Tomatoes from Seed: From Seedling to the First Red Fruit
2 min read By Екипът на Seeds
When to sow tomatoes, how to raise healthy seedlings and what to do to keep harvesting until autumn.
When to sow tomatoes
Tomatoes are sown for seedlings 50–60 days before the expected planting out date. For most temperate regions this means sowing between mid-February and late March, and planting in the garden after the last frosts, when night temperatures no longer fall below 10 °C.
The seeds germinate fastest at 22–25 °C. On a cool windowsill the germination rate is the same, but emergence drags on for up to two weeks and the seedlings are more uneven.
Seedlings
Sow about 0.5 cm deep in a light, sterile seed compost. Once the first true leaf appears, prick out each plant into its own pot and bury it slightly deeper than before — a tomato grows roots along its stem and becomes more resilient.
- Light: at least 12–14 hours a day, otherwise the seedlings become leggy.
- Temperature after germination: 18–20 °C by day, 15–16 °C at night.
- Hardening off: 7–10 days before planting out, put the seedlings outside for longer and longer periods.
Care in the garden
Plant 50–60 cm apart in the row. Indeterminate (tall) varieties are trained on one or two stems and the side shoots are pinched out regularly. Water at the base of the plant, infrequently and generously — wet leaves are an invitation to blight.
A mulch of straw or cut grass keeps moisture even and reduces fruit cracking.
Tip
Write the variety and sowing date on every label. After a season you will know which variety does best in your own garden.
Photo: Softeis, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
