Raising tomato plants from seed can be a very rewarding activity. Varieties can be grown which never appear in any nursery, and the quality of the seedlings will be high if simple steps are followed.
Seeds can be planted in a flat or in individual peat pots. The peat pots are the recommended way, as it makes transplanting easier. The planting mix should be a peat based mix with no soil, to avoid diseases. Start the seeds five to six weeks before they will be set out. The seedlings should be planted outside after all danger of frost is past and when the soil is warm. If the seedlings are started too early, they will be root bound, leggy, and weak. If they already have flowers or flower buds when they are planted, tomato production will be poor.
If peat pots are used, plant the seeds two to a pot. Plant the seeds about one-quarter inch deep. Once the seedlings are up, thin them to one seedling per pot. If the seeds are sowed in a flat, plant the seeds about one-quarter inch deep and far enough apart so that they will not grow right next to another, or you will need to thin them before they are transplanted. Water the planting mixture well.
Keep the planting mixture moist until the seeds germinate. Covering the flat or peat pots with a plastic cover is a good way to do this. Be sure to remove the plastic cover once the plants have emerged, or they could get damp-off and die. After the seedlings have emerged, water enough to keep the planting mixture moist, but not so much that the mixture is soggy. The young plants may be fertilized with fish emulsion. Follow the directions on the fertilizer carefully and make sure the fertilizer solution is not too strong, or the young plants will be burned.
Keep the flats or pots in a warm (75 to 90 degrees) place until the seedlings have germinated. Cool soil will result in poor germination. Once the seedlings are up, make sure that they get some sunlight or other light, such as from a grow light. The light should not be too strong as this will burn the seedlings, but it should be strong enough to prevent them from getting leggy. Once the seedlings are up, the temperature may be reduced to 60 to 70 degrees.
Once the seedlings have two true leaves, transplant them into three-inch peat pots if they are in a flat. Use the same starting mixture as in the flat. Fill the pot with the mixture, leaving make a small hole in the middle of the pot. Be very careful with the young plants, being sure not to twist or pinch their stems. Scoop under their roots with your fingers or a spoon, being sure not to disturb any nearby seedlings. Hold the seedling by its root ball and carefully place it in the hole in the planting mixture. Put more mixture around the plant, firm the mixture into place, and water well. As before, keep the plants in a warm place and water enough to keep the seedlings from drying out.
When all danger of frost has passed and the ground is warm, the tomato seedlings can be planted outside in the garden. The seedlings should be planted 12 to 24 inches apart if they are a determinate type; that is, the plant stops growing at a certain height and does not necessarily need staking. Indeterminate tomato seedlings, which will be staked, should be planted 24 to 36 inches apart. Make sure that the soil in the garden is rich and well drained. Be sure that the nitrogen content of the soil is not too high, or you will have large plants and few tomatoes.
To plant each seedling, dig a hole that is large enough to accommodate both the root ball of the seedling and a few inches of the stem. Mix a handful of bone meal with the soil at the bottom of the hole. The bone meal will help prevent blossom end rot. Remove all but the top four to six leaves of the seedling and place it in the hole so that the plant will be covered up to about an inch below the leaves. Burying part of the stem will help create a stronger root system and heartier plant. Water the plants well and make sure that they do not dry out for the first week or so while they are getting established.
