This is my first year trying to grow tobacco, and it hasn't really done that well. I started some plants in peat pots and they did sprout, but all died before I could get them outside. I even tried sowing some seeds directly in the ground, but they also failed.
A week or so ago, a friend gave me three or four well-started plants, so I planted them outside. They seem to be doing ok right now. His suggestion was to plant them in a more shady area as our extreme heat has damaged some of his. He started putting bottomless buckets and boxes around his plants and that really helped, he said.
Now, I won't have enough tobacco to really do anything with out of 4 plants, but it's a fun project to try. I'll let Backwoods cigars do that actual growing and harvesting. However, tobacco plants are really pretty and they have very fragrant blooms, so they are a good choice for a flower bed. You do have to watch out for hornworms on them, just like with tomatoes. They can eat a plant down in no time!
