Planting The Seeds Brings Joy When Growing Tomatoes
Saturday, July 10th, 2010Buying and planting a packet of tomato seeds and watching it grow into a tomato plant is both surprisingly easy and enjoyable. There are an immense amount of tomato seed varieties to select from, so finding the best one to grow and enjoy is pretty easy.
We start by planting and growing the tomato seeds indoors for about six to eight weeks. This would normally be done in the early spring before transferring them to the outside garden.
The seeds must be sown evenly over the compost that has been placed in a planting tray. A pot plant in sunlight can also be used to grow the seeds. A warm place such as a windowsill is often the best place for the seeds grow best in warm conditions. A conservatory or greenhouse are often the best places.
To keep the seeds from drying out, a widespread trick is to place a layer of cling film over the planting tray. Once the seedlings begin to appear, the cling film must be removed. Moist soil is preferred by tomato plants but you must ensure they are not over watered.
Tomato plants thrive when placed in sunlight. Be sure to rotate the planting tray every other day or so to ensure the growing seedlings receive uniform access to the sunlight, ensuring healthy growth. Ensure the plants receive sufficient light to avoid them becoming bent or thin and leggy.
Being careful not to harm the roots, transplant the seedlings from the planting tray to their individual pots when they reach a height of about 3-5cm (1-2 inches). Lifting the seedlings by the leaves and not the stem should avoid harming them at this young age.
In the new soil, make a hole big enough to take the seedling’s roots. Back fill the hole with compost and without delay water the seedling. Apply light pressure to the compost to make sure the roots make good contact with the soil that is it’s new home.
Ensure the seedlings are kept in good sunlight and are turned often to help with even growth. When the seedlings have reached a height of roughly 20cm (8 inches) tall, they should be transplanted again into larger containers or pots.
Before moving the seedlings into the outdoor garden, they need to be left outside in the sun for a few hours each day to harden them off. This will help their transition to the outside temperatures.
When the weather is warm enough for them to be transplanted outdoors, the seedlings should have grown about half a dozen leaves or so. Bury the seedlings in the soil that that only the top four leaves are above the surface.
Bury the stems deep in the ground to ensure that the plant develops a sturdy root system, assisted by the fact that tomato plants grow roots all along it’s stem. A stronger plant will develop, better able to carry the weight of the fruit and so avoiding rotting fruit from ground contact. The stronger and healthier the plant, the better the output.
Tom Brown is an experienced tomato grower and loves to share his knowledge with others. To receive more useful information on growing tomatoes, visit his website and sign up for his free mini-course or, for a more expansive guide to growing tomatoes, be sure to check out Tom’s fantastic e-book Guide to Growing Big Red Juicy Tomatoes.
