Tomato gardening is a fulfilling experience anyway, but made even more so if you start your tomato gardening with planting your own tomato seeds. It is not at all a difficult process and if you have the time is great to do, or even have it as an activity to do with the children if you share your gardening experience with them.
There is no doubt that your own tomatoes can beat any other local store bought tomatoes in taste, nutrition value, color, shape and size. This undisputedly is the reason why a lot of people around the world have resorted to growing tomatoes in their own garden.
To grow tomatoes seeds, you need to start earlier so that the seedlings are ready to transplant into the garden when the weather is warm enough.
There is a proper time and period to sow your seeds and a little mistake can ruin your whole effort. The seeds will take about 6 weeks from the time of planting to being ready for the final transplant into the garden after the last of the frosts. Allow two weeks after the last frost so that you know you are in the clear.
An easier way to work this out is that you can transplant your seedlings once the day and night temperatures stay in the mid 50 degree range.
Here are some tips for growing tomato seeds for the average gardener:
- begin with a well moistened and sterile seed starting mix. Fill the container and create shallow furrows about one quarter of an inch thick with either a pencil or chop stick.
- drop the seeds along the furrow keeping them at least one inch apart.
- cover the seeds by gently pulling the soil over the top.
- if you are growing more than one variety do remember to label them.
- keep the container in a warm place where the temperature is about 75-80 degrees.
- once the stems start appearing they do need to have a strong light source for further growth and this can be by moving them near a window (not in direct sunlight or it will burn them) or with artificial growing lights – a fluorescent light will do the trick.
- Once the seedlings have four leaves you can transplant them into their own 4 inch pots with a good quality potting mix, ready for the final transplant into the garden. Handle these seedlings with care because they are very fragile and it is best to prize them out of the tray with a chop stick so that the roots do not get damaged.
You can see that the basics are to watch the temperatures, use good potting mix, keep them moist not soaked, and handle with care at all times. If you do this you should have no problems growing tomato seeds.