Tomatoes are long-season, heat-loving plants that won't tolerate frost, so it's best to set them into the garden as transplants after the weather has warmed up in spring. You can purchase tomato transplants, but there's something especially rewarding about starting your own plants indoors. Plus, by growing your own transplants, you can choose from among hundreds of tomato varieties that are available as seed.
Homegrown tomatoes have a much more complex chemistry than commercially produced fruits. Not only does chemistry equal a greater depth of flavour, it is also likely that homegrown tomatoes are healthier with higher levels of the pigment ‘Lycopene’.
There are hundreds of tomato varieties available as seed, and choosing a few for your home garden can be a daunting task.
Here are a few things to consider:
Decide on the type of tomatoes you want.
Consider the size of the mature plants.
Determinate tomatoes grow to about 3 feet tall and are the best choice for containers.
Indeterminate tomatoes get very large, up to 6 feet tall.
Look for disease-resistance!
Starting Seeds Indoors
Tomato seeds are typically started six to eight weeks before the average date of last frost. Tomatoes take three months or so to produce ripe fruit, most gardeners want to get the process started early. You can start sowing seed earlier, from late February to mid-March.
1: Thoroughly moisten the seed-starting mix, and then fill the containers to within 1/2" of the top.
2: Firm the mix, but don't compact it.
3: Place two or three seeds into each small container or each cell of a seed starter, then Cover the seed with about 1/4" of soil and gently firm it over the seeds
4: Water. You don't need to soak the soil, just moisten the top layer.
5: Place the pots in a warm spot.
6: Keep the mix moist but not soaking wet. Lay some plastic kitchen wrap over the tops of the pots.
7: Check pots daily. As soon as you see sprouts, remove the covering and place the pots in a sunny window or under grow lights, keeping the lights just an inch or two above the tops of the plants. The young seedlings need to be kept at 18°C (64°F).
The best tomato seedlings are short and stubby rather than tall and thin.
Thinning
Thinning seedlings means to remove all or part of a plant to make room for the growth of others. Select the strongest, healthiest seedling and use a pair of scissors to cut off the others at the soil line. The reason you will want to cut the seedlings instead of pulling them is to avoid disturbing the delicate roots of the neighboring seedling. You can give your plant the correct amount of sunlight, water and nutrients but if you don’t give them enough room to grow, they will not be able to thrive. They will compete for nutrients and you will be left with two smaller plants, instead of one large, healthy plant.
Fertilizing
When seedlings first poke out of the ground, they are still feeding off the food stored in the seed. The first couple of leaves that form are not actually leaves. They are called cotyledons. They are part of the seed or embryo of the plant. Cotyledons contain the remainder of the stored food reserves of the seed and keep the seed fed until the true leaves sprout and the plant can begin photosynthesis. Usually the cotyledons disappear shortly after the true leaves appear and begin photosynthesizing. At this point, they could use a little boost of fertilizer.
Once the second set of true leaves appears, it's time to begin fertilizing, once or twice a week. The choice of fertilizers is up to you. If you provide enough light, the right level of moisture, and fertilizer at the appropriate time, your tomato seedlings can handle the rest.
Repotting
Your tomatoes may need to be transplanted to larger containers if they outgrow their pots before it's time to set them outdoors. Don't allow the plant to get pot-bound, with the roots filling the container, or growth may be stunted.
Watch Transplanting Tomato Seedlings Video
Hardening Off Tomato Transplants
About 7–10 days before planting your tomatoes seedlings outdoors, help acclimate them to temperatures, sunlight, and wind. This is the process of hardening off, or gradually acclimating your tomato seedlings to outdoor conditions. These plants have spent their short lives in a warm, sunny, protected place and won't fare well if you don't expose them slowly to the elements. Before you intend to plant, put your transplants outdoors in an area where they'll be protected from the direct sunlight and wind. Leave them out for a few hours and bring them back inside. Repeat this each day, gradually increasing the amount of time they're outside and the degree of exposure to sun and wind. Gradual exposure helps your plants toughen up and reduces the possibility of injury. With proper hardening off, they’ll have an easier transition to the garden and begin producing fruit sooner. After a week, leave the transplants out overnight.
Big Selection of Tomato Seeds From Here!
Happy Organic Gardening
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