In the spring, the first tomato plants are brought forward on the windowsill. If you make mistakes here, you’re probably making the effort in vain.
Tomatoes are undoubtedly one of the most popular plants in the vegetable garden. Although young plants can also be bought in the garden trade, but if you prefer your tomato plants yourself and later in the Garten plants has a richer choice of tomato varieties. When sowing and cultivating tomato plants, however, beginners in particular make the same mistakes again and again.
Avoid mistakes when growing tomatoes
Mistakes in growing tomatoes can mean, in the worst case, that the seeds do not germinate at all or that the shoots develop only weakly or too late. Typical errors can be the following:
- Sowing too late: Many hobby gardeners wait too long before growing tomatoes, sometimes until early summer. March is the ideal time to start sowing on the windowsill. If you start too late, you have to expect a poorer harvest, since the perennials simply don’t have the time to develop enough fruit.
- Forgot sources: In order for the tomato seeds to germinate quickly, they need a lot of moisture. Many beginners forget to pre-soak the seed. All you have to do is soak the tomato seeds in lukewarm water overnight. Some also swear by cooled chamomile tea, which is said to prevent germs and mold.
- press earth: After you have planted the tomato seeds in the potting soil, they are finally covered with a thin layer of sieved potting soil and pressed down very gently. It shouldn’t be too hard, the soil must remain loose.
- Pour wrong: Another classic beginner’s mistake: Water the seeds with a watering can until the pots are completely soaked. It is enough to spray the soil lightly with water. The soil should then feel like a squeezed out sponge. In this way, the seed is not accidentally washed away. Finally, to prevent mold growth, the soil can be covered with a thin layer of sand.
However, if the tomatoes are already grown in the garden, a successful harvest is by no means guaranteed. A lot can also go wrong when caring for tomato plants.