Don't over-water

[ChinaVoodoo]

Just an example. This Nicotiana alata plant hasn't been watered in a month. It's an extreme example. There's plenty of soil, and it's in a mini greenhouse, but the fact that my mint in the background is dying, and the jasmine tobacco is thriving is a testament to how efficient tobacco is at using water.

 

[Hasse SWE]

I known that tobacco ain't need much water to survive. But you should really have a tobacco that you give water beside that plant (that way you better see the different). But also remember much water also means less nicotine.

 

[DGBAMA]

Over watering can result in a lot of big thin leaf, with low yield weight, or worse. Under watering does limit growth and can prompt early budding. A hard balance.

I judge my need to water ONLY in the morning. If they are wilted in the morning I water, if they look good I don't; resist the temptation to water any time you see wilting, especially in the afternoon.

 

[Alpine]

Thanks DG, good advice

 

[Chicken]

Another thing that can cause thin leaf is too much nitrogen..I learned that my first year..when I tilled in a lot of chicken poop..my leaf was paper thin..they like a lot of potash..thus the n.p.k. #'s. Being 6-6-18. With boron.

 

[Knucklehead]

We had a pretty good drought last summer. It was the first year I didn't irrigate. The tobacco did fine even with grass and trees dying all around. Hay fields around here looked pitiful and most farmers were lucky to get one cutting. Tobacco holds up better to dry than it does to wet.