Do you long for the sweet and juicy burst of a sun-ripened tomato? Homegrown tomatoes are simply unbeatable in taste and texture. If you've ever dreamed of growing your own but thought it was too hard to achieve from scratch, think again!

Growing tomatoes from seed is a fun and rewarding way to bring some delicious homegrown produce into your life. With the right supplies, knowledge, and attention, you can learn how to grow tomatoes from seed and enjoy the rewards of this tasty garden staple. See for yourself how easy this task is!

What You'll Need

person holding juliet tomatoes

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Here's what you'll need to grow your tomatoes from seed.

  • Soilless and sterile seed starter
  • Containers with drainage holes
  • Trowel
  • Seeds
  • Labels
  • Marker
  • Water

Step-By-Step Guide for Growing Tomatoes From Seed

Step One - Choose Your Type of Tomato

Red grape tomatoes in a bowl

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Before starting your tomato-growing journey, choose which type of tomato you want to grow. Dozens of varieties come in different shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. They include cherry and grape. Their small size and sweetness make for tasty snacks. 

You also have meatier species, which include Roma and plum. They make great sauces and are fantastic for canning. If sandwiches and salads are your things, then opt for slicing these tomatoes. Finally, you have the beefsteak type, which works with basically everything.

Step Two - Pick the Right Time To Sow

Womans hand, holding Own grown organic yellow cherry tomatoes on windowsill. Home and Balcony gardening. A home hobby on self-isolation.

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Plant at the right time so your tomatoes have enough warm days and weeks in the sun. Wait until all the danger of frost has passed before sowing your tomato seeds outdoors for the best results.

Generally, if you're growing your tomatoes in a greenhouse, late February to the middle of March is ideal. If you're doing it outdoors, opt for late March to early April. However, if you're seeding your tomatoes indoors at home, any time of year is fine.

Step Three - Gather and Clean Your Supplies

sterilizing soil

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Now that you've decided what type of tomatoes to grow and when to gather and clean your supplies, it's time to get your hands dirty. All these materials should be easy enough to find at any garden center or online.

Once gathered, ensure that you have sanitized everything before use. Cleaning your supplies with soapy water helps prevent any spread of disease in your garden, which can affect the success of your tomato harvest.

Step Four - Fill Your Container With Starter Mix

tomatoes in seedlings

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Next, it's time to fill your starter mix container with the soilless mix. Gently add your starting mix to the container, leaving an inch between the soil and lip of the container.

When you are planting the seeds ensure you don't press down! Baby plants need room for their roots to spread out and grow. Tap lightly on the sides of the container to settle the soil in place without compressing it too much.

Step Five- Water the Soil Mix

Seed Starter Mix

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Once you've prepped your soilless mix and added it to your planting container, it's time to give it a good drink! Water the mix until it's just moist. It should feel like a damp sponge.

Over-watering can lead to issues with root rot, so use moderation when watering. Your tomato seeds need water for germination, but not pools of it!

Step Six- Place the Seeds in the Mix

Covered Seed Pods

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Now it's time to get planting! Take your seeds and place two in each tray/pot, then cover them lightly with the starter mix. Refer to the instructions on the seed pack to know how deep you should plant them. Place the label on the container and mark down the date, where you purchased it from, and the variety.

Within five to 20 days your seeds will begin to germinate.

Step Seven - Water the Mix

tomato plant

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When watering your newly planted seeds, you want to do it gently. The best way to do this is by bottom watering your tomato plants. Place a tray filled with water under the pot and allow your plants to soak it up. Remember to drain any excess water from the tray so your plant doesn't sit in water.

Watering your mix is essential as it acts like a catalyst that wakes up seeds and encourages rooting. As long as you water regularly with just enough moisture without over-saturating the soil, your plants should thrive.

You should water the seedlings every other day until they sprout. Once the seeds germinate you can cut back on watering and only douse your plants when the soil is dry to the touch.

Step Eight - Keep Them Warm

Yellow sun gold tomatoes growing

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Now that you have planted your tomato seeds, it's time to move them to a warm and sunny spot. A windowsill is ideal, as the extra warmth will encourage germination. You can also purchase a horticultural heat mat to provide some bottom heat for the best results.

Be aware that tomato plants are sensitive to temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step Nine - Rotate Every Day

Tomato seedlings in a plastic cup

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As your tomato plants sprout, place them in the sunniest location you can find and rotate them every day to give them an even amount of sun on all sides. Additionally, shake the plant to simulate wind, helping them stay strong as they continue to grow.

Step Ten - Fertilizing

Farming concept. Spraying insecticide on tomato plants from bad insect pest infestation

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Fertilizing your seeds is important for keeping them healthy and providing them with the nutrients they need to grow. Every fortnight, use organic fish emulsion or compost tea that has been double-diluted to give your seeds a boost of essential nutrition. 

To make sure the fertilizer reaches all your seedlings, use the drip tray to distribute it from the bottom up. It ensures that each seedling gets its share.

Step Eleven - Repotting

Man hand holding plant of tomato with roots in soil

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When the plants have grown big enough, you'll need to transplant them into bigger pots. Repotting is an essential step to ensure that your tomato plant has plenty of space and nutrients.

If you started in a small pot, this is the perfect opportunity to give your plant some extra room. Add enough soilless mix or potting soil to the bottom of the pot (at least two inches) before transferring your seedling. Now, select the healthiest plant and trim away any weaklings. Do this by simply cutting them at the soil level.

Once you've selected only the strongest plants, gently transfer them into the new pot, adding more mix around their sides as needed. After filling up the pot tap it lightly to settle the mix and avoid any compaction.

With a larger pot and fresh soil, your tomato seedling will now be able to grow bigger and more robust. Just keep with the same watering schedule as before.

Step Twelve - Hardening Off

Tomato plants in rainy weather

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Before planting your tomatoes outdoors permanently, they need to be "hardened off" first. It means gradually introducing them to outdoor conditions by placing them outside for an hour every day for a few days. It's best to do this on a cloudy and warm day.

Incrementally increase the time your plants are outdoors. It will help them adjust to the change in temperature and light levels more easily.

Step Thirteen - Plant in the Ground

Planting tomato plant seedling

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Congratulations, you've made it to the last step of the tomato planting process! Now it's time to transplant your plants outdoors.

Pick a spot in your garden that gets plenty of sunshine and dig a hole two or three times bigger than the pot you planted them in. Add some compost, water the hole, and let it drain completely before adding more water.

Place your plant into the new hold and backfill gently, firming it up without compressing. If you have tags for each plant, add those too, and give them a good watering to get them settled in their new home. For the first week, aim to water every other day, and after that, once per week, make sure they get an inch of water each time.

Bright, Red, and Plump

If you're looking for a fun and rewarding gardening project, learning how to grow tomatoes from seed is a great option. With the proper materials and expertise, you can produce a bountiful harvest of delicious homegrown tomatoes. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get started today! And leave a comment below and share it with your family and friends!