Planting Tomato Seeds

Tomato seeds can be planted directly into the ground or sown indoors. Many people find that sowing indoors is the easiest and promising method, depending on preference and climate.

Sprouting Tomato Seeds Outdoors

Tomatoes rely on warm weather conditions and grow best when the soil is above 60 degrees F. After the soil is prepare, dig holes that are about 1 inch deep and place 2 seeds in each hole and cover with the soil again. Water the soil enough that it becomes very moist and when the plant begins to grow up to about 7 inches in height, you may want to tie the stem to a support stake with twine.

Sprouting Tomato Seeds Indoors

Sowing seeds indoors tends to have a higher growth rate which is why many gardeners use this method. Fill containers that are about 3 inches deep below the rim with a seed starting mix, moisten the mix and let it drain. Plant one or two seeds per pot and cover the seeds with compost or potting mix and moisten lightly. You should place the container in a warm and dry location where the plants will not experience any drafts.

In about 7-10 days, the seedlings will begin to grow whether they are planted outdoors or indoors. For indoor plants, the containers should move to a place that gets a lot of light, but not direct sunlight. A windowsill is a very good location if the sunlight is blocked to prevent burning leaves. The roots of the indoor plants will begin to grow out of the bottom of the container within 4 weeks after planting. At this point, you should transfer the plants to larger individual pots that are 5 inches deep.