How to Germinate Your Tomato Seeds

The proper way to germinate your tomato seeds and get the most from your seeds.

Things You'll Need

• tomato seeds
• container with hole in the bottom
• sterilized garden soil
• pasteurized compost

Instructions

1. Tomato plants can be started in just about any type of container as long as it has holes in the bottom for drainage.

2. Fill the container with a mixture of 2 parts sterilized soil and one part pasteurized compost.(Tomato seeds germinate best when the soil is at 75-90F

3. Space the seed evenly in holes about 2-3 inches apart with 4 seeds to each hole, plated about 1/2 inch deep.

4. Keep them somewhere that is warm and dark until the seedlings appear.

5. Keep them somewhere that is warm and dark until the seedlings appear.(Its ok to put them somewhere dark out of the way because until the seedlings come up they wont need light just warmth.) They will sprout in 6-14 days.

6. As soon as they sprout, move the plants into a bright, but cool location, so that during the day they are around 60F during the day and no lower than 40F at night.(Do this so that your plant will not grow to tall and straggly and gives time for the roots to develop.)

7. To water your plans place them in a small tub or container so that they can stand in shallow water. This allows the plant to absorb as much moisture as it requires, but leaves the top of the soil on the dry side which helps prevent damping-off.

8. As the tomatoes get bigger, transplant them to bigger pots. (Every time you replant them bury them deeper in the soil.)

9. When you water water them from the top till the soil is wet. Wait till the soil is dry before you water again. About every 2 weeks add organic balanced formula fertilizer to the water.

10. Two weeks before you transplant them outside int he garden, begin hardening the plants.Around this time 2 or more sets of true leaves should be growing.

11. To hardening the plants set the plants in the shade outside during the day and bring them in at night. this takes about two weeks before you can transplant them to your garden.

Tips & Warnings

• You need to harden even tomato plants from a nursery, before you can plant them in your garden.