Growing your own vegetables is one of the simplest yet most rewarding things you can do. Gardening is a hobby that encourages a connection to nature and yields organic produce for your family to enjoy.
Tomatoes are by far one of the easiest vegetables to start growing at home. In fact, growing tomatoes from seeds is doable even for the complete beginner. Save money and buy seeds instead of sprouted plants.
Wondering what you need to start growing tomatoes from seed to harvest? Want to see how simple it is to begin growing tomatoes in pots from seeds? Keep reading to discover what you need and what to do.
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Stages of Growing Tomatoes From Seed
Before getting started, it’s important to understand the growth cycle of tomatoes.
It typically takes about two months from planting to harvest. You’ll start by planting the seeds indoors until they germinate. Then, you’ll see sprouts begin to grow quite rapidly.
After sprouting, you’ll enter the first-true leaf stage as your plants start to grow leaves. Then you’ll enter the third-true leaf stage. At this point, your plants will also enter the root development stage as they get ready to grow bigger and stronger.
Once the weather outside is ready, you’ll transplant them to your outdoor garden or pots. They will transition to the vegetative stage, where their focus is to grow plenty of shoots and leaves. Then they’ll move onto the flowering stage, after which they will be pollinated.
And finally, after quite some time, you’re plants will enter the fruit-bearing stage and your little tomatoes will start to grow.
What You Need
So what do you need to make tomato growing a success? The first is quality seeds for the variety of tomatoes you want to grow.
You’ll need indoor growing containers to germinate and sprout your seeds. These can be egg cartons or specific growing trays. You’ll need to fill the trays with gardening soil as well as tomato fertilizer.
You’ll want larger containers to transplant your plants once they’re ready to move outdoors. And since tomato plants grow upwards, you’ll need support systems, such as wooden structures or metal tomato cages.
Growing Tomatoes From Seeds Step By Step
So what’s the best way to grow tomato plants from seeds? Aim to plants your seeds indoors about two months before the spring growing season starts. This correlates to the last day that you anticipate spring frost.
It takes about two months of indoor watering and sunshine to get the plants big enough to be safely transplanted outdoors. Once you move them outside, install a support system over your plants to allow them to grow to full height.
It’s important to prune your plants regularly to allow proper airflow and growth. Once they begin to ripen, pick the ripe ones each day to allow space for the growing tomatoes to mature.
Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor
Now that you know how to start growing tomatoes from seeds, it’s time to get started. If you missed the spring planting, don’t worry. In many places, you can also plan to grow tomatoes in the fall as well.
Make sure you share the wealth of your spoils with neighbors. And don’t forget to plan a few great recipes for your first harvest.
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