Grow tomatoes by seed! Besides finding them a fraction of the cost of grocery-store tomatoes, you can experiment with all kinds of delicious flavors.
I grow beef-stakes, grapes, hollow ones and plenty of heirlooms to eat fresh and freeze as salsa and tomato sauce for winter.
Heirloom and hybrid tomatoes that are homegrown offer much more variety, flavor and nutrition than those purchased. Photo by Doreen G. Howard
Tomato Varieties to Grow From Seed
I grow oddities and heirlooms and have learned by experience the tricks of starting tomatoes from seed.
Colored cherry types are my passion. I’m planting Texas Wild (a pea-size red heirloom), Solid Gold golden grape, Aunt Ruby’s German Green cherry, Super Snow White cherry, Tumbling Tom cherry and Chocolate cherry. All should be prolific.
It’s always fun to grow a few heirlooms. I’m growing Pineapple, Schimmeig Stoo, Amish Paste and Japanese Black Trifele. Plus, I’m experimenting with several blue tomatoes. Those should be interesting, and I will share photos of them with you later in the season.
Schimmeig Stoo is an heirloom that is hollow, pleated and packed with taste. It’s great for stuffing with cottage cheese or tuna salad. You can’t buy it at store, but you can start plants from seed. Photo by Doreen G. Howard
Sowing Tomato Seeds Indoors
Tomatoes are a warm season crop, so setting seed flats or pots on a heat mat promotes rapid germination. Once seeds are up, I remove the heat source, but keep grow lights two inches from the plant tops. I have to adjust the distance every other day.
The reason they grow so rapidly is that I use mycorrhizal fungi inoculants when I press seeds into the planting mix. Simply dampen seeds and roll them in the powder. Fungal hyphae or threads form on plant roots almost immediately and gather extra nutrients and water to fuel development.
I also run a small oscillating fan, directed at the plants. The constant movement triggers the release of hormones that build thicker stems. The resulting tomato transplants end up stockier than normal with sturdy stems, which are more durable when set into the garden bed. You won’t have leggy plants and you’ll avoid diseases and rot by having to bury long, thin stems.
Other warm-season vegetables such as melons, peppers and eggplant should be started from seed in the same manner. Add a bit of Epsom salts to the potting mix you use for peppers to give emerging plants an immediate dose of boron, which they crave. Plants will bloom faster in the garden and produce more peppers.
Save your eggshells, too, for when you transplant tomatoes into the garden. Crush them, scatter over the soil and then set in plants. The shells gradually release calcium into the dirt, preventing blossom-end rot. Calcium also helps all types of transplants produce vigorous root systems, spurring plant growth.
See more about planting tomatoes on the Almanac’s Tomato Growing Guide.
Reader Comments
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tomato plants
I start my plants and they grow but don't get bushey, they get long stems and never bloom what is wrong thanks Bill
leggy tomatoes
More often than not, there is a problem with the soil, so do a soil test. Are you planting in the same place year after year? You need to move the plants and amend the soil. Add in good aged compost (or cow manure) and a maybe a bit of dried chicken manure or a balanced fertilizer (beware, though: too much nitrogen will result in more leaves but not fruit). A few years ago we learned that some growers bury a fishhead with each tomato plants. Lacking the heads, one of our editors tosses in pieces of fish skin (salmon, mostly, raw or cooked plain, e.g., grilled, without sauces, etc.). Hard to tell if it makes a difference but the plants thrived.
Also, temperatures that are too high in daytime (95°F) or too warm at night (75°F +) can cause failure to flower.
Insufficient sunlight and/or water can interfere with flowering.
For more than that, you could consult your coopertive extension; find it here: https://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services
seeding peppers
Why do you say epsom salts contain boron? I have looked up several references and have never found that to be stated. Is it a typo, or did you add boron separately?
Tomato seeds
Hi there! I sprouted some tomato seeds in a wet paper towel and then planted them in some starter dirt. Nothing happened. I'm wondering if I should start again or if it's too late and I should just go buy some transplants to stick in the garden? Thanks for your time and info! Happy Planting!
Marcy
starting tomatoes
Well, it depends to a certain extent on where you live and how much time you have in your growing season. If you have about 6 weeks before your average last spring frost (check here for your locale: http://www.almanac.com/tool/frost-dates-calculator ), you might want to try the seeds again. This time, cover the container with a plastic bag or wrap to create a greenhouse effect (you will have to remove this and expose the plants to light and air temps carefully later). If you want to just get your tomatoes going, purchased seedlings might be your best bet. Or theres the third option: try both. Start some more seeds and buy some plants.
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Tomatoes from cuttings
Thanks for sharing your knowledge about gardening! I've been growing tomatoes in 5 gallon pails and large plastic planters for three years now, and can't seem to get enough! It's so much fun to experiment with different varieties, but I've got a few favorites now that I'll be planting each year. There are so many ways to use them, but one of my favorites is to make tomato confit with olive oil and a bit of sugar and/or herbs, and then freeze it for use all through the winter and spring, 'till next harvest time. Have you done a column on starting plants from cuttings? It's so easy and fun too, and a fast way to produce a lot of transplants in a short time.
Maybe add more details for 100% newbies/beginners?
It's been a while since I started tomatoes from seed, and I was curious about if you surface-sow (needs sunlight+air), or barely cover tomato seeds(about 8th inch?), to get best results. I'm surprised that guide specifically for sowing, doesn't cover this. Thanks, Joe
Also, those people with very short growing seasons should experiment with dwarf varieties first, as they tend to be early. Glenn Drowns runs the Sand Hill Preservation Center in Iowa, and it's not your typical seed store. I'm growing Glaciar and Imur Prior Beta that I got from him, here in Colorado, since these are mountain varieties. I'm not sure how well they handle hotter or wetter climates, so don't take this as a recommendation for the entire planet! ;)
how deep to seed tomatoes?
You should cover your tomato seed/s with about a ¼ (one-quarter) inch of seedling/seed starting mix. Press firmly but gently on the seed. Yes, the seed needs sunlight and air but it needs soil contact for germination…more. Here are more details: http://www.almanac.com/content/starting-seeds-indoors Good luck and thanks for your observations about short-season varieties!
Could you please tell me when
Could you please tell me when do I start seeds for my fall tomato garden and when to plant.?
Hello Dee, It depends where
Hello Dee, It depends where you live. Please see our Planting Table for when to plant seeds in your area:
www.almanac.com/plantingtable
I live in Zone 8. Can I start
I live in Zone 8.
Can I start seeds in late July and plant the end of August for a fall harvest?
How is the easiest way to
How is the easiest way to strip the seeds from the tomatoes to save for next year? The seeds are almost always got some meat clinging to them. Last year I put the seeds (meat & all) on paper towel & let dry. Then soaked them & picked them off one by one to plant this year. Almost all came up, but I'm sure there has to be a better way!
When should I plant tomato
When should I plant tomato seeds?
It depends on where you
It depends on where you live. All but the northern climate zones are already warm. Plants are ready to be set out in the garden. Seeds should have been planted by March 1. If you live in Zones 3 & 4, you can start seeds now and set out the transplants the first week of June.
i live in Columbiana county
i live in Columbiana county Ohio and i want to start tomatos by seed and woundering when should i start indoors to get them ready to plant outside, they will be planted in containers.i have never started from seed before, thank for the help
Beverly, you want to start
Beverly, you want to start seeds 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost in your area. That can be estimated here (note, these are average frost dates): http://www.almanac.com/content...
Key in your zip code for dates. As you get closer to the end of the 6- to 8-week seed-starting period, keep an eye on local conditions. Be sure to "harden off" your plants; that means bring them into the daylight and air for a short while, and then for increasingly longer periods. When it is consistently warm out, plant accordingly.
Be aware that you should have deep containers for tomatoes. They like plenty of room to establish roots.
Saving and planting tomato seeds
THe way you have saved your tomato seeds cant be beat..It is super simple, tried and true. Just smear the seeds from a ripe tomato on a paper towel, let dry and save. ALmost every single one will get up and grow. Dont mess with success!!
Hi, I decided to try starting
Hi,
I decided to try starting my plants from seeds this year, and they seem to be doing really well. I think all the seeds are up now and I have tiny little plants, the tallest is only about 2 inches tall. I can't keep all the seedlings, there are just too many, so how do I tell which are the strongest plants? I won't be doing anything with them for at least another couple weeks at least.
Also, on one of the plants, instead of the seed falling off the end of the plant it is stuck on the stem. Will it fall off on it's own? or should I try to pick it off? I'm afraid that it's suffocating the poor little guy.
Any help would be great.
Thanks,
Erin
Remove seedlings by cutting
Remove seedlings by cutting them off with scissors to avoid damaging the remaining plant. Look for the shortest and stoutest plants. Tall lanky one don't adjust as well.
I started my tomatoes in a
I started my tomatoes in a burpee brand 10 day self watering seed starter pack. It looks like I have mold and most of the seedlings have lost their leaves and color. How do I save them? I planted tumbling toms, argo hybrid and a mix pack of heirlooms.
Mold thrives in humid
Mold thrives in humid environments. Increase air circulation by removing any cover over the seedlings. Also, add a fan with a very gentle breeze, which helps to circulate the air and also helps the seedlings to develop stronger stems. Reduce watering. Thin seedlings as needed. Some gardeners spray affected seedlings with a dilute solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide (be sure the bottle says 3-percent concentration) to 10 parts water. Good luck!
Stark Brothers. I've used
Stark Brothers. I've used them for over thirty years. Great products and guarantees
DOES ANY BODY HAVE ANY WEB
DOES ANY BODY HAVE ANY WEB SITES, OR KNOW OF ANY MAGAZINE WEB SITES, WHERE YOU CAN ORDER HEIRLOOM TOMATOE SEEDS OR PLANTS ?
I like to use Victory Seed
I like to use Victory Seed Company for all heirlooom seeds. They have never disappointed me. Also, type in Heirloom Seeds in Google and you will get lots of nurseries. Also, I am growing an heirloom tomato this year called Chesapeek Purple and it is highly recommended by almost all tomato growers. I have 20 plants of it for me and my neighbors. Good luck, John
In Canada one of the best is
In Canada one of the best is Heritage Harvest Seeds. They have over 200 yes that is over 200 heirloom varieties. I have tried many of them never had a failure. Heritageharvestseed.com. Their online and catalog also includes the history of their no gmo no hybrid untreated natural seed. It is grown in Manitoba zone 3 if we can grow em here anyone can. Highly recommend. Her selection of dried beans is awesome too.
Baker Creek Seed Co. is where
Baker Creek Seed Co. is where I get mine. Love them! http://www.rareseeds.com/
late planting of tomatoes
this is my first real year of gardening. I have a 5'x 16' area tilled and prepared (top soil, cow manure and peat moss) and the moon will be full this weekend. I live in sw florida and want to plant tomatoes.. can I at this time of the year. Mid-august?
Tomatoes
I live in the Anza-Borrego Desert in east San Diego County, California. I am gardening in raised boxes (3 ft. high), "square foot" style. Our soil is equal parts pearlite, peat, and compost with extra compost added after harvesting the cool season veggies.
I have harvested my first tomatoes and was disappointed that they were mushy. I have Stupice and yellow pair. What might be the reason for mushy tomatoes and what might be the remedy?
The two varieties you grew
The two varieties you grew are kinda mushy by nature. Stupice gives you tomatoes during the cooler weather (you should be able to grow all winter in your area, it tolerates light frost), but it's not a great choice for your main season. Yellow pears are prolific, but can be mealy/mushy (make an awesome sauce though). Try other main season varieties and I think you will have better luck.
tomatoes from seed
I am a novice gardener, this is my third year. However, I have gleaned so many useful tips and information from the Almanac. I read a suggestion on the website that tomato seeds can be sown directly in some areas. I live in Texas and even though we have experienced some snow and cold in late Winter and early Spring, my Aunt Ruby's German Green tomato seed is a thriving seedling and I hope it does well this year. I also planted Brandywine seeds looking forward to great yields.
Re: tomatoes from seed
Texas heats up fast, so be sure the tomatoes have flowered and set fruit by the middle June when nights don't cool below 72F. Tomato pollen becomes sterile then.
Also, try direct seeding more tomatoes in late August; you should be picking by Halloween! Pick determinate types like Southern Nights and Silvery Fir Tree for big crops that will ripen within a two-week period. I gardened in Texas for 21 years and learned these tips about the fine art of tomato growing the hot climate from native Texan gardeners.