Vegetable Planting

Many people that try growing tomato plants within their vegetable garden make the mistake of sowing the seeds far too early. The optimum time for sowing tomato seeds is between seven and ten weeks before your local last frost.

So now you know when to plant your tomato seeds, you need to know how. First I would suggest you get a fairly large container and put some holes into the bottom for drainage. Then you need to fill this with soil, well it’s not really soil, but a special seed starting mixture like Pro Mix or Jiffy Mix which you should be able to find in your local Walmarts. This type of ‘soil’ is far better for seeds as it will be totally free of harmful bacteria and will provide the necessary nutrients to your new seedlings. You will need to make sure that the soil mixture is wet before you sow your seeds.

Now for the sowing. Make holes that are about 1/4″ deep into your container, and place two tomato seeds into each one. Once you have filled your container it is best to cover it over with plastic foil which will help to prevent evaporation.

The tomato plants can take upto 30 days to germinate, depending on the environment and of course the quality of the seeds. As soon as they have germinated they will need exposure to light (this can be either sunlight or artificial light, depending in your local climate) So put your container somewhere indoors where it will get as much light as possible.

Once the tomato plants have their first proper leaves you will be able to transplant them individually into containers. A plastic up with a drainage slit at the bottom makes an ideal container for one tomato plant.

To transplant your small tomato plant first prepare your new container with soil, either use compost or standard potting soil. You then need to make sure that the soil is watered thoroughly. Place a deep hole into it for the new plant. Remove the plant from the large container by using a spoon and very carefully removing it. Place the plant in the new container and cover the stem area with soil.

After somewhere around five days you will need to fertilize the new tomato plants with a diluted fertilizer. All you have to do now is to water them regularly and wait.

About ten weeks later you should see nice strong tomato plants that are ready to be put into your vegetable garden.

BONUS! For further great tips and advice on growing tomato plants, check out this recommended ebook Organic Tomato Magic. Highly recommended by the team at Vegetable Planting!