It's time to grow tomatoes! Plant your tomatoes from seed now and transplant them into the garden when the threat of frost has passed. Here's a tomato seed starting primer to help you navigate the early stages of tomato gardening:
Tomato Seed Packets
Tomato seed packets and tomato seed catalogs use an alphabet soup of abbreviations and unfamiliar words to describe disease and pest resistance. The following terms are the most critical to understand:
Whether you grow heirloom tomato varieties or hybrids, select cultivars carefully. The letters VFNAT on the tomato seed packet indicate resistance to Verticilium Wilt (V), Fusarium Wilt(F), Southern Root Nematode (N), Blight (A), Tobacco Mosaic Virus (T). (In Florida, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus(TSWV) and Bacterial Wilt(BW) create the majority of tomato problems.) Heirloom tomatoes carry some natural resistance (or were bred over generations by farmers) to many of these diseases while hybrids are specifically bred for tomato disease resistance. Check with your county extension office to determine what diseases are prevalent in your region and ensure the seeds you buy are resistant to these diseases.
Indeterminate Tomatoes vs. Determinate Tomatoes
There are two main types of tomatoes: indeterminate and determinate. Indeterminate tomatoes produce fruit all season long. Determinate tomato varieties produce all their fruit at one time.
Most of the diseases mentioned above affect indeterminate tomato cultivars more frequently than determinate tomato varieties.
Indeterminate tomato varieties grow much taller than determinate varieties. If you are growing tomatoes in containers, determinate tomato varieties will be easier to manage.
Seed Starting
I start germinating tomato seeds 6 weeks before the last frost. I use an organic seed starting medium consisting of 1 part perlite and 1 part organic, sterile potting mix. It is not necessary to germinate tomato seeds in soil. I use soil because I do not always transplant seedlings as quickly as I should. The soil ensures the transplants get a little nutrition while they are waiting for me to come home.
In recent seasons, I have been using recycled foam egg cartons for seed starting containers. If you can get the cardboard cartons, all the better. Other recycled container prospects include plastic blueberry or strawberry clam shells. Fill the cartons with damp seed starting mix. Plant the tomato seeds at a depth of three times the diameter of the seed. Gently firm the soil and close the lid.
Place the carton of planted tomato seeds in a warm environment (75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and leave the carton closed for three to five days. After three days, open the lid to see if the tomatoes are sprouting. If sprouts are visible, cut the lid away from the carton. This will become a water tray. CAREFULLY, pick up the carton and poke a drainage hole in each of the cells. I use a shisk-a-bob stick or a pencil. Fill the tray with water and place the carton on top of the tray in a well-lit, warm location.
Light
Tomato seedlings must receive at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. If you can place your seedlings in a southern window, this may be adequate. My seedlings usually require supplemental light. You can obtain grow-light bulbs from your local hardware store. These screw into regular light sockets. Seedlings in need of additional light will grow very tall on long, thin stems. You may need to start over if they begin to get so tall they fall over.
Temperatures
Tomato plants are most productive when daytime temperatures range from 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and night-time temperatures range from about 62 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ventilation
Ventilation is critical to prevent "damping off", a bacterial disease, in young seedlings. (I also find bottom-watering helps control this disease.) Place a fan near, but not directly on your tray of seedlings. If you live in a warm climate, such as Florida, you can place young seedlings outside for a few hours a day to ensure they get adequate ventilation as well as light. Just remember to bring them in each evening before temperatures start to fall.
Transplanting
Transplant tomato seedlings to larger containers when they have at least two sets of "true" leaves. (The first set of leaves doesn't count!) Some transplants must be transplanted to incrementally larger containers every few weeks before being transplanted into the garden. However, I find it is best to place tomatoes directly in 6 inch or 8 inch containers when I transplant the first time and to leave them in these containers until I transplant into the garden. I tried transplanting from cells to 4 inch and 8 inch containers one year and compared the difference. Seedlings planted in the larger containers grew faster and stronger than those transplanted into smaller containers. Recycled yogurt containers are the perfect size. Just be sure to place drainage holes in the bottom.
Tomato Seed Packets
Tomato seed packets and tomato seed catalogs use an alphabet soup of abbreviations and unfamiliar words to describe disease and pest resistance. The following terms are the most critical to understand:
Whether you grow heirloom tomato varieties or hybrids, select cultivars carefully. The letters VFNAT on the tomato seed packet indicate resistance to Verticilium Wilt (V), Fusarium Wilt(F), Southern Root Nematode (N), Blight (A), Tobacco Mosaic Virus (T). (In Florida, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus(TSWV) and Bacterial Wilt(BW) create the majority of tomato problems.) Heirloom tomatoes carry some natural resistance (or were bred over generations by farmers) to many of these diseases while hybrids are specifically bred for tomato disease resistance. Check with your county extension office to determine what diseases are prevalent in your region and ensure the seeds you buy are resistant to these diseases.
Indeterminate Tomatoes vs. Determinate Tomatoes
There are two main types of tomatoes: indeterminate and determinate. Indeterminate tomatoes produce fruit all season long. Determinate tomato varieties produce all their fruit at one time.
Most of the diseases mentioned above affect indeterminate tomato cultivars more frequently than determinate tomato varieties.
Indeterminate tomato varieties grow much taller than determinate varieties. If you are growing tomatoes in containers, determinate tomato varieties will be easier to manage.
Seed Starting
I start germinating tomato seeds 6 weeks before the last frost. I use an organic seed starting medium consisting of 1 part perlite and 1 part organic, sterile potting mix. It is not necessary to germinate tomato seeds in soil. I use soil because I do not always transplant seedlings as quickly as I should. The soil ensures the transplants get a little nutrition while they are waiting for me to come home.
In recent seasons, I have been using recycled foam egg cartons for seed starting containers. If you can get the cardboard cartons, all the better. Other recycled container prospects include plastic blueberry or strawberry clam shells. Fill the cartons with damp seed starting mix. Plant the tomato seeds at a depth of three times the diameter of the seed. Gently firm the soil and close the lid.
Place the carton of planted tomato seeds in a warm environment (75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and leave the carton closed for three to five days. After three days, open the lid to see if the tomatoes are sprouting. If sprouts are visible, cut the lid away from the carton. This will become a water tray. CAREFULLY, pick up the carton and poke a drainage hole in each of the cells. I use a shisk-a-bob stick or a pencil. Fill the tray with water and place the carton on top of the tray in a well-lit, warm location.
Light
Tomato seedlings must receive at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. If you can place your seedlings in a southern window, this may be adequate. My seedlings usually require supplemental light. You can obtain grow-light bulbs from your local hardware store. These screw into regular light sockets. Seedlings in need of additional light will grow very tall on long, thin stems. You may need to start over if they begin to get so tall they fall over.
Temperatures
Tomato plants are most productive when daytime temperatures range from 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and night-time temperatures range from about 62 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ventilation
Ventilation is critical to prevent "damping off", a bacterial disease, in young seedlings. (I also find bottom-watering helps control this disease.) Place a fan near, but not directly on your tray of seedlings. If you live in a warm climate, such as Florida, you can place young seedlings outside for a few hours a day to ensure they get adequate ventilation as well as light. Just remember to bring them in each evening before temperatures start to fall.
Transplanting
Transplant tomato seedlings to larger containers when they have at least two sets of "true" leaves. (The first set of leaves doesn't count!) Some transplants must be transplanted to incrementally larger containers every few weeks before being transplanted into the garden. However, I find it is best to place tomatoes directly in 6 inch or 8 inch containers when I transplant the first time and to leave them in these containers until I transplant into the garden. I tried transplanting from cells to 4 inch and 8 inch containers one year and compared the difference. Seedlings planted in the larger containers grew faster and stronger than those transplanted into smaller containers. Recycled yogurt containers are the perfect size. Just be sure to place drainage holes in the bottom.
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