Here is where you will find all the lessons at once.
Growing Tomatoes From Seed
Do you want to grow your own? I guarantee that what YOU grow will be a darn sight better than anything you can buy in the grocery. OK...follow along and we'll see how good we can do this year together. I can't wait to hear how you do! I'll be here right along to help if need be. Next time: we'll go through the actual seed planting. If you are new to this but don't know where to start....here's your homework for this week:
Decide how many plants you want to grow. Remember, there is no such thing as TOO MANY plants! I always plant 30 -36 seeds of EACH variety that I want to plant for the year. More on why in a minute.
OK, now think about varieties. There are SO many!. So, if this is new to you, I suggest this: Try one cherry or grape type...one medium 'slicer'...and one 'Beefsteak' type. If you like to make sauce, maybe a plum type also. Take a trip to a store that sells seed. Read the packages and just pick one of each type that appeals to you. Note that there are 2 types of plants-determinate and indeterminate. Only difference is that the inderterminant types just keep on getting longer. This is not an issue. If it is appealing...buy it. Most packets will yield that 30 - 36 seeds.
Once you have decided on your seeds, you will know how many seed starting kits to buy. I always use the 72 cell kits. Each 72 cell kit will accomodate 2 seed packets.
Now here is something important: For filling the trays...DO NOT use DIRT! Or by another name.....POTTING soil! What you want to buy is soiless mix, seed starting mix, or similar. These mixes are all a combination mainly of peat and perlite. There are lots of companies that sell these materials and they are available at most garden centers or the big box stores that have garden departments.
Ok....just to finish up before you head off to the store. Here's why I always do so many: Sometimes ALL the seeds don't sprout or you lose a few on the way. Once we get to the transplant stage....I pick the best ones for myself. Then I sell or give away the rest to friends and neighbors who are more than happy to fork over a buck or so a plant. It never costs me anything to start my plants...and I make a bunch of people happy to boot. OH and here is why I start from seed. I'll bet you a box of donuts...that 2 hours before you looked at a bunch of plants at the Big Box Hyper Garden Center, there is a possibilty that those poor things were wilted and droopy and half DEAD because the employees were too busy taking their coffee break to give them any water. Stressed plants never do as well as ones that are given TLC! Know for sure and start from seed! Note: I want to assure you that if you buy plants from a REAL garden center...that won't be a problem. They NEVER let that happen. So if you want to go that route, please feel free, but choose a reputable garden center. One final thought. There really aren't any hard and fast rules. If you do something and it works....do it again!
Seed Starting 101
Well, what we'll do first is mix some of our starting mix with water. I use a small rectangular plastic storage bin to do this. I usually make more than I think I will need. Generally, you probably don't want to fill it more than about half full of dry soilless mix. Then I sprinkle the mix with water and mix it with a trowel. Add more water and mix, repeating the process until the mix is moist but not sopping.
Now, we need to fill the trays. I usually put the tray on a sheet of plastic so I can reuse the mix that I spill as I fill the cells. Using a plastic party cup, scoop the mix onto the trays. I use a plastic ruler to spread the mix over the entire surface of the tray. You really don't want to press the mix down into the cells, but kinda of let it fall in. Repeat the process until all the cells are full to the top. Move the tray to the water pan now.
The next step is actually placing the seeds. Open ONE of your packets and pour the seeds onto a clean paper plate. I use a tooth pick moistened in water to pick up seeds one at a time. Pick up a seed by laying the flat of the toothpick on a seed. It will stick. Place it on top of the mix in the center of the cell. Work down each column and across each row until you are out of seed. Don't forget to mark that section of the tray with the date and variety. Repeat the process with the other varieties. When all the seeds are placed, one per cell, take your toothpick and gently poke the seed a quarter inch down into the mix. When all are poked in, take a bit more mix and cover each seed. GENTLY, just touch the surface to firm it, without really pressing down. Cut the clear cover on the tray. Continue with any additional trays.
Keep your trays in a warm location, and check daily to make sure the mix isn't drying out. When watering your trays, add water to the water pan and not to the surface of the mix. No more than 1/2 inch of water should be in the pan at any specific time. Keep watching and after a week you should see the baby tomato plants Poking up. As SOON as you see the first one, remove the clear top and get them into the brightest light you can. Preferably, under a 4 foot fluorescent shop light. (These are available for $10 or so at the local big box hardware store). If you use the shop light hang it so you can adjust the height. Keep the bulbs about 2 inches above the top of the plants an raise it as they grow.
That's it for now. Don't forget to keep an eye on them. Don't let them dry out and don't let them sit in water. Remember that they will use more water as they get bigger.
