Container Gardens
Grow your own tomato seedlings
Every spring as I set out to get my vegetable garden ready for planting, I imagine how great it is going to be in August and September to enjoy fresh, ripe tomatoes from my own back yard. Picking, washing, slicing, and dousing them with salt and pepper – I can’t think of a better reward for all my hard work throughout the summer.
Most people (I’m guessing) pick up a few tomato starters at Wal-Mart and just drop them in the soil when they get around to it. But have you every tried growing your own tomato seedlings? It is actually not that hard, all it requires is a little advance preparation so that they are mature enough when it comes time to plant – tomatoes should be planted in your garden plot 10 days after the last frost.
Start your tomato seedling project in doors about two month before you plan on planting them. To get started, find a good loose potting mixture to plant the seeds in and a good sturdy container – you can buy containers or use something practical from around the house (a milk carton cut in half works just fine). Make sure to keep your containers in an environment where soil temperatures can remain between 70 degrees and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This will allow for optimum germination. Most seeds germinate in 6 to 12 days.
The tomato seeds should be sown on top of the potting mixture and covered lightly with vermiculite or other media. Once covered, use a spray bottle to mist the surface to keep it moist or you can cover it with moist newspaper or clear plastic. When most of the seedlings emerge, remove the newspaper or plastic and allow the plants to get plenty of sunlight or place the container under a bank of fluorescent lights about 4 inches above the flat, moving the light upward as the plants grow.
When the seedlings get their first set of true leaves, carefully transplant into individual containers. Dig under plants, and lift and separate them carefully to avoid breaking fragile stems or damaging tender roots. Make a hole in the soil in the transplant pot and lower the plant into it to the first leaf stem. The roots will develop along the buried stem.
When the date for planting is approaching, move plants outdoors to a protected area where they get full sun but are out of the wind. During this transition time, you should bring the seedlings indoors at night or during cold snaps. Continue this for three to four days before transplanting.
Growing your own tomato seedling really isn’t that time consuming – it’s actually fun. Just imagine how much better your tomatoes will taste to you in August after having nurtured your tomatoes from start to finish.
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