This morning I woke up at 4 am to plant my tomato seeds. Yes, I am a total weirdo. But that’s okay, because I’ve been planting tomato seeds on February 1st ever since I can remember. Just not a 4 am. I just couldn’t sleep last night thinking about them.
There has been only 1 year I didn’t get my tomatoes seeds planted early, and that was last year. I waited until March 1st, and totally regretted it. Partly because by the time I was ready to transplant the tomato plants to the garden they were not as large as I had wanted them, and also because The Girl and I went on a last minute vacation and the Handsome Husband killed off quite a few of my plants. It was too late in the season to re-plant, and I was stuck buying other peoples tomato plants at Farmers Markets and various sales around town. I was not happy.
Late Spring can be unpredictable here in the Pacific Northwest, but I typically like to start hardening off my tomato plants around the second week in April. Luckily, this year I have a greenhouse so I can move them out of the house and behind glass walls before the tomato plants take over the inside of our home.
If you don’t have the space, or the option of moving tomato plants outside to a protected area, you may want to wait a few weeks before you plant your tomato seeds.
Go HERE for the list of tomato seeds I’m growing this year
Brief description: Vegetable or fruit? While tomato is technically a fruit, many still consider it a veggie in the culinary world.
Where to Plant Tomato: Tomatoes {depending on the variety} can be planted in raised beds, garden beds, hanging baskets, and containers. I will pretty much plant them anywhere that has good soil. Because really, is it possible to have too many tomato plants? I think not.
Planting Seeds: Plant seeds about 1/8″ deep. You can plant 2 -3 seeds in each pot and thin out to one when they are about 2″ tall. Tomatoes need quite a bit of light to start, so make sure to place starts in a sunny location or use a grow light. After 8 weeks, tomatoes should be ready to transplant outside {if the weather has warmed up a bit}. Make sure to ‘harden off’ your plants, by introducing them to the outdoors gradually. Leave them out during the day and bring them in at night for the first week or so. Space about 24″ apart when transplanting.
Growing Tips: Trim leaves up at the base of the plant and be careful not to let dirt splash up onto your tomato plants when you water–this will prevent a lot a fungus problems. Also, water regularly and deeply.
How to Harvest: Harvest tomatoes when they are firm and bright orange to red {they may still have a little yellow around the stem}. Pluck fruit off the vine with your fingers.
My Favorite Tomato recipes:
Heirloom Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salad
Storage Tip: Never store tomatoes in the fridge. They lose their nutritional value and their flavor. Try to store right around 55 degrees.
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Carrissa says
I already have two varieties of tomatoes started – but they didn’t want to budge until I added a heat mat. A good friend of mine told me tomatoes like to start nice and warm, and it looks like he’s right, My Black Krim’s showed sprouting this morning, and can’t wait to get more varieties in!
Maggie says
What is a heat mat? Where do you get them ?
Rachele says
Mavis,
My husband bought me two sets of the grow lights that you recommend for Valentines Day (yay!) so I will be ready to start my seedlings after the holiday.
My question is: How many hours do you leave your lights on each day?
Last year I started my seeds in a sunny room and it worked – kinda, so am excited to start using the lights.
Am starting onions and tomatoes first.
Thank you,
Rachele
Mavis says
I turned them on when I get up, and turn them of when we go to bed. 🙂
Rachele says
Sounds reasonable, and easy 🙂
Lisa N says
When is your last frost date? I wasn’t going to start my seeds until the recommended 6-8 weeks before. My frost date is May 15, so I wouldn’t be starting until later-March at the earliest.
I don’t have a greenhouse to move them to, so I guess I should wait. I notice you have nice sunny windows, and I don’t have those either! Mine will depend on lamps. I haven”t even built those yet!
Kate Gwinn says
Holy crackers. I just squealed in my cubicle! Is there anything more exciting than starting seeds?!? Can’t wait to do some seed starting this weekend!!!
Kristen says
I love BI’s seeds. Last year, in addition to too many tomato varities, I planted some of their currant “tomatoes.” Have you tried them?? My kids couldn’t stop eating them like candy!
jess says
Hi Kristen –
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the currants! I ordered some from BI about a week ago – I’m excited about all the seeds I got, but looking forward to trying the currants the most! 🙂
michelle says
Me too! Me too! I’m SO on this! Tonight my seeds will be planted! 😀
Stupidly excited. The hubby is building a support for my light so I can start them inside this year. I had no luck last year. Even with bottom heat, it was just too cold in the greenhouse this time of year to start ‘maters.
bonnie fuentevilla says
I start mine inside on the dining table that is next to a sliding glass window. Lots of warmth and light. Barely left any room to sit and eat. My husband has learned to appreciate it because, who doesn’t want a Gazzillion tomatoes ?
Mari says
A wee tip for others like me who don’t have or can’t afford grow lights.
The trick is to keep the soil warm for germination. Sooo – I plant my seeds and keep them on top of my refrigerator to germinate. I put a plastic sheet then newspaper on top of the fridge and sit the seed trays in on this. I use a misting spray to water them twice daily as they can dry out quickly. Once they have sprouted, rotate them each day as they will reach for the light. When about an inch high I move them from the top of the fridge and put them on a window sill until they are ready to transplant. Again turn each day.
Once transplanted they go out into the green house or cold frame. If using a cold frame I recommend u buy one or two of those folding car window shade thingees and put it on the bottom then put your plants on them. This prevents the cold from coming up under the plants and also reflects heat around the frame. Remember to open the cold frame on hot days and keep the plants damp but not wet. I also put one of the shade thingees over the top at night if u are prone to frosts.
Cecily says
Grow lights are pretty expensive. I got around that by using flourescent shop lights that I got from my great grandfather. They use very little energy and work great. Check out estate sales and craigslist. I’ve seen them for as little as $10.
Cecily says
I start my tomatoes (and peppers) on heat mats and under flourescent shop lights in my greenhouse. I have a small heater in the greenhouse that is set to turn on when the temp. dips below 40 degrees. I leave the lights on overnight so that the plants get 24 hours of light. I live in the Puyallup/Tacoma area of WA, and since moving here, have started peppers on Groundhog day (tommorow!!) and tomatoes on Valentine’s day. Makes it easy to remember (like I could actually forget!). This has worked great for my area where our last frost is usually around the middle of April. I know that’s about 12 weeks before planting out, but with summer hi temps. typically in the 70’s, I want to make sure they produce.
LisaB says
Thank you!! Tomato Plant Killer Extraordinaire here, I will hopefully try to grow my tomatoes from seed for the first time this year. The plants don’t like me so we will see how brainwashing them from the beginning works 🙂
Trish says
Beloved middle son gave me a grow light for Christmas. Being a law enforcement officer, he admonished me to use it for legal purposes. I did, of course, advise him he had nothing to be concerned about because Mama has a ton of veggie seeds and no time or inclination to pursue illegal activities. So I started my tomatoes Jan. 2 and another batch a week later, and about dozen or so other veggies. I have already had to transplant some of those happy campers along with a bunch of lettuces. Oh, joy, joy!!! Dear huband built me a small greenhouse last year that will be put to use soon.
Maxine says
If you put a piece of 3/4 to 1 inch thick styrafoam on top of your upright freezer or refriderator than put your grow trays on top it will spread out the temperature evenly. Stays nice and warm
Michele says
Mavis! I’m nuts with my tomatoes and super sad as I am watching them yellow up, branch by branch. 2 of my 7 plants have developed blossom end rot too. They seem to have grown fast and don’t have many branches-they seem pretty sparse to me but tall. I have mostly Roma tomatoes and one Heintz tomato (other quickly died). I don’t know what’s wrong. I burried them with extra stem below the surface at an angle to get a good root system going. I’ve made sure to water deep and not dry out (I’m in the heart of Texas here). I planted each with a egg at the bottom of the hole plus egg shells in the hole and around the top. I used home made compost rich in bananas and egg shells plus much much more. I thought my soil was perfect….but my tomatoes aren’t doing well. My Bell Peppers and hot peppers are doing splendid, celery still good, onions and garlic great. Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage at the far end of the bed are about done and ready to yank up…I don’t get it. What am I doing wrong?? I can’t seem to search down an answer online. I’ll send pics if that would help. I’m just sick.
Mavis says
Michele,
I’m wondering if there is still a calcium deficiency issue. Try stop-rot foliar spray and pay attention to how you are watering. Try watering a little more evenly. If a plant experiences huge fluctuations in the amount of water it receives, it may not be able to take up calcium when it needs to. Try that and let me know how it goes!
Michele says
I will definitely try this weekend. How long does it take to see a change. I know it won’t be instant, but wondering how long I wait before trying another approach. Do the tomato plants recover from calcium defeciency easily to produce a good crop? Or am I pretty much tanked for this season?
Mavis says
I’d apply it 2-3x a week for a few weeks and wait a few weeks to see results. You could still have new fruit that blossoms without the rot, so there is still hope for the plants. The spray is not a permanent solution though, so you might want to test your soil just to see. Too much nitrogen during early fruiting, especially with nitrogen made from ammonia, ties up calcium in the soil chemistry. Adding bonemeal might also help in your situation.