Tomato seedlings at home

It takes at least four months from the moment a tiny tomato seed grows into a plant bearing juicy fruits, like the one pictured on the package. To ensure that gardeners' efforts aren't wasted, we've decided to explain how to grow tomato seedlings at home. It's essential to strictly follow all agricultural practices. Experience shows that good tomato seedlings don't always guarantee a successful harvest. Let's take a closer look at the plant's entire development cycle.

The ripening period does not always coincide with reality

To get an early and bountiful tomato harvest in temperate climates, you must first choose the right variety. Many inexperienced gardeners often choose tomatoes based on the picture on the packaging. This is a big mistake. Modern producers, in an effort to boost sales, slightly embellish not only the picture but also the information on the back of the package. The weight of the finished fruit and early ripening time are of great importance to the buyer. When purchasing a particular variety, don't assume it will be enormous in size or that a single plant will overwhelm its owner with kilograms of fruit. If this were true, our vegetable growing industry would not resort to imported vegetables but would be quite content with its own produce.

Therefore, evaluate the packaging realistically. The period specified in the growing conditions should always be extended by at least 20–30 days. Based on this, it's easy to calculate when the actual harvest will be. Domestic tomato seedlings planted in March will only yield fruit in July, and that will be the earliest possible date. Unfortunately, you shouldn't expect to harvest fruit any sooner.
It's best to consult with experienced gardeners before purchasing seeds. Their advice will be very helpful. They might be able to recommend the best varieties guaranteed to yield a bountiful harvest of high-quality vegetables.

The first days of life

Before planting seeds in the soil, they need to be soaked first. This is done in March, when sunny days outnumber cloudy ones. The emphasis on sunny days is deliberate. Sunlight is known to be a crucial factor in healthy plant growth. Tomato seedlings planted indoors lack light, become very stretched, and lose their quality. While there are various lighting devices for young seedlings, none can replace the rays of the sun. All plants have an internal biological rhythm, so the percentage of germinated seeds will be higher in the spring months.

Within 2-4 days of soaking, white roots will appear on the seeds, signaling that it's time to plant them in the ground. The seedling trays can be small, as the young plants will only spend the first month in them. Then, the seedlings will be transplanted to more comfortable conditions.

The soil for seedlings must be of high quality. It's best to buy soil from stores, as reputable producers create balanced mixtures containing everything necessary for a good start. The planting soil should be light, crumbly, and free of foreign matter such as roots and insects. For additional disinfection, the mixture can be baked in a hot oven or doused with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, but such precautions are usually unnecessary.

The seeds are planted in moistened soil to a depth of 1 cm. The seedling containers can be additionally covered with plastic film to maintain the temperature. After about 5 days, small loops of seedlings should appear. At this point, the plastic cover should be removed and the plants should be provided with good light.

Over the course of a month, the seedlings will slowly develop and build up foliage. During this time, growing tomato seedlings from seeds involves only regular watering and lighting. In the evening, the plants should be provided with additional lighting to extend daylight hours and prevent excessive stretching.

Moving to new apartments and living conditions

As soon as the second rosette of leaves appears on the young seedlings, the tomato seedlings should be transplanted into larger containers. If this isn't done in time, the tomato plants will grow stunted. Each seedling should be in a container with a minimum capacity of 200 ml. Plastic cups, baby juice boxes, or homemade bags are all suitable for this purpose. The key is that the containers have drainage holes and are opaque in color.

When repotting, the plant should be buried deep down to the first leaf. This will help develop an additional root system, which will subsequently provide adequate nutrition for the mature plant.
During the second month, indoor tomato seedlings will grow quite well and by early May will be almost ready for planting. It's important to prevent the plants from blooming in their seedling pots. Transplanting flowering seedlings to their permanent location can cause the tomatoes to lose their blooms and stunt their growth.
Permanent residence

If you have a greenhouse in your garden, you can plant seedlings in the first ten days of May.

We recommend you read, How to care for tomatoes in a polycarbonate greenhouse.

True, the threat of spring frosts is a dangerous factor, but a high-quality polycarbonate greenhouse can easily cope with this problem. Film greenhouses are less effective, but they can be equipped with additional covering material. Tomato seedlings can be planted outdoors after spring frosts have passed.

Plant the seedlings in the greenhouse using the same principle as when transplanting. The seedlings should be planted well deep or at an angle. After transplanting, the tomatoes will develop even faster, as the roots will not be constrained by the limited space of the seedling containers.

By the end of May, the seedlings will need to be tied to a support. If the greenhouse is tall enough, you can use ties attached to the frame. In low greenhouses, additional supports are used, inserted on the side opposite the roots.
During flowering, tomatoes require pollination, especially for varieties planted in greenhouses. To promote fruit set, tap the trunk daily to distribute pollen to adjacent buds. You can also spray the tomatoes with a "fruit-setting" preparation, which will significantly increase fruit set.

Tomatoes don't require frequent watering, as excess moisture is detrimental to them. Watering them once a week is sufficient, and on hot days, ensure the greenhouse is well ventilated.

Formation of a tomato bush

A mature plant requires shaping. Tall tomato varieties are trained to form one or two trunks, while short tomato varieties are trained to form two or three. Additional shoots growing from the leaf axils are called side shoots. These extra side shoots must be removed, as they sap the plant's energy. The first lower shoots are left, as they will form the main trunks of the bush, which will produce fruit.

Excess leaves should also be removed. For full tomato development, leaving 2-3 upper leaves is sufficient. For tall varieties, remove all leaves up to the flowering cluster. After the next inflorescence develops, remove the leaves again. Once the plant reaches its maximum height, pinch off the top to stop growth and focus its energy on ripening the fruit.

Now you know not only how to grow tomato seedlings at home, but also how to get a good harvest from them.

It will also be useful for you to know about growing eggplants in a polycarbonate greenhouse.