Sow What?

Welcome to part 3 of our series all about growing your own tomatoes from seed. If you missed the earlier posts you can catch up here.
The last couple of posts concentrated on the history of tomatoes with interesting information about tomatoes and why we like to grow them. This time, I will be helping you to sow your own tomato seeds to produce the perfect crop of juicy fresh tomatoes later in the year.
As there are so many tomato varieties available, it is worth first deciding upon the types of tomato you would like to grow and eat in the space that you have available.
Determinate or bush varieties can be left to grow naturally and remain short as they produce a limited amount of side stems and know when to stop producing foliage and concentrate on fruit. They are ideal in small spaces without support, in containers on the patio, or just for gardeners with little time for maintenance, as they have no need for pruning.
Indeterminate or cordon varieties tend to grow tall, as much as 3 metres, and they will naturally continue to produce stems and foliage. If not supported and pruned, the plants will become unsteady with little fruit. As the plant grows, side shoots need to be pinched out so that the plant grows on one main stem and to encourage fruit. They produce an abundance of fruit if cared for properly.

Sowing Tomato Seeds

Tomato seed can be sown indoors in the UK from the end of January. If you sow too early in a cold environment, young plants can become “leggy” in their quest for light and warmth. If sown late, the fruit will not have time to ripen and you will need to search out those chutney recipes that include green tomatoes.
Otherwise, seed is usually sown between late February and May, approximately 6 weeks before the last frost, particularly when for outdoor growth. Whilst most varieties fare better under cover, some can be grown outdoors during a warm summer in a sheltered spot.
Seed is easy to sow and germinate in a warm location. Sow one seed per small pot (approx 4”) or compartmental seed tray. I prefer  to use trays that are separated into individual compartments, or modules, so as not to disturb seedlings when transplanting. I prefer not to use large pots so that I have more space to sow different varieties. Also, the seed should not be allowed to dry nor become too moist and can be transplanted easily.
Use general compost at this stage. Tomato seeds are relatively small, so you can fill each pot, press seed down into compost and cover with a layer of compost. As a rule of thumb, I tend to sow seed about 2 – 3 times the size of seed (incidentally, also the same rule for planting bulbs). Water and leave in a temperate location. Some gardeners like to sow 2 seeds per pot and remove the weakest, but, as I don’t like to waste plants, I usually sow one seed per pot.

Next time, we will talk about transplanting tomato seedlings and growing on your tomato plants so why not subscribe to our blog and be first to know when it’s published?. In the meantime there’s another interesting tomato article here.