Start Tomato Seeds
Garden Clippings for March 20, 2021
If starting tomato seeds indoors is your game, you will want to put things in gear at the end of March. Pepper seeds should be started a week or two later. Ditto for Cabbage, Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts. All other vegetable seeds should be started in April or should be sown directly in the garden.
Tomato seeds should be stated 6 to 8 weeks before they are to be planted outdoors. They will usually sprout about a week after sowing seeds. Three to 4 weeks after sowing they will be ready for transplanting into larger pots.
Start by putting about 2 inches of sterilized growing medium in a seeding tray. A pie plate will do the trick, as will a plastic clam shell produce container. Provide drainage holes. Dampen the soil.
Cut a tiny furrow in the soil, about ¼ inch deep, and place seeds in the furrow about an inch apart. Cover the furrow with soil and cover the tray with a damp towel or newspaper. If possible, place the seeding tray in a warm spot. Label the rows of seed to keep the varieties separate.
Within a week you should begin to see seeds sprouting. Toss away the cover and give the tray as much light as possible. A sunny south or west window would be ideal. If necessary, supplement natural light with artificial light.
Continue to give water as necessary making sure the soil does not become waterlogged. Tiny seedlings do not drink much water.
In three to four weeks your seedlings should have 2 to 4 true leaves and about an inch high. They are now ready for transplanting into larger containers. Use a kitchen fork to carefully lift the seedlings. Your new pots should be 3 to 4 inches in diameter and should be equipped with drainage holes. Again, use a sterilized soilless growing medium.
Continue to give seedlings plenty light. If the weather warrants, I recommend bringing the plants outdoors through the daytime. The wind and sunshine will strengthen the seedlings and will reduce the chance of disease.
By the middle of May, your seedlings will be 3 or 4 inches tall and you will be tempted to plant them outdoors in the garden. I recommend resisting the temptation for another two weeks until the soil warms up.
If, by the end of May, your seedlings are tall and lanky, plant them deep into the soil. New roots will form along the buried stems.
Cauliflower and other members of the cabbage family can also be started indoors at the end of March or early April. They can be planted into the garden in May because they do not mind cool soil and can withstand a light frost.
Happy growing! Your seed starting adventure will save you a few dollars and will give you more selection than buying transplants in spring.
