Nicotiana

I sowed 2 varieties this year 'Evening Fragrance Mix' and 'F1 Perfume Mix', I ended up with so many plants which I spread around the garden. Is it ok to pinch the tops out? as they're all heading skywards like rockets.

 

I wish mine were heading skywards Justracing! Every thing of mine is slow to get away this year. However, I have grown Nicotiana for the last three years and they put on a wonderful display. Treat them like Petunias, you have the choice of pinching out or not.

 

Mine too. However, I think the main problem is that they are in cells of various sizes and they should have been planted out several weeks ago. They'll be pot bound by now. I've never found that pinching the tops out makes them form a bigger plant, they just keep on trying to flower. I have loads so I'll probably get a reasonable show anyway.

 

I'm with Madahhlia. When they're ready to bloom they will start at the top of the growing stem and then branch out naturally.

 

Just managed to plant some of mine and they don't seem too rootbound despite the cells. Rather dry, though. Maybe they'll take off now they've got their roots into a decent bit of soil. I've nipped them out.

 

I think that's the question I was asking, I planted mine out several weeks ago and they're 12-18" tall and starting to flower at the top. Presumably if you pinch them out they wiil branch and then flower. Never grown them before as I've always been a veg man but I'm now turning my attention to the pretty stuff!

 

i really must give Nicotiana a try again, i did grow quite a few from seed one year (quite a few years ago now) & i don't know what i did to them but they smelled bloomin' 'orrible so they did!...i know! i know! thats far from the norm but i was only just getting into this gardening lark & without a shadow of a doubt i did 'somethin' to them that resulted in them smelling absolutely atrocious...i just haven't got a clue what that somethin' was

 

Might have been the variety that you grew?

Nicotiana alata is particularly fragrant - more so evening/night time. Nicotiana langsdorffii with small nodding green flowers is scentless (and maybe the plant smells? I'm not sure)

 

you mean it might not have been my fault after all! i'll see if i can find the ol' packet...*excuse me whilst i rummage frantically in the stash of seed packets*...hmm it just says Nicotiana Sylvestris

 

That's scented. Sorry about that

 

awww man!

 

Some people perceive smells in different ways. Probably nothing was wrong with the nics and nothing is wrong with your nose.

 

That should be uber fragrant in a good way! Was there anything nasty stuck to the (sticky) foliage?

If you look at the photo of N.sylvestris below you can see the flowers starting to bloom at the top whilst the side shoots are forming.

 

it was quite a number of years ago now tbh so cant say i remember if their was anything much out of the ordinary...well bar the whiff