Now is the time to pre-grow tomatoes

We all want our own great-tasting and juicy tomatoes, right? But if you do, you should not rely on seedlings sold in garden stores as they may not produce the fruit you have expected. You should put in the work and pre-grow your own tomatoes at home. It is easy, but you need to start early. Mid-February is ideal. You need to give seeds enough time to germinate and grow strong so, they have no problem outside. Tomato seedlings usually go outside in mid-May and how do you pre-grow tomatoes? Here is how.

Sowing preparation process

First, get your tomato seeds ready. Which variety you buy or get from a friend is up to you. There are regular tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, large tomatoes or tiny wild tomatoes. There are many options. Once you get your seeds, you may do a quick germination test. Use special tomato pots or plastic cups and do not forget to make a hole at the bottom for water drainage. Mark them properly and in advance! You need to know which varieties you are testing. You may also use a stick or plant labels.

Soil for seedlings

Soil is very important when you try to germinate seedlings. Naturally. Surprisingly, it does not have to be rich in nutrients. Mix half of regular, permeable soil with half of sand. You may also buy special soil for tomatoes that is already mixed. There is little or no difference.

Photo: Pixabay

Sowing seeds in containers or pots

Fill pots with substrate, almost to the rim. Place 2 to 3 seeds in one pot depending on size and cover them with a layer of soil about one centimetre thick. Press down lightly. Make sure the substrate is always moist but not too wet. Seeds should germinate in 2 weeks.

Light and warmth

Place containers in a warm and bright place. The best temperature for tomatoes should range from 18 to 21 °C. Light should be diffused and come from all sides if possible. If light comes from one side only, seedlings will have a tendency to turn and stretch to one side. Avoid that if you can because turning makes stems weak and they can break easily.

Photo: Pixabay

Transplanting time is important

You may start thinning when seedlings grow two first leaves (cotyledons). This is the time when they need a larger container to grow strong. In May you may transplant to their final location.

Source: prozeny.cz, ireceptar.cz

Preview photo: Pixabay