The Tobacco Plant / Nicotiana grown from seed has done really well. Here's a snapshot of how they look in the borders.
Variety:
Nicotiana 'Evening Fragance', Half Hardy Annual, Carters Tested Seeds, 79p (or 2 seed packs for £1). Sown 18 March 2011 indoor. Planted outside June.
Good germination rate; quick growing; great height; good cottage style plant.
Left and Below: In a space of about 2x1 metres I planted about 10 plants.
I have no idea if they need deadheading. I find them difficult to try to deadhead. They've grown fairly quickly and germinated well from seed.
I've really enjoyed Nicotiana and would definitely grow again.
Lately I have noticed an increasing amount of greenfly on them (pictured).
On a rainy day I found a large slug eating the flowers (rather than the leaves). I've never seen a slug stretch so high! It was amazing watching his unusually big mouth open to take big bites (picture below).
I think slugs have eaten my sweet pea flowers this year but that's another story.
He really enjoyed his meal (but it was his last).
I guess once the greenfly visit they are stuck as the stems are sticky aren't they? I wonder whether the slug enjoyed it's nicotine fix before it met it's end.
ReplyDeleteThat really was the last supper. I like nicotiana, they put on such a lovely display.
ReplyDeleteI have seen this flower seeds on sale on our local seed company catalogue. But I can never imagine how the plants look like. Very pretty flower. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHmm, maybe a plant I should add to my list for next year -- good shots of the slug, and glad he met his doom.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty blooms.....Can't say the same for that slimey slug.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit to having a degree of sympathy for that poor old slug - he was obviously an olympic-class athlete mollusc. Still, I know that he and his colleagues pose a major threat for your plants and it's best that he had his moment of stardom and them faded rapidly from the scene! Whatever else we may think, it gave you a brilliant photo-opportunity.
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are beautiful, with such active slugs. Aggressive little boogers, aren't they. Not shy at all. He may as well have smiled for the photos.
ReplyDeleteAmazing picture of the slug! That blooms was too enticing for him! Look how hard he worked for that (big) bite!
ReplyDeleteGreat slug pic! I love the shape of flower, saw some really great examples of this plant on a recent visit to the Dorothy Clive Gardens - they look great in a traditional setting
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly,
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful photos of your tobacco plant .... and the snail.
I can imagine that this is his last meal, because too much nicotine is it deadly??
Can you even cigarettes or cigars in it??
A very fine weekend and kind regards, Elly
Hi kelli,that slug gave you a great phot op!Any garden photo competitions that you see use it!I grew nicotania a few years ago and found that it took over the border to the expense of anything else and reseeded as well.
ReplyDeleteLoving the slug photos. I've had slugs crawl several metres up a wall past plenty of green foliage to eat flowers. There is something even more soul destroying about that. They seem to know how much I have been waiting to see the flower open.
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