Starting Tomatoes from Seed

Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before last frost. Moisten a sterile seed starting mix and plant 1 to 2 seeds per cell, 1/4 inch deep. Water from bottom, by placing pots in a tray of water then removing them when the soil is damp. Cover pots with plastic to keep in warmth and humidity until seeds sprout. Tomato seeds germinate in 7 to 14 days. Place pots in a bright, south-facing window or provide supplemental lighting. Turn plants daily so they grow evenly. You will know seedlings are not getting enough light if they are pale or the stems are long and thin. The first pair of leaves that grow are called seed leaves, or cotyledons. The first set of true leaves will have the distinctive irregular tomato leaf shape.

When the seedlings are 4 to 6 inches tall, transplant to 4-inch pots or plant out in the garden if the ground has warmed. While most plants should be put in the ground at the same level they were at in the pot they grew in, tomato stems have the ability to put out roots, so planting a seedling with a long stem deeper in the ground, right up to the seed leaves, can result in a sturdier plant.

The following organizations are good sources for open-pollinated, organic, heirloom or international tomato seeds.

Bountiful Gardens
Seed Saver's Exchange
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co.
Johnny's Selected Seeds