Things You'll Need:
- Heirloom Tomato Seeds
- Starter Pots and Soil
- A Garden or Larger Pots to Transplant your plants into
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Step 1
First you need to locate a source for heirloom tomato seeds and decide which varieties of tomatoes you would like to grow. There are many different types of heirloom tomato plants so carefully consider the space you have available, the length of your growing season, and what you will be using the tomatoes you grow for.
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Step 2
Tomato seeds should be started indoors in small pots (3-4 inches in diameter) about 6 weeks before the last frost date for your area. After filling your pots with soil, place 2-4 seeds in each pot. If you are growing more than one variety of tomatoes be sure to label the pots.
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Step 3
After 4-5 weeks your plants should be ready to transplant into larger pots if you intend to keep them in containers. Be sure to use stakes or tomato cages to support the eventual weight of the plant. They are easier to add now while your plants are smaller.
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Step 4
If you intend to transplant them into your garden, start "hardening off" your plants about a week before the last frost date for your area. Hardening off is a gradual process to get your plants accustomed to larger amounts of sunlight, cooler temperatures, and less frequent watering. Start by placing your plants outside in a protected, sunny area for 2-3 hours per day and gradually increase the amount of time they spend outside. Your plants should be ready to put in the ground about a week after the last frost date for your area.
Comments
mfahrney said
on 2/1/2009 Some good ideas here..thanks!