant must be fertilized according to the previously described principle. Additionally, you can wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or lightly spray them: this will protect the crop from certain phytopathologies.
