How To Grow Tobacco from Seed

Growing African Red Tobacco in the Garden

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last expected frost date. Use a fine, well-draining seed-starting mix. Tobacco seeds are tiny—scatter them on the surface of moist soil and gently press them in without covering (they need light to germinate). Keep soil warm (70–80 F) and moist. Seeds usually sprout in 7–14 days. Provide bright light or grow lights for 14–16 hours a day to keep seedlings healthy and prevent legginess.

When seedlings are 2–3 inches tall, thin them to provide each plant with sufficient room. Harden them off outdoors for a week before transplanting. Move seedlings outdoors after all danger of frost has passed, and the soil temperature is consistently warm. Space plants 18–24 inches apart in rows about 3 feet apart. Prefers fertile, well-draining soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5. Requires full sun (at least 6–8 hours of daily sunlight). Watering: Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Avoid wetting the leaves, as this can encourage disease. Use a balanced fertilizer, but avoid high nitrogen, which can lead to excessive leafy growth and poor curing quality.

Maintenance: Remove suckers (side shoots) as plants grow to direct energy into the main leaves. Some growers also top (remove) the flower head when it appears, which improves leaf size and quality.

Harvesting African Red Tobacco

Leaves are ready when they start to yellow slightly and feel sticky/resinous to the touch—usually 60–90 days after transplanting, depending on variety and conditions. Harvest from the bottom up. Lower leaves mature first, followed by the middle leaves, and then the upper leaves. You can pick individual leaves as they ripen (“priming”), or cut the whole stalk when most leaves are mature.

After harvest, the leaves must be cured to achieve proper color, flavor, and aroma. Methods include air-curing (hung in a well-ventilated, shaded space for 4–8 weeks) or flue-curing (controlled heat).

An in-depth review of the curing process is beyond the scope of this website. Additional information may be available from the USDA and the local Extension Program.

About African Red Tobacco Seeds

Plant form is columnar. The average size of a 10th leaf at maturity is 28 inches (60cm). Leaf width 12" (25cm), 28 leaves total on untopped plants, not including bed leaves. Matures in 80 days from transplant. It has a high nicotine content, averaging 29.8 mg/g of dried leaf.

Original seed donated to the USDA from Transvaal, South Africa in 1975. Extremely rare. Limited supply.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"Start your tobacco seeds indoors early, because those tiny seeds need warmth and patience before they’re ready to thrive outside."

- Jerry Sawyer, True Leaf Market Writer

African Red Tobacco Seeds Per Package:

• 100 seed Packet
• 1,500 seed - Bulk Seeds

Non-GMO African Red Tobacco seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.