Growing Tomatoes By Seed -

Growing tomatoes by seed is one of my favorite things to grow on my Ninja Homestead.

But, I remember how nervous I was in the beginning.

I’ve learned from some huge mistakes and finally, have aced the art of planting juicy, fleshy tomatoes.

On my homestead, there are 24 healthy tomato plants right now.

And that’s the reason I’m here with a comprehensive guide.

How To Grow Tomatoes By Seed

Growing tomato seedlings is very easy when you are serious about it. You can start by finding good cultivar seeds and a starter mix. First, you need to prepare the soil and sow the seeds.

Growing tomatoes from seed require proper sunlight, water, and compost. Once the seedlings grow, you need to make sure that the plants get enough warmth and light.

Taking a little care will help you in the process of planting tomatoes by seed. Once the fruits appear, you need to wait for harvest until they ripen.

First, you need to find a pot that’s large enough for tomato plants.
Start by moistening the seed starter mix and filling half of the pot with it.
Then, sow 2-3 seeds in each pot and cover with ¼ inch of soil.
Add water to the soil to keep it moist but don’t soak it completely.
You need to place the pot in a warm place without sunlight.
To hold the moisture, you can wrap the pots with plastic covers.
Once sprouts appear, it’s time to shift the pots to a sunny spot.
You need to feed and water your tomato plants to let them grow healthily.

How Long Does It Take To Grow Tomatoes From Seed?

Tomatoes usually take 70-80 days to grow from seed.

But some cultivars may mature within 60 days whereas others may take 90-100 days.

If you’re buying tomato seeds, you can check the label of the package to know the exact time.

How Long Does It Take To Grow Tomatoes From Seed?

As you start tomato seeds, you need to wait for 40-50 days till the fruits produce. Once the fruits are produced by the plants, they need 20-30 days more to manure.

After this phase, the fruits ripen and become perfect for a healthy harvest.

Are Tomatoes Difficult To Grow From Seed?

No, I won’t say that it’s difficult to grow tomatoes from seed.

All you need to know is the right method of planting with good care. Once you’re able to grow tomatoes successfully for the first time, you’ll become a pro the next time.

Tomato plants are one of the easiest plants to grow on homesteads. And the best part is that tomato plants are highly productive.

Though they are long-season plants that need protection from cold and frost, they offer a simple growing method.

Is It Better To Grow Tomatoes From Seeds Or Plants?

It’s always better to grow tomatoes from seeds rather than plants. Growing tomatoes by seed will ensure more nutrition and variety.

And if you want to ensure an organic or natural method of planting, you need to grow from seeds.

Starter plants are easily available in local nurseries and some homesteaders prefer them more. That’s because it ensures less effort than growing from seeds.

But these starter plants may contain harmful pesticides or chemical fertilizers and can’t be healthy options.

What Month Do You Plant Tomato Seeds?

You need to plant tomato seeds at least 6-8 weeks prior to the last frost date.

It means the best time for planting tomato seeds is March-May.

The last frost usually takes place from May to June depending on the weather of specific locations.

What Is The Best Time To Plant Tomato Plants?

If you’re planning to plant tomato plants, the best time would be March-June.

Tomato plants need plenty of warmth as they are summer-season plants.

And you need to make sure that the plants mature well before the date of the last frost.

Should You Soak Tomato Seeds Before Planting?

Tomato seeds are already moist in nature but you may soak the store-bought ones. I usually don’t soak the seeds before sowing them into the soil.

Instead, I soak the seed starting to mix and moisten the soil after sowing the seeds.

However, it’s very important to avoid overwatering during sowing seeds. You just need to soak the soil completely, only moisten it so that the pH level is maintained.

Overwatering can affect the germination method hugely.

How Many Tomato Seeds Are In One Hole?

You need to sow 2-3 seeds in each hole.

I prefer sowing not more than 2 seeds in each hole.

Many first-time growers don’t know how many seeds they should sow in each hole, which results in huge mistakes.

Do Tomatoes Grow Better In Pots Or In The Ground?

Tomato plants grow perfectly both in the ground and in containers.

What matters the most is that there should be enough space in the container or the ground where you’re planting. Also, the soil quality, watering method, and other factors determine healthy growth.

So, you can choose a container of the correct size to plant tomatoes in your garden. The best part is that you can shift the containers from one spot to another to provide enough sunlight.

But, if you have enough space in your garden, you can directly plant tomatoes in the ground.

How To Grow Tomatoes In Pots

Wondering how to grow tomatoes by seed in pots? Here’s the easiest method of growing tomatoes in pots. You need a pot and a few tomato seeds for this method. You can either buy seeds from local nurseries or collect them from fresh fruits.

First, you need to find a pot that’s large enough for tomato plants.
Start by moistening the seed starter mix and filling half of the pot with it.
Then, sow 2-3 seeds in each pot and cover with ¼ inch of soil.
Add water to the soil to keep it moist but don’t soak it completely.
You need to place the pot in a warm place without sunlight.
To hold the moisture, you can wrap the pots with plastic covers.
Once sprouts appear, it’s time to shift the pots to a sunny spot.
You need to feed and water your tomato plants to let them grow healthily.

How Often Should Tomatoes Be Watered?

You need to water your tomato plants every day throughout their growing season.

When the temperature is too high, you can also water twice a day to provide hydration. Green tomato plants need more watering than the regular red ones.

During the time of germination, you need to water tomato seeds daily. When the plants are growing, you can either water them every day or deep water them every two days.

That’s because I’ve seen tomato plants responding better to deep watering on alternate days than light watering daily.

What Is The Lifespan Of A Tomato Plant?

If you grow outdoors, tomato plants will survive for 6-8 months, which is one growing season.

But, if you grow indoors in better facilities, you can make the plants survive longer. The maximum lifespan of these plants would probably be 4-5 years.

So, multiple factors play vital roles in determining the lifespan of tomato plants. Pruning is a method that you can try if you want to enhance the lifespan of your indoor plants.

Regular feeding and watering are necessary also.

5 Tomato Grow Mistakes To Avoid

Here are the 5 mistakes to avoid while Growing tomatoes by seed. These are suggested by Kevin Espiritu from Epic Gardening:

1. Growing the Wrong Cultivar

You need to choose a cultivar that gives you great flavor and harvest. You need to avoid indeterminate-sized plants as they need more space. Also, you need to know which type of tomato you want to grow for specific recipes.

2. Selecting the Wrong Support

You need to install supports to ensure the healthy growth of tomato plants. But, selecting flimsy conical cages will rather restrict plant growth. So, you need to choose cylindrical supports as these are the best options.

3. Improper Watering

You shouldn’t dump water over the tomato plants or directly on the soil. Fungal pathogens may increase in the soil, which can hamper growth. Instead, you need to add mulch on top of the soil to avoid these mistakes.

4. Wrong Pruning Methods

You should never cut the upper parts of tomato plants. Instead, you need to cut the branches from the lower part. That’s because these branches are close to the soil and they are more sensitive to soil-borne diseases.

5. Overfertilization

Your tomato plants a good amount of fertilizers to grow properly. But a common mistake that you need to avoid is using too much compost. You can rather use it moderately in the early stage and halfway through its growth.

Do Tomato Plants Regrow Every Year?

Tomatoes are tender perennial plants that usually don’t regrow every year.

These sensitive plants grow in only one season and succumb to low temperatures.

But, if you’re planting indoors and controlling the temperature, you can enhance their lifespan.

What Helps Tomato Plants Grow Faster?

Growing tomatoes by seed are easy but you need to choose a variety that matures fast. Also, you need to keep the soil warm for faster growth.

Plant supports, mulch, and regular watering can further help you to grow the plants faster.

What Is The Best Fertilizer For Tomatoes?

Here are some of the best tomato fertilizers that you can opt for:

Growing Tomatoes From Seeds Problems

Here are some problems that may occur while growing tomatoes by seed:

Leggy Seedlings

If you keep the plants in a shady area, the seedlings may be too long in search of light sources.

Yellow Seedings

Not feeding the plants properly with composts may turn the color of the seedlings yellowish.

Drooping Seedlings

If you don’t provide enough water to your tomato plants, the seedlings may become drooping.

Brown or Dark Spots

If you notice spots on your tomato plants, the probable reason could be a harmful pest attack.

Conclusion

Growing tomatoes by seed is easier than you think.

But, patience and proper care are the two important things that you need.

And the above method requires very little equipment.

Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Homestead Lifestyle Board!!

Growing Tomatoes By Seed