Some of your favorites may be heirlooms with the added benefit that you can save the “open-pollinated” seeds for planting next year.Should I get heirloom or hybrid tomatoes? I have an indoor seed sowing plan here and complete instructions starting plants from seed indoors here. Starting your own seeds also offers way more seed choices than garden nurseries can provide. If you want to start your tomatoes from seed, assuming you’re in a cold climate like I am with a frost-free growing season from around May to September, you will need to start your seeds indoors weeks before last frost in spring. If needed, make the transition gradual using this “hardening off” process.

Pay attention to the home the plant is coming from and what your planting location has to offer. If changes are too abrupt, the plant can struggle and delay growing time. Have a good look at the plant before you purchase it, and, if you have any doubts, don’t buy it.Īnother common problem is when plants have been pampered in perfect greenhouse conditions that we can’t replicate at home. Other times the plant looks okay but there are actually insects under the leaves or in the soil. Sometimes it is obvious that a plant is in distress: the leaves will be yellowing or curling-not just one, but several- or the plant appears wilted and sickly. But I have also visited plant nurseries with diseased plants where staff pretended nothing was wrong.

I’ve shopped at nurseries with knowledgeable, honest staff who notice infected plants and remove them. If you are a new gardener, it’s not always easy to assess the health of a plant at a garden nursery. You can buy starter plants or start your tomatoes from seed. I’ve kept it simple, so you can check the list, know what to expect, and start growing. There’s a few basics to know to ensure you will have a delicious harvest of fresh tomatoes and avoid some common problems that can happen along the way. I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. If you’re a beginner gardener ready to grow your first tomato plants, you’ve come to the right place. Shop Online: Buy tomato seeds at Botanical Interests (US Shipping)

DIY tomato cages | Seed Saving | Ripen after picking.

Self-fertile with help from wind and insects.

Full sun – at least 6 hours total direct sun per day.

Vines (indeterminates) or bushes (determinates).

Download pruning tomatoes for free