Things Needed
Before you’re able to plant your tomato seeds , they first must be machinate properly , or they will not develop . If you grow your own non - hybrid tomato , you’re able to begin preparing your seeds for next year ’s harvest while you are feed the fruits of this twelvemonth ’s harvest . pull together the seed from your own tomatoes is a great manner to start a family tradition and save money on seeds from the garden center . If you buy your tomato seeds , you may require to prepare them indoors as seedling to get a head set out on the growing season .
Preparing Seeds
Step 1
Move on to part 2 if you have purchase your seeds and just need to prepare them in soil for transplant alfresco in spring . If you are harvest your own seeds , cut a selection love apple in half across the middle , and take a spoon and scoop out the gel flesh and cum into a bowl .
Step 2
Set the bowl of seeds and colloidal gel on a warm counter for up to five mean solar day , stir the jounce two times per day . As the seed sit the tomato gel like pulp will commence fermenting . During this process , healthy , viable seeds will go down to the bottom of the bowl and vile germ will float to the top . Using a spoonful , scoop the ugly seeds and ferment matter off the top of the bowl and cast it by .
Step 3
Add 1/4 cup of lukewarm water to the roll . Again , seeds that are viable will go to the bottom , and any seeds that are leave that will not germinate will float to the top . Let the seed patch up after summate the water , and then once again scoop off any come that are floating on the top .
Step 4
deck the good seeds and water into a small sieve and gargle well under lukewarm track water system . After rinsing , fix the seeds out , in a undivided layer , to dry out on newspaper towels . When dry , store them in newspaper envelopes and store them in a ironical position until it is time to plant them .
Planting Seeds
showtime seeds indoors , six to eight hebdomad before the last expected frost date for your area . You will require a seed starter soil premix , three - inch peat pots , a plastic seed tray and a orotund vindicated fictile traveling bag .
Fill the peat pots with the source starter soil mixture and then typeset the pots in the shaping seed tray . irrigate them until the soil and the pots are both moist .
set the tomato seed 1/4 inch deeply in the grease , and lightly tap the dirt down over them .
pass over the tray with a sheet of plastic wrap , or insert it into a clear shaping suitcase but do n’t seal the end . specify the tray in a ardent area , such as on top of the icebox or a hot water heater . The seeds should germinate within seven to ten day , at which point you’re able to take away them from the plastic base and place them in a cheery window until it is time to plant them in the ground . Be sure to supervise the moisture content of the soil and peat green goddess while they are turn , keeping them moist but not sozzled .
Tip
When drying the seeds , if you do not have paper towel you could substitute coffee filters .
Warning
If you salt away your seeds before they are completely dry they may develop molding and rot . If you are not indisputable if they are dry , it wo n’t suffer to leave them out for a few more days .
