Early-Starting My Tomatoes From Seeds

By March 29th, my tomatoes are getting tall under their grow light!

 

    Each year, early in spring, I start tomatoes from seeds, under a grow light suspended from hooks on a shelf in my office.

    This year, I'm planning a pot of Tumbling Tom tomatoes - a miniature plant bearing small, cherry-sized tomatoes. Also, I'm growing my Kitchen Garden yellow tomatoes - a sunshine yellow cocktail tomato, some Campari - red, cocktail size, and Rutgers - medium-sized fruits, red, and good for eating and canning.

    First, I make newspaper growing pots by cutting strips of newspaper (the soy-based inks are harmless), rolling them around a small bottle, taping sides, and bottom, then adding moist seed-starting mix, and three seeds to each pot.

 

My frugal option is to make my own seed-starting pots from strips of newspaper wrapped round a vitamin bottle about three times, and taped. In felt pen I write on each cup the name of the variety I'm planting.

 

Three seeds are evenly spaced, and pressed in with a toothpick just beneath the soil. I use a spray bottle to gently mist the soil surface and set my pots into a plastic tray to catch water.

 

A mini-greenhouse effect is created by covering the tray with plastic - in this case an elasticized bowl cover. Or, one can insert the tray into a clear plastic bag and twist tie the end closed.

 

About five to seven days later, shoots of green emerge. At this point I remove the plastic cover.

 

On sunny days I place my tomato babies out on the balcony to get them used to sun and prevent the legginess that can occur when growing under lights.

 

My tomatoes (April 20th) have outgrown their newspaper pots and have been transplanted into empty butter tubs. Holes poked into the bottom of the tubs allow for drainage.

    One of my favorite tastes of summer is the flavor, and aroma, of home grown, vine-ripened tomatoes. Store bought tomatoes are pretty, but have little flavor. So each year I make room on my balcony to grow a few pots of tomatoes, green beans, and a few other selections that appeal from year to year.

    It's not too late to start some tomatoes of your own if you live in an area with a long growing season. If you live in northern climes where the season is short, nurseries and hardware stores have selections of well-started tomatoes you can grow so you, too, can enjoy the summer savor of home grown tomatoes.