That doesn't mean you have to have to spend a lot of money. But do invest in a minimum of good soil free seed starting mix ($4-10), clean containers, some kind of labels and start your plants at an appropriate time. Most people make the mistake of starting their tomato seeds too early or too late. Most times you are better off to start your plants no earlier than six weeks before your last frost date, unless you have invested in special equipment such as grow lights. Store your seeds properly in the refrigerator, not the freezer until the right planting time. This helps keep seeds fresh and increases the germination rate of your seeds to store them properly. The germination rate decreases with seeds that are stored at room temperature according to how long they have been stored at room temperature.

You can get reasonably priced germination flats and domed covers at stores, or you can make do with a clean container such as a recycled milk jug, orange juice carton, tin can, or fast food take out containers for seed starting. Punch several holes in the bottom for drainage. You can put recycled containers in a clear bag to retain moisture, or cover them with plastic wrap until you see the seeds are sprouting. One good idea is to rinse all containers well with a 1:10 solution of bleach and water to kill any fungus that may cause damping off. Using only a seed starting mix instead of potting soil or garden soil will also aid in getting your seedlings off to a good start. Do not add any fertilizer or chemicals to "help your plants grow", they have everything they need to get off to a good start right inside that seed. All they need you to do is provide them with soil and water and a warm place to start!

Fill the containers to the top with seed starting mix and then apply warm tap water until the water is draining from the bottom holes. Let drain 5-10 minutes, then plant your seeds on the surface. You can cover them with a thin layer of the same seed starting soil over the top, but not more than 1/4" deep. Mist the top layer with a small amount of water just until dampened, then cover container and put in a warm place. Some suggestions are on top of the refrigerator, on a cookie cooling rack on top of a central heat vent, or on a heat mat. You want the temperature to be at least in the 70's. 80's are even better for tomatoes! Here's the cool part, if you have the right kind of furnace, a gas forced air one with heat vents in the floor, then you can put them on your FREE heat mat!
My FREE heat mat is my forced air central furnace with floor ducts. You take a empty web flat, the ones that look like mesh on the bottom, and have openings on the sides, turn it over and sit it on top of the heat vent. Then you sit your germination dome covered flat on top of it. The heat will heat your flat and also your room because it can go through the mesh flat. If you don't have one of those mesh flats, a cookie cooling rack will work, even a cookie sheet elevated on a couple of bricks will work. Just so that the heat can still get out into the room and also will heat up your container of seeds at the same time. Check your seeds every day or so because they will come up much quicker than you'd think with this method. I often get tomato seeds sprouting and needing to go out into bright light in three days.

I know this sounds obvious, but also don't forget to label each container in a way that makes sense to you. I don't know how many times people think "I can remember which ones are which, but if the container gets moved, the kids switch them around, etc. then you are left until summer wondering "which one should be picked when green?"

Check for signs of sprouting every morning or evening. Just as soon as you see those seeds are sprouting, get them uncovered and in as bright of a light as you have available. If that is in a windowsill, rotate plants every couple of days so that they will be strong and healthy. Tomato plants appreciate temperatures not below 50 and bright light when growing in the seedling stages.

When they get a couple of "real" leaves, carefully transplant them to individual containers so they are not crowded. If the plants are too crowded, they will get very tall and skinny, and as a result your plants will not be very good to plant outdoors later. Use the leaves to move your plants when transplanting, not the stems. If you accidentally tear off a leaf, the plant can grow another one. If you accidentally break or compress the stem of a fragile small newly sprouted plant, it will most likely die. Hold your plant by the leaves and carefully dislodge it from its container by putting a toothpick, pencil or similar instrument underneath it and gently pulling upward. Make a hole in a suitable growing container of potting mix that is prepared as for seed starting by wetting and draining and plant your tomato plant in it. Pro Mix, Sunshine, Fafard or another good soil less potting soil recommended by a local garden center should be used. Don't put them in regular garden soil until they go out actually outdoors into the garden! It's ok to put it a little deeper than it was in the original container, especially if your plants are getting tall.

If your plants are started too early and getting too tall and big for their containers, simply bump them up into a larger container and plant them deep in the container, removing the bottom leaves, with the root ball against the bottom of the pot and then fill the pot with good potting soil so that just the top few leaves are sticking out of the soil. Tomatoes will root along the stem and grow even more leaves planted that way.

To transplant your tomatoes outdoors to a garden, first harden them off by putting them in a shaded non-windy spot outdoors for a few days to get them used to outdoor conditions. Then follow the instructions given in my other e-bay guide:

"Get your tomato plants off to a healthy start"

If this guide was helpful to you, please take a moment and leave a rating for me. Feel free to copy it for your personal use, and thanks for your time. I can be reached for questions through my website, www.northerntropics.com.

Sandy Burrell

Northern Tropics Greenhouse, Muncie, IN