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The Ultimate Guide to Grow Tomato From Seeds
Begin seeding your vegetable garden by determining your last frost date.Next, calculate the number of weeks your seeds should be indoors. For instance, tomatoes should be sown 6-8 weeks prior to the final spring frost. Starting seeds indoors allows you to make the most of your growing season and increase harvesting yields.Utilize this detailed guide to easily grow your own tomatoes from seed.
Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables to cultivate in the garden. By providing proper care and useful advice, tomato plants can yield tasty, ripe fruit. The key to cultivating flavorful tomatoes
When to Start Indoors
Tomato plants are regularly started indoors from 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost and transplanted outdoors when soils have warmed. Plant tomato seeds ¼ inch deep into small containers of potting soil, making sure to keep soil moist. Transplant tray-grown seedlings into 3-inch pots when two to three leaves have formed, keeping plants in a light, well-ventilated location.
HARDEN OFF
When beginning tomato seedlings, individuals frequently overlook acclimating them to outdoor conditions before planting. Indoor-grown plants are highly shielded from wind and temperature fluctuations, as well as other environmental stressors. Gradually acclimating plants to challenging conditions triggers them to become stronger at a cellular level.Cell walls are strengthened as they recognize the slight changes in temperature, humidity, and the pressure of slight winds over increasing periods of time. To harden off your seedlings simply set them outdoors for a few hours a day. Over the course of 1-2 weeks increase how much time they spend outside in a day until they are able to sit out overnight. When you first start the process, you may notice the young tomato seedlings appear slightly wilted or weak. This is normal. Taking them back inside to the safe environment will enable them to recuperate prior to braving outdoor elements the following day
TRANSPLANTING
Transplant tomato seedlings outdoors in a sunny spot as soon as the soil has warmed and after all danger of frost has passed. Gradually harden off tomato transplants by introducing the seedlings to the direct sunlight, dry air, and cold nights. Plant outside when there is no danger of frost and air temperatures are at least 45 degrees F, with soil temperatures at a minimum of 50 degrees F.
The two main categories of tomatoes are indeterminate and determinate. Indeterminate tomatoes fruit continuously throughout the season, while determinate tomatoes ripen nearly all at once.
If you’re new to growing tomatoes, understanding the differences between determinate vs. indeterminate tomatoes is paramount to your success.
Both have unique growth patterns and will be most productive when their precise needs are met.
indeterminate types keep growing, flowering, and bearing fruit until weather or frosts end their life cycle. indeterminate include many heirloom varieties These types of tomatoes can reach heights of 10 to 15 feet when left to grow freely.
Determinate types are relatively small and often referred to as bushy or compact. Each short branch ends in a flower cluster and the plant does most of its growing before any fruit are set. The tomatoes tend to ripen at once, usually over a short 2 to 3 week period. After most of the tomatoes are harvested the plant yellows and additional production is limited. If grown upright, the plants are seldom more than 2 - 3 feet tall.
What are determinate tomatoes? Determinate tomatoes, including bush varieties, mature rapidly and remain compact. Let's examine these popular plants in detail:
How to grow determinate tomatoes ? Determinate tomatoes thrive in pots, ideal for container gardening. Smaller than indeterminate types, they can survive with a standard tomato cage but may need extra support when fruiting.
How to prune determinate tomatoes - Determinate tomatoes need minimal pruning. No need to remove suckers between stems as they stop growing after fruit production.
Harvesting determinate tomatoes
Expect a bountiful harvest with these tomatoes. Fruits ripen in 2-3 weeks, leading to plant decline. Consider determinate type for canning or preserving.
What are indeterminate tomatoes?
Unlike determinate tomatoes, indeterminate types keep growing, flowering, and bearing fruit until weather or frosts end their life cycle.These types of tomatoes can reach heights of 10 to 15 feet when left to grow freely. Let's explore these tomato varieties further:
How to grow indeterminate tomatoes
Indeterminate tomatoes prefer warm temperatures and need ample sunlight, and they can be cultivated from seeds or starter plants. When starting from seeds, position them horizontally or at a 45-degree angle in a well-lit, sunny location to promote upward growth towards the sun.
Indeterminate varieties can be started from seed, outside or indoors. Make sure to plant outdoors after the final frost of the season.(you can Find USDA plant hardiness zone here) You may also use a seed starter tray and transplant the seedlings once they’ve grown to an appropriate size. Because they can grow extremely tall, indeterminates will need robust trellises or wooden stakes for support.
How to prune indeterminate tomatoes
Vining tomatoes require regular pruning. Pinch back suckers, trim stems and leaves for sunlight and airflow.
Harvesting indeterminate tomatoes
Indeterminate tomato plants provide growers with a consistent fruit supply throughout the entire season. These varieties ripen later in the season due to their growth patterns. Therefore, plants may produce fruit well into late summer or early autumn, necessitating attention to nightly temperatures.
Harvest fruits when fully ripe; in case of frost danger, pick even if green. You can always leave any green tomatoes you harvest on the windowsill or in a brown paper bag to continue ripening off the vine.
Selecting determinate tomatoes for your garden
In planning your garden, consider these determinate tomato varieties:
San Marzano
San Marzano tomatoes are globally recognized for the robust flavor they bring to many traditional Italian dishes. Plum-shaped and approximately 4 inches in length, these fruits are ideal for making a hearty tomato sauce. Explore the various sub-varieties available to select the perfect one.
Celebrity
Celebrity tomatoes are known for their great taste and disease resistance. Common problems, like tobacco mosaic virus, fusarium wilt, and nematodes, are less likely to destroy your crop with this variety.
Floridade
Floridade is an excellent choice for a determinate tomato that flourishes in hot, humid climates. This heirloom tomato is firm and flavorful, allowing it to succeed as both a backyard variety and a farmer’s market favorite.
Homestead
Homestead tomatoes are another optimal choice for gardeners in the Deep South. These plants thrive in the summer heat and mature in about 80 days. Best of all, they resist wilt and cracking as they mature. You can enjoy the meaty fruits fresh or cooked.
Selecting indeterminate tomato varieties
Gardeners hoping to reap the rewards of their labor all summer long might enjoy these indeterminate tomato varieties:
Beefsteak
Heirloom beefsteak tomatoes are popular for their large size, often weighing up to a pound. They have hearty fruits with only small seed pockets, so you get plenty of flesh in each bite. Be sure to provide substantial stakes to keep them happy.
Cherokee Purple
Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes have long been revered for their bright, balanced flavor and deep color. The fruits can weigh up to a pound, so thorough support is necessary.
Brandywine
Once thought to be extinct, Brandywine tomatoes are a juicy, flavorful, heirloom that thrives in spring and fall, at least in Florida. As open-pollinated plants, they depend on a healthy population of pollinators in order to fruit.
Cherry tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are typically indeterminate. Despite that, many of these varieties differ greatly. Sweet, savory, tart, and nearly every color imaginable, cherry tomatoes cater to those with limited space but a craving for abundant fruits. We suggest trying Sun Gold, Sweetie, and Yellow Pear varieties to taste the rainbow.
OPEN POLLINATED
Pollination occurs by insect, bird, wind, humans, or other natural mechanisms. Because there are no restrictions on the flow of pollen between individuals, open-pollinated plants are more genetically diverse. However, as long as pollen is not shared between different varieties within the same species, then the seed produced will remain true-to-type year after year.
HEIRLOOM
This variety has a history of being passed down within a family or community, similar to the generational sharing of certain items like jewelry or furniture.
TOMATO SEED AND PLANTING GUIDE
| Direct Seed (100 Ft.) | Distance Apart In Row After Thinning | Space Between Rows | Planting Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 Oz. | 24-72" | 36-84" | 1/4-1/2" |
* This is an estimated guide. Conditions may vary considerably due to location.
ESTIMATED DAYS TO MATURITY
80 days
ALLIES
- Basil repels flies and mosquitos, improves growth and flavor
- Bee Balm, chives and mint improve health and flavor
- Borage deters tomato worm, improves growth and flavor
- Dill (until mature) improves growth and flavor, but once mature, it stunts tomato growth
- Marigold deters nematodes
- Pot marigold deters tomato worm and general garden pests
ENEMIES
- Corn and tomato are attacked by the same worm
- Mature dill retards tomato growth
- Kohlrabi stunts tomato growth
- Potatoes and tomatoes are attacked by the same blight