Have you always wanted to sow tomatoes? Then you are exactly right here. The small seeds have their pitfalls and it is not always easy with them. But with a lot of love, attention and the right care, you should be rewarded with uniquely tasting tomatoes in the end. We want to convince you that not only harvesting tomatoes, but also sowing them can be fun. With our tips, you can easily grow your own seedlings later.
Sow tomatoes
Sowing tomatoes is basically not very difficult. Especially if you finally want to eat nice red and tasty tomatoes again, it's really worth it. In addition, the seeds are much cheaper than young plants in the shops. The advantage of growing it yourself: Freshly harvested fruits have a higher content of healthy ingredients!
What you need to sow tomatoes
You don't need much for your little tomatoes. A growing bowl with a transparent lid and growing soil from a specialist retailer, that's pretty much it. The soil is also known as seed soil and is specially tailored to the needs of seeds, cuttings and young plants. It has fewer nutrients and is permeable to water and, above all, germ-free. For these reasons, you should definitely choose potting soil for your tomato sowing and not normal potting soil that is interspersed with too much fertilizer.
Tip: You can also use compost or coco substrate. These also keep away, for example, mourning gnats.
The correct way to sow your tomatoes
First, of course, you have to fill the seed tray with the nutrient-poor potting soil up to about one centimeter below the rim. Already now you can lightly water the soil. Now you can put the seeds in, but there should always be two to three centimeters of space between them. Then cover them with just a few millimeters of soil. Press lightly and water and after about ten days you can already see the green leaves of the tomato plants.
Tip: If your seed tray has a hood, open it briefly every day. This promotes air exchange and growth.
What you should consider
Pricking out the young plants is particularly important. After small tomato leaves have formed, it's time to transplant the plants. With a cutlery spoon (or a pricking stick), lift the plants out of the ground together with their roots and then place them in flower pots (approx. nine centimeters in diameter) with normal potting soil.
The variety of tomato varieties
You always find the same (red) tomatoes in the supermarkets. There is hardly any sign of diversity here. But actually tomatoes are available in an almost infinite abundance of colors, shapes and flavors and are therefore the opposite of monotonous. Through centuries of breeding, there are now over 1000 different tomato varieties. In order to finally enlighten the wonderful world of tomatoes, we have made a small summary for you in our article "Tomato varieties: the endless variety of red fruits". You can find out there where the fruit comes from and what its properties are.
Old tomato varieties
Especially old tomato varieties are very popular because they are very rare and threatened with extinction. Ever since the tomato came to Europe from Central America in the 15th century, it has changed from generation to generation. Due to the anthropogenic change, some varieties fell out over time in terms of harvest and taste. A well-known old tomato variety is the small cocktail tomato (“Yellow Pearshaoed”).But the yellow round tomato “Golden Queen” is also one of them. Although it is very robust, it is not interesting for the trade due to its partially deformed appearance. But maybe just the right thing for you.
Three different types of tomatoes
1. Recommendation - cherry tomatoes: The tiny cherry tomatoes should not be confused with the cocktail tomatoes. They look the same, but the former taste sweeter and smaller. They prefer a sunny spot in the vegetable patch or on the balcony. Water in the morning with lukewarm and lime-free water. Pinching (removing side shoots) is not absolutely necessary with this tomato variety.
Tip: Growing marigolds in the same bed protects the cherry tomato from fungal spores and other plant pests.
2. Recommendation – ox heart tomatoes: The ox heart tomato is a beefsteak tomato and can weigh up to half a kilo. Their color spectrum goes from red to orange to yellow and white. When sowing, you proceed exactly as described in our article. As soon as the oxheart tomatoes are four to five centimeters tall, they are transplanted into pots or outdoors (after the last frost). Again, you should choose a sunny location. Don't let the hanging leaves unsettle you. These are typical of this variety and less of a sign of water shortage.
3. Recommendation - Green Zebra: Unlike the typical red tomatoes, this tomato variety is yellowish-green. Not only because of its relatively easy care, but also because of its aromatic taste, it convinces everyone. Another advantage: It is one of the fast-growing plants and so, with luck, you can start harvesting as early as June. The plant should thrive in humus rich soil in a sunny spot. The substrate should always be allowed to dry between watering.
The right moment to sow
Tomatoes should always be sown at the right time. Because only the right interplay of light, warmth, moisture and time ensures that your tomatoes thrive. Sowing too early or too late causes damage at maturity. Last but not least, the sowing time depends on your location. Generally, tomato seeds are sown between mid-February and mid-April. Depending on whether on the windowsill or in the greenhouse, there are differences. Outdoor sowing does not start until mid-May when temperatures are warmer.
Sow tomatoes on the windowsill
Your window sill offers you an optimal location for sowing tomatoes (caution: avoid north-facing windows). There the seedlings get enough sun and warmth and can thrive wonderfully. You can sow your tomatoes in a seed tray from the end of February. If the place is rather dark, then you should wait until mid/end of March.
Tip: As an alternative to the seed tray, you can also use old egg cartons. You can then sow a tomato plant in each bowl.
Important: If you want to plant different types of tomatoes, then it is best to put a label next to them.
What happens after sowing?
After about two to three weeks, the first tomato leaves will appear. Now you should carefully lift each seedling out with its root system (pricking out) and plant it in a pot. There, the tomatoes can continue to develop optimally. If you have a garden, you can plant them outside from mid-May or put them outside in a larger pot.
Sow tomatoes in the greenhouse
If you are one of the lucky ones and have an (unheated) greenhouse, then you can sow your tomatoes there from mid-March. If you even have a heated greenhouse, you can even sow the seeds from the end of February. Proceed with the seed tray and the seed soil in the same way as previously described in the section.
Tip: You can also sow your tomato seeds at different times. This extends the harvest and you have a little longer of the delicious taste.
Sowing tomatoes according to the lunar calendar
The third option is the lunar calendar. It has long been known that the phases of the moon not only affect the ebb and flow of the tide, but also the growth of plants. Although not yet properly proven in science, the power of the moon plays an important role for many gardeners. If plants are sown according to the lunar calendar, this can have a positive effect on growth and also the harvest. In addition, the resistance to diseases and plant pests is strengthened.
Rule of thumb: As your tomatoes grow upwards, you should always sow them during a waxing moon (in March). This is recommended in the second quarter of the waxing moon.
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