Growing plants from seed is one of the most satisfying things you can do in the garden, and I think tomatoes are one of the most rewarding crops to grow from seed. A pack of seeds will cost you anything from £1-£3, so lets get those seeds sown!
1. Sowing the seed
- Sow tomato seeds indoors in trays or modules filled with fine seed compost.
- Cover lightly with compost or a fine sprinkle of vermiculite and keep in gentle warmth until they germinate.
2. Light, warmth and watering
- As soon as they appear, move seedlings into the brightest spot you have to avoid them getting leggy. Before I had a glasshouse I would keep them on my windowsills.
- Keep the compost just moist, never waterlogged. Water from below if you can, so the stems stay dry.
3. First move: pricking out
- When seedlings have their first set of “true” tomato leaves (after the first smooth seed leaves), move each one into its own small pot.
- Plant them a little deeper than they were in the tray; tomatoes will make roots along the buried stem, giving stronger plants.
4. When to start feeding
- Do not feed at the tiny seedling stage – the compost has enough for now.
- Start feeding once plants are well established in their larger pots and you can see steady growth (usually when they are 15–20cm tall and have a good root system).
- Use a balanced liquid feed at first, then switch to a high-potash tomato feed once the first trusses of flowers have set into tiny fruits.
- From then on, feed regularly (often once a week) while the plants are flowering and fruiting.
5. Hardening off and planting out
- Before planting into the greenhouse border, grow bags, or outside, harden the plants off over a week or so: outside during the day, back in at night.
- Plant deeply again, firm in well, water thoroughly, then keep up a steady rhythm of watering and weekly tomato feed once fruits are forming.
