Leaf blades are often more than 20 inches long and half as wide. They rise in a spiral along the stem. Stems grow 4 to 6 feet tall and terminate in a cluster of flowers if not topped. Except for seed production, however, plant terminals are usually removed when flowering begins in order to increase size and thickness of leaves - the marketable portion. After transplanting, side dress your rows with more compost or rotted manure to ensure large production.
Tobacco plants suffer from several diseases and are attacked by several leaf chewers.
Use a organic, natural product like pryethrum spray to control them. Be cautious not to use any form of systemic insecticide that will penetrate the leaf. Remember, you may be chewing or smoking this plant and you do not want to be ingesting chemical residues. Harvesting Harvesting may consist of removing most mature leaves by hand at about weekly intervals or cutting the whole stem. The former method is more generally used as it gives higher leaf yield and better quality.