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The goal of every gardener in the world is to have their own tomato plot where they can grow fresh tomatoes that they can pick right before dinner and take inside to eat. This desire is driven by the many farmers who share ideas from their beautiful backyards and delicious healthy meals made with fresh tomatoes.
No matter how much we know about food growing, we all tend to put the production of tomatoes first. Tomatoes are thought to be the best plant for a beginner’s vegetable plot because they are easy to find and can be used in many different ways in the kitchen.
Tomatoes plants should be put in the garden as seeds after the weather has warmed up in the spring. This is because tomatoes are long-season, heat-loving plants that can’t survive cold. You can buy tomato seedlings, but there are some unique benefits to growing your own plants from seeds indoors.
Also, if you grow your own plants, you’ll be able to choose from hundreds of tomato varieties that are usually only sold as seeds. Tomato plants grow quickly, so it’s best to put them inside about six weeks before the last frost date.
How to grow tomatoes successfully?
One easy tip can make all the difference when growing tomatoes: put them deep or sideways. When the plants are exposed to soil and water, new roots will grow and make the root system stronger. The plant will be able to get more water and chemicals as its roots grow deeper, which will help it grow.
To help this happen, plant your tomatoes sideways in a ditch or really deep. To get the best results, put about two-thirds of the root of the plant in the soil.
Related Reading:
- Unveiling the Tomato Calories: How Many Calories Are in a Tomato?
- Tomato Powder: Preserving the Essence of Fresh Tomatoes for Longer
- When to Feed Tomato Plants: A Comprehensive Guide
Some ideas to consider before growing tomato plants
It can be hard to choose a few tomato plants for your garden because there are so many different kinds of tomato seeds available.
You’ll need the following to grow tomato plants indoors:
- Any variety of Tomato Seeds
- sterile planting soil
- Sterile seedling pots
- A warm place with enough light from the sun, or plant lamps.
- Fertilizer
Tomato seeds
Choose the type of tomato you want, such as cherry, chopping, pureed, or sauce tomatoes.
Think about how big the trees will be when they grow up. The best tomato type for pots, which can grow to about 3 feet tall, is chosen.
Tomatoes that grow for as long as they want to can get up to 6 feet long. Tomatoes do better when they have support, like tomato cages or steps.
Tomatoes can get sick from a number of things, some of which may or may not be common in your area. Just to be safe, I always plant at least one type that is immune to verticillium.
Soil
The best material for growing seeds in pots is the soil in it, even though it’s called “potting soil.”
Use a clean mix that has been set aside for starting seeds. It should not have any soil on it. Don’t use garden soil because it often doesn’t drain well and could have pathogens in it.
Containers for growing Seeds
Any container that can hold soil and has holes for drainage can be used to grow seedlings. I’ve even used egg boxes with holes cut in the bottoms and plates underneath to keep the soil from leaking out.
But I’ve found that it’s easier to use ready-made packages like seed-starting boxes and recyclable containers.
Comfort and Light
The best temperature for seeds to grow is between 70 and 75 degrees F. Putting a heating pad at the bottom of the container will speed up the process. When plants are growing, a room with a temperature of about 65°F is the best place for them to grow.
A seed-starting system with moveable grow lamps This Stack-n-Grow light platform has LED lights that you can change so that you can grow strong plants.
You can start tomato plants on a sunny ledge, but you’ll have more success with an LED grow lamp. Winter and early spring have fewer daylight hours, and the sun isn’t nearly as bright.
Insufficient lighting can cause plants to be thin and weak. For germination to start, you need a bright garden with lamps that can be moved.
Step-by-Step Guide to put seedlings of tomatoes
The following is the step-by-step guide for growing healthy, tasty, and rich-flavored tomatoes this year.
- Before putting the seed-starting mix all the way to the top of the containers, it should be thoroughly wet. Don’t pack the mixture down; just make it firm.
- Put two or three seeds in each small hole or compartment of a seed starter. Place 1/4″ of soil over the seed and lightly pack it down.
- Water the seed-to-mix touch to make sure it works. You can just spray the surface with water or use a plant sprinkler. Just wet the top layer of the soil; there’s no need to soak it.
- Place the containers on a heating pad or in a place that is warm. Right now, the seedlings don’t need sunlight.
- Keep the mixture moist, but not dripping wet. If your seed-starting device has a greenhouse cover, use it to help keep the soil moist. You could also use plastic wrap to cover the tops of the containers.
- Every day, look at the containers. As soon as you see seedlings, take off the cover and put the containers in a bright window or under grow lights. Make sure the lights are just an inch or two above the plant tips.
Growing tomato seedlings
Keep the earth’s environment wet, but not flooded. The fact that the dry seed-starting mix is paler than the wet mix is a clear sign that it needs water.
Some farmers put a fan in the room where their plants are growing to move the air around. This makes diseases like damping off less likely to happen.
If you are growing plants on a ledge, you should mix the soil in pots every day so that the plants grow straight instead of leaning toward the sun.
If you’re growing your plants with lamps, you should raise the lights as the plants get bigger and keep them just a few inches above the plants.
Thinning process
If you want the best and biggest plants, you should only put one sprout in each container or space. Many gardeners find it hard to thin their plants because they don’t want to get rid of the young plants they’ve been caring for.
But it has to be done. Remove the weakest and affected parts from the plant at the ground line with a pair of shears.
You could try to move the extra plants into different containers, but that could disturb the roots of the plant that is still alive, and how many tomato plants can your garden really hold?
Fertilizing
Start giving them food when the second set of real leaves comes out. The first two leaves are called “seed leaves,” and the rest are called “true leaves.” Once or twice a week, use half the amount of a water-soluble fertilizer that was mixed with water.
Repotting
If your tomatoes grow too big for their pots before it’s time to put them outside, you may need to move them to bigger containers.
Don’t let the plant get “pot-bound,” which means that its roots cover the planter. This could slow the plant’s growth.
Transplanting tomato plants in the garden
Wait until after the last typical spring freeze to move your tomato plants outside. If a late cold front is coming, be ready to cover the plants with garden cloth, row covers, or plant covers that will keep the plants warm for longer. If everything goes as planned, the tomatoes should be ready in eight weeks or less.
Harvesting
Time to pick tomatoes. Depending on the type of tomato you grow, you will know when to pick them. Early-season types of tomato can be collected in less than 40 days, while it can take up to 90 days for other types to fully grow their crop.
Related Reading:
- 10 Health Benefits of Eating Tomatoes as Tomato Salad
- 10 High Yielding Tomato Varieties That Gives Huge Harvests
- 10 Reasons Your Tomato Plant Leaves Are Turning Brown
How to recognize Tomatoes are Ready?
Usually, a change in color is the first sign that tomatoes are ready. Depending on the type, this could be purple, yellow, or even green instead of the usual red we all know. Check the expected color to know when to start choosing.
There are more signs that your plants are ready to be picked. The color will be even instead of patchy, and the skin will be solid and shiny. If you cut off a piece and eat it, you can tell if a fruit is ready or not.
Conclusion
We hopefully provided you with all the info from seeds to harvest. It’s up to you now when you will start to grow tomatoes this year, Some people choose to let their tomatoes to produce grow on the plant because it’s easier or because they think it tastes better. If you choose this option, protect your food from animals so you don’t lose all of your harvests.
