Tomatoes are very delicious and versatile so if you have a garden then you might want to try growing it. You can grow tomatoes from seed which you can easily purchase from any gardening store. But some of you might find it difficult to grow the seeds if you have never done it before.
Grow Tomatoes from Seed Tips and Tricks
Make sure everything is clean
If the tools that you want to use have been used before then make sure to clean everything first with soapy warm water. It is better if you can find a container where you can write the seeds name on it. But you can always use paper cups and just punch a few holes on the bottom.Add a label
If you have different seedlings planted at the same time, then it is better to add a label into the container itself. It is better to do this than using little sakes since the plant’s roots can cause it to wiggle and be removed.Plant your seed when it is still dry
Make sure to use high quality tomato seed which will increase the growth probability. Then you can plant the seeds in each container when it is still dry. Do not worry as when you water then the seeds will be soft and stick to the soil.Watering
When watering your seed you can use spray water so it can thoroughly spread around the water. Spray enough water to the seedling soil until the container becomes heavy. Then you can use a stick to create holes then put the seed in and press it lightly with your finger. Cover the seed with soil and spray it again with a little more water.Give enough sunlight
The Tomatoes that grow from seed need to have a warm temperature so you can put them indoors. Do not forget to spray the seed container with more water 2 times every day until it sprouts. You will see the sprout in a week then you can move the container to a spot with more sunlight so they can grow more. Move them near a window and make sure that the soil doesn’t dry so you might need to water it more frequently.Move to bigger container
Once you see the seedling have their 1st true leaf then you can move it to a larger container or small pots. Continue taking care of the seedling while in the small container until it is ready to be moved to their final pots. This usually takes around 3 weeks in time.
Do not plant the small seedling into their final pots since it can be overwhelmed so only move the seedling to their final pots when the roots already grow bigger than the previous container.Do not touch the stem
When you handle the seedling try not to touch the stem since it is very fragile and can easily get damaged. If the stem is damaged and bruised then it will be an entry point for fungi to grow and cause it to rot. This is important to remember when you grow tomatoes from seed.
Sadly the stem can also fall over on its own if it is not strong enough to support the heavy leaves. To cope with this you can try to add more soil on the base of the stem around it and press so it can help to support the stem.Expose the seedling gradually
Before you move the seedling permanently from indoor to outdoor, it is better to do it gradually. Put the small seedling container in a larger transparent bin without any lid so it can customize itself to open air. After a week then you can move the seedling outside into their outdoor final pot.Move the pot outside
If you want to move the pot outside you need to wait until the last frost date has passed. Even then it is better to cover the pot with garden fabric to protect it from later frost. Put the pot where there is enough sunlight since tomatoes need full day sunlight to grow. If you take care of the plant well you can harvest your tomatoes within 8 weeks or even less.
Those are the things that you need to do when you want to grow tomatoes from seed. There are more steps that you need to do but it is not as hard as it seems.