The variety of tomato varieties is significantly more diverse than the trade suggests. You can easily grow sensational tomato plants yourself from seeds. Find out how to do it here.
How do I successfully grow tomatoes myself?
To successfully grow tomatoes yourself, start sowing in a heated greenhouse at the end of February or on the windowsill in mid-March. Keep the seeds moist and warm (20-24 °C), thinly covered with substrate or sand. Prick out the seedlings when they have their first pair of leaves. The plants can be moved outdoors from mid-May.
Sowing at the right time
Sowing directly in the bed is out of the question in our latitudes due to the cool climate. Tomato plants are tropical plants. Therefore, the seeds will only germinate if they are provided with a warm, humid microclimate. Pre-growing works very well on the cozy windowsill or in the heated greenhouse. These sowing dates are recommended:
- in the heated greenhouse from the end of February
- on the warm windowsill from mid-March
If you move within this time frame, the tomato plants will be fit enough to move outdoors by mid-May. If you start growing earlier, the seedlings risk rotting. If you wait too long, the time window until ripeness is too short.
From tiny seeds to strong seedling
The South American origin of tomato plants already suggests that sufficiently high temperatures and bright lighting conditions form the foundation for successful cultivation. How to get the seeds in the mood to germinate:
- Soak the seeds in warm water, chamomile tea or garlic broth
- Fill seed containers with nutrient-poor soil
- Spread seeds 3 centimeters apart using tweezers
- sieve and spray very thinly with substrate or sand
- Set up pots or bowls in the mini greenhouse or cover them with foil
- place in a partially shaded spot
An exemplary germination temperature fluctuates between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius. Keep the seeds constantly slightly moist and ventilate the greenhouse or cover daily to prevent mold from forming. Given these optimal conditions, germination begins within 10 to 14 days. The successful process can be recognized by two cotyledons that push out of the seeds.
Successful pulling leads to flawless pricking
The seedlings you have lured out now want to be a little cooler and brighter, at 16 to 18 degrees Celsius. The cover is now removed because the first pair of real leaves are growing quickly. Since the seed container becomes very crowded within a few days, pricking is now carried out:
- fill small pots 4-5 centimeters high with lightly fertilized potting soil
- create a small depression in the middle
- Use the pricking stick to lift out the previously watered seedlings individually
- insert into the substrate up to the cotyledons
In the last step, fill in the remaining soil, press it down a little and spray it with water. Tomato plants that you grow yourself following these instructions are ideally prepared for magnificent growth outdoors from mid-May.
Tips & Tricks
There is a particular fascination with historic tomato varieties, which are fortunately back in fashion. Various non-profit organizations are committed to preserving the colorful diversity of tomato plants and provide appropriate seeds for a small donation. The 'Noah's Ark' is one of them or the 'Garden of Life'.
