There’s nothing quite like the flavor of homegrown heirloom tomatoes. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to successfully cultivate delicious tomatoes, from tiny seed to abundant fruit.
The Tomato Life Cycle: Seed to Savor
Seed Starting
Tomatoes have a relatively long growing season, so you should start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost. Choose good quality, heirloom seeds. You’ll also need sterile seed-starting mix, trays or small pots, grow lights, and a source of warmth like a seedling heating mat is also helpful.
Plant the seeds at the depth recommended on your seed packet and keep them consistently moist until they germinate. Most tomatoes germinate in 5 to 10 days. Once they have sprouted make sure they have plenty of light to prevent them from becoming “leggy” with weak stems. Grow lights should be placed about 2-3 inches above the seedlings and moved up with the plants as they grow.
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Potting Up
As tomatoes grow they will need more space to develop strong root systems. When the seedlings are outgrowing their starting tray, gently transplant tomato seedlings into larger pots (3-4 inches). Bury them deeper than they were in their starting trays because tomatoes can develop roots anywhere along the stem.
Hardening Off
The transition from the consistently warm indoor environment to outside can be hard on little tomato seedlings so it is important that you put them through a process called “hardening off”. About 1 to 2 weeks before you move your plants outside for good, start acclimating your tomato plants to the outdoor environment (sun, wind, cooler temperatures) for a few hours each day. Start with about 3 hours and increase by an hour each day until you can leave them out overnight. Pay attention to the weather and avoid putting them out if there’s a chance of snow or frost. This process will toughen up your little seedlings and prevent shock when they are permanently moved outside.
Outdoor Planting
In late spring once all danger of frost is past, you can transplant tomatoes outside. Be sure to choose a sunny spot that will provide your plants with 6 to 8 hours of full sunlight each day. Plant tomatoes in well-drained, fertile soil with a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Again, plant the tomatoes deeper than they were in their last pot, this will further strengthen their root system.
Tomato plants require support to prevent them from collapsing under the weight of their fruit. You can use tomato cages, stakes, trellises or tie them to an overhead support. This is essential for tomato plant care.
Ongoing Care for Thriving Plants
Tomato plants require several things to thrive: water, fertilizer, pruning, and pest management.
Consistent tomato watering is key. They prefer deep, infrequent watering (1-2 inches of water per week, more in hot weather) rather than frequent, shallow watering. Water plants at the base rather than from above to prevent fungal diseases. Drip irrigation is great for this.
Fertilize every 2 to 4 weeks with a balanced tomato fertilizer. Once fruiting begins, use a fertilizer that is slightly higher in phosphorous and potassium. Compost tea or organic options are great for organic tomato growing.
To help tomato plants put their energy into fruit production, pruning tomatoes by removing suckers (the small shoots that grow in the crotch between a main stem and leaf branch) is important. This also helps create more airflow in and around the plant to help ward off diseases.
Visit your plants daily to inspect them for common tomato pests and diseases like tomato hornworms, aphids, and tomato blight. Address the issues promptly with organic solutions where possible. As mentioned previously, good air flow and proper watering help prevent many problems.
Harvesting
Harvesting tomatoes usually begins about 65 to 85 days after transplanting, depending on the variety. You will know when tomatoes are ripe when they have reached their full color and are firm but slightly soft to the touch. Gently twist or cut the fruit from the vine.
If you end up with an excess bounty of tomatoes, there are multiple ways to prepare them for long-term storage. You can sun dry them, freeze them, or can them.
Enjoy Your Bountiful Harvest
Growing tomatoes is a rewarding experience. By following these steps from seed to harvest, you’ll be enjoying the unparalleled taste of your own homegrown tomatoes all season long. Happy gardening!