If you can lay hands on some decent bedding plants it’s not too late, they haven’t been in the fields that long here. Not sure where you would come up with them though, even in a tobacco growing region. Everybody has their own tobacco beds that I’m aware. Never heard of anyone buying anything but seed for their own beds and then transplanting to the field.
You’ll probably have to start them yourself from seed, on your kitchen windowsill or something. That may push it into next year unless you have a long growing season. They don’t mind a little dry weather once established but do need rain. They will drown out and die if the soil remains waterlogged for very long. A good rain every couple of days interspersed with baking heat that dries the soil is ideal.
/johnny
Although our growing season is fairly long, I’m afraid a good rain every couple of days would be a pipe dream in the next month or so. As crazy as this is, although I live on a lake, we have had severe watering restrictions for several years...even when there was no drought.
I think I’ll look for seed, get some plants started and shoot for next spring.