If you want tasty tomatoes in your garden and greenhouse, you prefer to grow your own plants. To ensure that the cultivation is really successful, the next 7 insider tips come to the rescue. We explain what you should pay attention to in order to maintain healthy plants. Prefer tomatoes, made easy!
Prefer tomatoes: 7 tips for successful cultivation
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Admittedly, growing plants from seeds has many advantages. You can select the healthiest specimens, extend the ripening time and increase yields. You also save money on pre-grown tomatoes. However, cultivation is not an easy task. You often fail, even though you have invested in special lighting, pre-growing pots and growing soil. Here are 7 tips to help you successfully manage the process.
Several factors play a role in ensuring that the plants germinate well and form healthy stems. These include, among other things: the right time, the right room temperature, sufficient light, suitable growing soil.
Tip No. 1: Sow tomatoes at the right time
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The right time is crucial for the end result. There are several variants:
1. Early ripening varieties can be preferred as early as January: Sowing in January is an option for compact varieties that will then be planted in the greenhouse or grown as container plants in the sunny winter garden. A sunny, south-facing windowsill may also offer good conditions for a rich harvest. Seeds collected from the first fruits of the previous year are suitable for this purpose. Varieties that are well suited include:
“Micro Tom” – a very compact and high-yielding dwarf tomato “Red Alert” – red, small-growing cherry tomato variety “Ida Gold” – yellow-orange cocktail variety, perfect for container cultivation
2. End of February to mid-March: for tomatoes, which are then planted as young plants on the balcony or in the garden. This usually happens about two weeks after the Ice Saints. The correct planting time is therefore early to mid-March. If the tomatoes are sown too early, you will end up with wilted plants with long, brittle shoots. They often fall victim to pests or diseases. If you plant them later than planned, the flowering period can be extended and the fruits need significantly more time to ripen.
Tip No. 2: Use a large seed tray
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Tomatoes are fast and lush growing plants that take up a lot of space in the growing tray. Cultivation trays with compartments that are at least 5 cm wide, 5 cm long and 7 cm deep are ideal. This eliminates the need for annoying repotting and the young plants are not additionally stressed and weakened. If they reach a height of at least 15 cm and have already formed several pairs of leaves, then they can be planted in the vegetable bed with a minimum distance of 50 cm. Compact container varieties need pots or planters that are at least 35 cm wide and 50 cm deep. This allows the tomato plant to root really well and grow healthily.
Tip No. 3: Keep the temperature in the room constant
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Tomatoes germinate best at a constant room temperature. 20° C to 26° C prove to be optimal; it promotes growth and shortens the germination time. The plant does not tolerate cold drafts well, for example due to frequent opening of doors and windows. However, it also tolerates hot air poorly, for example from air conditioning systems. The best conditions are a sunny and heated winter garden or a heated greenhouse. Basically, it’s best to choose a location before sowing and then not change it during the germination phase.
Tip #4: LED light instead of sunlight
A common mistake that hobby gardeners make is to place the plants in a sunny spot in the house. Unfortunately, there is insufficient sunlight in the winter months because the young plants need 14 to 16 hours of direct light every day. Instead, hang LED grow lights directly above the tomatoes. The optimal distance between the lighting fixture and freshly germinated plants is 4 cm. The bigger they get, the greater the distance can be.
Tip No. 5: This potting soil causes the seeds to germinate
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The right potting soil is crucial for the final result. It should be airy, permeable to water, loose and rich in nutrients. Conventional garden soil is out of the question – especially because germs can spread and pests can hatch at higher temperatures. Young tomato plants are not disease resistant and can be attacked quickly. It is therefore best to mix the growing soil yourself from 1 part potting soil, 1 part fine-crumb, mature compost, 1 part fine, dust-reduced perlite and 1/5 part ground eggshells. Fertilize the soil regularly with nettle manure or horn shavings to promote growth and leaf formation.
Tip 6: Keep the young plants moist
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Tomatoes grown at room temperature need more moisture than outdoor plants. This is because the soil dries out more quickly and the humidity inside the house is significantly lower than outside. It is advisable to carry out a daily finger test during the germination phase. Young plants generally need to be watered every 2-3 days, preferably in the morning. Regular watering is very important. To avoid disease and mold, always water the tomatoes from below. The leaves should remain dry.
Tip 7: Pull the tomatoes forward and then tie them up
Tomatoes grown at home are weaker than outdoor plants and often need a climbing aid. Tie the stems so that they do not break under the weight of the fruit. It is best to do this immediately after transplanting into the garden.