Starting Tomato Seeds Indoors

For many home gardeners, growing tomatoes is a "must." That's because home-grown tomatoes taste much better than those from the grocery store. While many people choose to buy plants from the garden center, starting tomatoes from seed is a fun project that requires little more than seeds, pots, and a sunny window. And starting your own seeds means that you can grow varieties unavailable at the local garden center.

Seeds are available from a variety of places. The local hardware store or home center usually has a good supply of the most popular or common varieties. Internet seed companies offer a wider selection, the chance to save a trip to the store, and easy access to unusual varieties or organic seed. Good web sites to start with are Park Seed (www.parkseed.com), Seeds of Change (www.seedsofchange.com), or Burpee (www.burpee.com).

Often, cherry tomatoes and plum tomatoes give higher yields than big round ones like "Celebrity." And the small cherry or grape tomatoes have a kid-friendly high-sugar content and sweet taste. Heirloom varieties are popular for their flavor, but these plants sometimes give lower yields than modern varieties. For low maintenance and high yields, look for varieties described as productive, disease-resistant, or vigorous.

While mail-order nurseries sell expensive seed-starting systems designed to optimize growth, it's relatively easy to start plants in household castoffs. The plastic containers used to sell yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, and other dairy products work well for tomato plants. Punch holes in the bottom for drainage, and you're good to go.

Tomato seeds should be started about 6-8 weeks before the date you want to plant them in your garden. If you're planning to plant them in mid-May, start your seeds in the last 2 weeks of March.

Fill the plastic yogurt cartons with seed-starting mix or a lightweight sterile potting soil. Water well, and place them in an inexpensive tray, such as an aluminum baking pan. Place two or three seeds in each container, and cover them with a thin layer of soil. Loosely place plastic wrap over the entire tray to maintain humidity. Put the entire tray in a warm spot, such as on top of the refrigerator.

Check the seeds about every other day. Seedlings will usually emerge within 2 weeks. As soon as you see the young plants, remove the plastic wrap and place the seedlings in a very sunny window.

Periodically check to ensure that the soil stays moist, but do not let the pots stand in water. Seedlings that are tall and have few leaves need more light. You may transplant them if they outgrow their pot.

About 2 weeks before planting the tomato seedlings in your garden, begin bringing them outdoors and place them in a shady spot. At first, bring the plants inside every night and during hard rains. Gradually increase their exposure, leaving them out longer and giving them more sun. In the days before planting, they should come inside only when there is a danger of frost.