Home Grown happiness: Growing tomatoes from seed in the UK.

Tomatoes are one of the stars of the homegrown vegetables. They are easy to grow and there is no comparison between supermarket brought tomatoes and the fruit you pick from your own vines. Once you have tasted home grown tomatoes you will not want to go back. 

Why Grow your own ?

Satisfaction and pride: Watching your own food grow from seed is enormously satisfying, and when you pick your first sweet tomato the sense of pride is second to none.

Connect with nature: Gardening is proven to be both relaxing and therapeutic. Some of the reason for that is we connect with nature. Pottering around the garden, watching wildlife go about its day really does help relax me and many others.

Knowing where your food is from: You will know exactly where your tomatoes are grown, no hidden processes or chemicals. This is both important and very reassuring.

When to sow tomato seeds

Timing is very important! Tomatoes are a warm season crop, so starting early gives them a head start. Here at Newlands Nursery, we start sowing in December, but we are lucky to have perfect conditions such as a propagation greenhouse, heating and grow light. If you have these facilities starting in December will give you a head start. if not sowing them early next year is also perfect. If you are growing them outdoors sow a bit later, March/April. 

What do I need to start sowing Tomato Seeds

Cell Trays or pots : We prefer a fairly large cell tray, each individual cell is 5cm in diameter. This is quite large but will mean that we only have to pot the plants up once into their larger pot. If you do not have cell trays, you can use a pot, any size from 5-9cm is perfect. 

Seeds :  Select your tomato varieties, whether you are sticking to one, or growing a few different tomatoes. There are a lot to choose from, all producing sweet, juicy, flavourful fruits. 

Compost : You will need a good quality multi-purpose compost. On the nursery we are very lucky to have commercial grade compost which is made to our spec. When choosing your compost a good quality multipurpose works well or a seed and cutting mix.

Plant Labels : If you are only growing one variety, you may not need labels, but if you are growing a multitude of seeds, it's always advisable to label what you are growing, so you can tell all your plants apart. 

Where to put your Tomato Seeds to germinate 

Tomato seeds need warmth of minimum 20 degrees. Light isn't essential for germination, but it is crucial, once the seeds emerge. Warmth matters as it activates enzymes in the seeds that trigger the germination process.

Heated Propagator or Greenhouse is ideal if you have one,  as it provides a controlled environment with consistent warmth and humidity, ideal for germination in the UK. 

A warm windowsill, but not in direct sunlight, as this may be too intense for the seeds and scorch them. Be mindful of drafts and cold nights.  Consider adding a heat mat to maintain consistent warmth.

   

Taste the difference - Your guide to growing tomato seeds.

Prepare you pots or cell tray: Fill with the fine well mixed compost, do not be tempted to compress the compost, you want to place the compost in trays, almost all the way to the top. I like to keep the compost just shy of the top. This makes watering a lot easier. The cell tray itself is great for root development. 

Sowing the seeds: When sowing tomato seeds (and many others), I find it best to empty the seed packet onto a plate, this makes them a lot easier to pick up. With your seed on the plate, pick up one seed and place it in the centre of each cell or pot. Don’t be tempted to push the seeds into the compost, just gently placing them on the surface is ideal. Repeat this process if you are sowing more than one seed.

Covering your tomato seed

Now with the seed on the compost, lightly cover each seed with a very thin layer of compost. You may have seen others pushing the seed under the compost. I prefer not to do this, as they can go a bit deep. A light covering of compost, or if you prefer vermiculite or perlite is perfect.

A gentle approach to watering: Water the compost gently. It is always best, when watering seeds, to do a light watering at first. Then wait until the water has sunk into the compost and repeat bit by bit, until the compost is nicely moist throughout. When the compost is wet enough, you will start to see water coming out of the base of the cell tray, if you have a lid then cover it now, or cover with clingfilm, this helps to create a humid environment.

Place the sown seeds in the right condition: Tomato Seeds Germinate their quickest around 20 degrees, which is an average temperature indoors, for this time of year. A warm windowsill, or a warm room with a consistent heat is ideal.  If you have a heated greenhouse or propagator, that will be even better for them.

When can I expect to see my Tomatoes ?

This very much depends on the varieties you picked. The earliest you will see a tomato seedling break through the compost, is ten days. However, some varieties can take up to four weeks. So if your tomato seeds do not start to germinate in a few days, don’t lose hope, they are just taking their time.

If you do have any questions on growing tomatoes, or any of our other videos/blogs please do get in contact.