I've saved my heirloom tomato seeds, removing the gel by fermentation in water for a couple of days, and then drying. After they are totally dried, save in a paper envelope inside a ziplok bag. The ones from two years ago are showing an almost 100% germination rate.
Great video. One thing I do different is I use plastic cup (Solo or?) for seed and that allows them to grow larger root systems before transplant. Where I live, we cannot safely plant before mid-April due to potential late season freeze. Use a small greenhouse on a heated sun porch which allows warmth and humidity. Thanks for the video!
I collected seeds from heirloom tomatoes which are dried for storage. I eventually pick them to germinate a few months later, putting the dry seeds in a wet paper towel, then folding it to wrap the seeds up, and keep it in a ziplock bag. Within seven days, all the dried seeds germinate. That's when I put them in soil. It's far easier than having to start germination in soil when the outcome is rather unknown.
I live in south Louisiana. I like to pick July for germinating seeds for a fall crop. July tends to be a slightly cooler month and wetter. We got rain all throughout the month. So I germinate the seeds on the porch in containers and with soil doesn’t dry out as quick and the extreme heat isn’t here yet. After July, the heat kicks into high gear and they’ve already been transplanted to a larger container or into the ground for growing. I’ve done this 3 years in a row and never had an issue. Hell my cantaloupe which I planted 1 month ago has already reached over 8ft and is in the stage of forming fruit.
Hah! Appreciate the nice comment, and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Also, noted! Music is great, but I agree it’s more of a distraction in our type of content
Determinite tomato varieties, although mature faster in the ground, seem to take longer to grow and mature indoors. The larger the tomato plant the shorter time it seems to need indoors. So I've started larger tomatoes as late as May 1st indoors and planting around the 1st of June always but tomatoes like Roma I have better luck starting them indoors around April 1st. Some peppers take FOREVER to mature to planting size indoors. Cayenne for example take sometimes 3 weeks to emerge yet a jalapeno emerges in a few days! I haven't quite got that down to an exact science but every year I write down my results so that I don't start too early or too late.
I just grabbed from my freighter dry it for few mins and throw it in the pot. Mixed the soil with Bone meal. Toped a bite more of Bone meal and Mulch grew in 7 days in Phx heat 105 plus of course mosely under the shade. My cherry tomatoes and the big ones they thrived. Watered every few days. I'm just experiencing if can grow and live under Phx heat. It works!
Will be growing tomatoes this year indoors for sure, last year had a random tomato plant that grew like a weed and i didn’t even mean to grow it, it was literally on accident
Planting seeds from store-bought tomatoes is not really a good idea. Tomato varieties sold in supermarkets, etc. are selected for looks, thick skins to minimize bruising, and a long shelf-life, NOT for flavor. If you're going to the trouble of growing your own tomatoes, you might as well plant varieties that have the best flavor, etc., rather than settling for the kind of tomatoes you get in supermarkets.
Not to mention that store-bought tomatoes are typically hybrids, which will not produce seeds that will grow into a matching tomato but will grow tomatoes resembling one of the two parent’s varieties. Last summer I grew some volunteers that had sprouted from the prior year’s yellow Sungold cherry tomatoes. Those volunteers growing from last season’s Sungolds produced red cherry tomatoes that were less sweet and tasty then Sungolds.
Some market tomatoes are great raised at home but most are hybrids so you wont get the cultivar from their seeds. Definitely dont go down the wrong road at the start
I start germinating my seeds in Nelly’s eggs’ containers. Their clear plastic with the dome top with the large top to enclose it all. Creates a great bio dome. And a small towel on top of a water heater, and place the seeds on that makes a great warm heat source
@@geekygreenhouse agreed. And I transfer em to small styrofoam cups I put a couple holes in the bottom and let em get to large enough size. A couple cigarette size holes in the bottom allows drainage and you can see the roots.
@@Ornatetooth0475 Not really much to be worried about having good stuff in your seed mix, they won't reside there long, and will form relations with bacteria and fungi when they get planted, won't stunt them if planted promptly. Though I do inoculate with mycorrhizae(Myco Bliss brand), and I don't use hot water whatsoever; if it works for you, do it! There's really no wrong way, until there is! 🤭
@@Ornatetooth0475 it will kill bacteria. However just make sure you use a seed starting mix instead of a potting soil that's more expensive and already has macronutrients and what not in it so you're not wasting money. All nutrients will be in your control
I have Roma Tomato seeds I'm starting to plant using described method from this video. How well do Tomato seeds do starting in soil blocks with proper soil mix? Last season I had 90% germination with my peppers using soil blocks.
I’m trying to garden for the first time, I am learning a lot through videos such as this, so thank you. I was wondering what the lighting should be while germinating, I noticed you said it could be done in a basement? My house doesn’t have good sunlight, so was wondering about the lighting.
It doesn’t need light till it sprouts. The seed won’t sprout till soil is warm enough so put in a warm place in the basement, perhaps near the furnace. Once it sprouts it needs 8 to 16 hours of light. You can use shop lights or LCD. It’s about the lumens. Anything labeled “grow lights” is going to be much more expensive. Do a little research on grow lights (perhaps UA-cam) to see how other gardener use them.
I start my tomatoes in the same size six-cell containers (Bootstrap Farmer in my case), usually 3 seeds per cell; and within 2 weeks of starting I separate them out into 2.5" pots, one per cell (separation is as easy at that point as any kind of repotting). Fresh tomato seeds have a very high germination rate, 75-80%, so I don't have the complications of late seeds popping up as I do with peppers. I start in plain seed starting mix but have been having the most success with moving to Happy Frog for 2.5" and larger pots, and also start a fertilizing and bottom-watering schedule from then on (for which I'm still trying to improve the details). Being late May in zone 7a here, all my tomatoes are now outside in at least 3.5" pots and many are in-ground; they have been much happier outside and in larger pots once they are more than a few inches high.
No spray bottle? Take a regular water bottle… make holes ( use a thin nail) in lid, fill bottle with water & voila! Squeeze lightly & perfect watering device!
I have planted tomato seeds 9 days ago and they have sprouted already. Please advise me. 1. Should keep the seedlings 🌱 away from the sunlight? 2. Can I apply fertilizer now? Please answer my questions so that I don't waste my time. Thank you.
@@geekygreenhouse and those are all the reasons we do it and more. Thanks for the video my friend Happy gardening we've already started a bunch of our plants. I don't think people realize how much stuff you can grow in the winter.
@@vekicro87 I have sprayed 3% hydrogen peroxide on apple tree leaves ti kill cedar rust disease with no beneficial effect but no harm to the leaves dilution if 1 to 10 ir 10% of 3% will cause a reaction on a human body wounds
If their not damaged when you pluck them. You can’t pluck them the way he did if you want the plant. Try digging it out with a chopsticks or coffee stirrer to avoid yanking the roots. Put it in s different pot.
Couldn't wait to grow my first Heirloom Tomatoes from seed. This was an excellent video. Followed the steps and have 5 varieties sprouting up. Question: the young ones you remove to allow for growth, can you replant them in a empty pot?
In my experience, i wait until my seedlings start developing "fuzz" on the stems before i snip the extra ones (to make room for my main choice seedling). Just stand the stems in something like a shot glass with water, and in a few days, white roots will start to develop on the stem. Stuff it in an extra soil pot, and voila! You have more plants! I choose the choice looking leftover seedlings only, and discard the rest.
Not yet! We have that planned for sometime soon though. If you want to grow from seed, you want to start much sooner than you would tomato seeds (around 8-10 weeks before last frost). Excited to share that guide in the near future!
@@geekygreenhouse thanks for the advice!! I’m growing from transplants, I don’t have the nerve or expertise to start from seed. I bought 2 Sweet Charlie plants from the nursery that desperately need repotting, 2 Fresca plants that will need repotting soon, 1 plant from Lowe’s that has at least 3 little plants in the same pot, and 1 hanging basket that has 5 plants. Both plants I purchased from Lowe’s has a few berries already, as well as the ones I bought from the nursery. I need to get some potting mix to put in my raised bed planters soon so that I can get the plants in the dirt. Unfortunately, I can’t afford the FoxFarm Happy Frog soil that the nursery recommends, so I’m wondering if you have another recommendation for an alternate that will be more affordable. Also, how far apart do I plant the plants, should I plant them in the center of the planter or closer to the sides? Any advice you have will be greatly appreciated.
I doubt they will sprout unfortunately, but you can try doing a germination test with a few of the seeds. I like to test any older seeds during the winter so that I know which batches have low/no germination.
Until the seeds sprout. Once they germinate, the dome can come off, and the seedlings need light. Still be mindful of watering to make sure the soil doesn't become dried out!
How wrong I was I figured the gel from a fresh tomato would give it extra moisture, Oh well next time I will wash them off first and then plant. Thanks for the tip.
Hard to say whether the seeds will sprout, but if you want to try there’s really no harm! Just give them a soak and plant a bunch to see if they’ll germinate
@@geekygreenhouse the supermarket tomatoes should germinate, after all the tomatoes rot down in nature, I would give however many you would like to grow a wash I use a tea strainer run them under a tap move them around to remove the coating they have on them plant 1/8 of an in deep keep warm and plenty of sunlight, stand the seed pots in water before you plant. Lift out then sow make sure they do not dry out you can then spray on top, I keep mine under plastic….. after that being said they might not turn out the same, because they could be a hybrid a mix of different varieties hope this helps have a go!!
A suggestion for a technique I have tried here in an Australian warm temperate region. When I come across a tomato fruit I like I scoop out some of the pulp / seeds and spread them out with a spatula onto a doubled over piece of paper towel. Allow to dry out completely and then put the sheet in ground at usual seed planting depth early in the next season. Germination rate has been good over last three seasons. Also like covering planted seeds with a coir / coconut fibre mixed with soil. Coir / fibre blocks that expand in water are a magical planting medium. p.s.We have a lovely sweet, smallish variety called Kumato...reddish black colour.....recommended if available in USA.
The very first time I grew tomatoes it was from seeds from store bought tomatoes. Wash the seeds, remove the jell coat that you see and just plant in fluffy soil. Stay on top of keeping it moist and you should see germination in about a week. Good luck. I did the same with store bought cucumbers.
Use an ice cream stick or paint stirring stick there free at the box stores to mark species the steak them to the garden. If you use a store bought tomato, will taste as good or better if planted at home?
People seem to say that store bought tomatoes are not the best tasting. They are grown for durability and toughness in transport. I have heard the same thing about red apples.
Keeping your house at 70 degrees while you are at work can be expensive for growing a couple of tomatoes. Heating oil is $5 per gallon. Do you have a more economical way?
Tomatoes and peppers need warmer temps to germinate. But once they do, they can be taken off the heat mat. Leaving them with too much heat will cause them to grow too quickly, get leggy, and even yellowed leaves. Once sprouted, they do not need so much heat. And a heat mat warms the soil medium, so your house does not need to be that warm as well. Good luck!
Once the seeds have germinated you may be able to turn off the heating mat. I only have one mat, so I can only do about 30 plants of seeds at a time. My environment can have big sudden temperature drops, snow in May, so I leave the mat on until they have a couple of sets of leaves.
I have the same problem every year so this year I'm trying something different. I'm going to do my seeds later in the year 5 weeks before the last frost. Last year I planted seeds at different times within 8 weeks and what I noticed is once the outside temperature reached 70 to 80 degrees my tomato plants thrived and the later plants i grew cought up to the other plants i started earlier. So this year I'm just going to start my plants later and time it so they can go out side before they get tall and skinny. My tomato plants were growing about 3 inches a day once the temperature hit the 70s and 80. Happy Gardening!
If the problem isn’t the distance of the lights or the length of time they’re on you might not be getting full coverage from the lights. Try putting a piece of cardboard covered in foil or painted white or a reflective poster board behind the set up to reflect some lost light back. You might need a different grow light set up but reflecting lost light back might help.
You don't feel its necessary to sterilize the potting mix for fungus gnat eggs? I use Jiffy and have always had good luck. Different story with Miracle-Grow products.
I start my tomatoes basically the same way, the problem I'm having is that when it comes time to plant outdoors I have hardly any root system. I either lose a few plants after transplanting or they take a long time to start growing, just how do you make the roots look like the store-bought ones?
I have the same question, I use his process with seed starter soil but only a light bulb for warmth. My plants and grow tall enough but the plants and roots are not robust. High mortality when I transplant outdoors
@@gooslems1995 99% sure your issue is not enough heat and light. A generic light bulb would need to be inches away from your plants to be an adequate replication of the sun, and most likely it's doing nothing to replicate a warm root zone. Therefore your plant doesn't have the energy from light it needs to convert into root growth. You want the soil temp to be around 70F or higher for best success IMO, these plants are native to South America. A heat mat, setting a 10x20 tray over a floor heater vent, putting it on the dryer, you need to do something to get to 70F until they pop.
I like to use the 16-18 oz red Solo type cups. If you plant seeds or transplant the little seedlings into the cups, only put a few inches of soil in the bottom of the cup. As the plants grow, pinch off the bottom leaves and add more soil. Continue to do this until you have filled the cup. This works really well because the stems grow new roots and you end up with a vigorous root system by the time you want to put them in the ground. At that time I usually plant them deeper than they were in the cup to further encourage root growth. I cut good sized holes in the bottom of the cup for drainage and then take a second cup with a marble or a couple of pebbles in it (so they don't nest too tightly) and put your planted cup inside it. This not only is tidy, it allows the roots room to go beyond the original cup and into the bottom cup through your drain holes. (don't let water sit in the outside cup for long after watering) The plant thinks it has more room than it actually has and it will grow additional roots into the extra cup. You'll have to cut the original cup to preserve these roots when planting out but the young plants do really well.
I would think so. Cherry tomatoes often fall to the ground and deteriorate in the fall. The next year, after freezing in the winter, these seeds will inevitably pop up once it gets warm enough.
I use an all purpose slow release with no issues. Some use a layer of manure in the planting beds then look for signs of deficiencies in the place and amend accordingly. Some like to cut back on the nitrogen once blooms show to encourage less leaves and more fruit.
I’ve bought a heat mat, sowed some beans 🫘 waited and waited for them to germinate 😢no show. Decided to have a look at one bean to see what was happening….the whole lot had cooked as the mat was too hot😂😂😂I’m not giving up, just moving the mat to a cooler location.
larger pots for more roots at this stage aren't correct... roots grow and thats it... no place? they curl ,twist,pack... but they dont slow or goes faster with bigger pots... compaction on the other hand is diffferent.
Viewers should be warned to wear gloves and preferably a mask when handling ANY organic growing materials. If they are not awarre of the reason why, it would be a good idea to read up on the hazardous nature of bacteria contained in mixes and garden soil that can result in Legionnaires Disease. ALL gardeners should take note.
I've saved my heirloom tomato seeds, removing the gel by fermentation in water for a couple of days, and then drying. After they are totally dried, save in a paper envelope inside a ziplok bag. The ones from two years ago are showing an almost 100% germination rate.
Do tomato seeds harvested from a tomatoes need stratification to grow
@@RobertBee-fs8hv no
I did the exact same thing too, and all my dried seeds (from a few months ago) I collected from heirloom tomatoes germinate nicely.
Great video. One thing I do different is I use plastic cup (Solo or?) for seed and that allows them to grow larger root systems before transplant. Where I live, we cannot safely plant before mid-April due to potential late season freeze. Use a small greenhouse on a heated sun porch which allows warmth and humidity. Thanks for the video!
I collected seeds from heirloom tomatoes which are dried for storage. I eventually pick them to germinate a few months later, putting the dry seeds in a wet paper towel, then folding it to wrap the seeds up, and keep it in a ziplock bag. Within seven days, all the dried seeds germinate. That's when I put them in soil. It's far easier than having to start germination in soil when the outcome is rather unknown.
I live in south Louisiana. I like to pick July for germinating seeds for a fall crop. July tends to be a slightly cooler month and wetter. We got rain all throughout the month. So I germinate the seeds on the porch in containers and with soil doesn’t dry out as quick and the extreme heat isn’t here yet. After July, the heat kicks into high gear and they’ve already been transplanted to a larger container or into the ground for growing. I’ve done this 3 years in a row and never had an issue. Hell my cantaloupe which I planted 1 month ago has already reached over 8ft and is in the stage of forming fruit.
July is cooler? I live in Ms and don’t know what you’re talking about.
Thank you. This is very helpful. I just started germinating seeds indoors for the first time.
A very high quality presentation, including the filming. Excellent teaching. Thank you thank you thank you for not playing music at the same time.
Hah! Appreciate the nice comment, and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Also, noted! Music is great, but I agree it’s more of a distraction in our type of content
This is a great video! I have been researching how to grow tomatoes from seeds, so very timely!
Awesome! Hope you have a successful year ahead
Determinite tomato varieties, although mature faster in the ground, seem to take longer to grow and mature indoors. The larger the tomato plant the shorter time it seems to need indoors. So I've started larger tomatoes as late as May 1st indoors and planting around the 1st of June always but tomatoes like Roma I have better luck starting them indoors around April 1st. Some peppers take FOREVER to mature to planting size indoors. Cayenne for example take sometimes 3 weeks to emerge yet a jalapeno emerges in a few days! I haven't quite got that down to an exact science but every year I write down my results so that I don't start too early or too late.
I just grabbed from my freighter dry it for few mins and throw it in the pot. Mixed the soil with Bone meal. Toped a bite more of Bone meal and Mulch grew in 7 days in Phx heat 105 plus of course mosely under the shade. My cherry tomatoes and the big ones they thrived. Watered every few days. I'm just experiencing if can grow and live under Phx heat. It works!
I love using painters tape, and have been using leaf mold as a seed starter for 3 years now.
Nice tutorial, Stay Well!!!
I have to look this up!
Will be growing tomatoes this year indoors for sure, last year had a random tomato plant that grew like a weed and i didn’t even mean to grow it, it was literally on accident
I'm glad I came across this recording.
I am aiming to start a tomatoes greenhouse and this is of great assistance.
Thank you!
Planting seeds from store-bought tomatoes is not really a good idea. Tomato varieties sold in supermarkets, etc. are selected for looks, thick skins to minimize bruising, and a long shelf-life, NOT for flavor. If you're going to the trouble of growing your own tomatoes, you might as well plant varieties that have the best flavor, etc., rather than settling for the kind of tomatoes you get in supermarkets.
Couldn’t agree more
Not to mention that store-bought tomatoes are typically hybrids, which will not produce seeds that will grow into a matching tomato but will grow tomatoes resembling one of the two parent’s varieties. Last summer I grew some volunteers that had sprouted from the prior year’s yellow Sungold cherry tomatoes. Those volunteers growing from last season’s Sungolds produced red cherry tomatoes that were less sweet and tasty then Sungolds.
Some market tomatoes are great raised at home but most are hybrids so you wont get the cultivar from their seeds. Definitely dont go down the wrong road at the start
AND THE COLD REFRIGERATION CAN KILL THE GERM
not to sound dumb, but where should o get my seeds then? like diff varieties
I start germinating my seeds in Nelly’s eggs’ containers. Their clear plastic with the dome top with the large top to enclose it all. Creates a great bio dome. And a small towel on top of a water heater, and place the seeds on that makes a great warm heat source
All interesting ideas, great ways to make use of what you've already got on hand and avoid wasting energy
@@geekygreenhouse agreed. And I transfer em to small styrofoam cups I put a couple holes in the bottom and let em get to large enough size. A couple cigarette size holes in the bottom allows drainage and you can see the roots.
I like to fill my starter mix bag with boiling water. It helps sterilize and penetrates the mix faster. Love your channel.
Is it possible that this could damage the soil like killing good bacteria maybe even cooking out some nutrients?
@@Ornatetooth0475 Not really much to be worried about having good stuff in your seed mix, they won't reside there long, and will form relations with bacteria and fungi when they get planted, won't stunt them if planted promptly. Though I do inoculate with mycorrhizae(Myco Bliss brand), and I don't use hot water whatsoever; if it works for you, do it! There's really no wrong way, until there is! 🤭
@@Ornatetooth0475 it will kill bacteria. However just make sure you use a seed starting mix instead of a potting soil that's more expensive and already has macronutrients and what not in it so you're not wasting money. All nutrients will be in your control
That’s called pasteurizing you are not sterilizing the soil
0utstanding!👍
Sports water bottles also work great. You can close it off enough to get just a drop of water to come out. Plus works great for liquid fertilizer.
Good tip, thanks for sharing
Great hint on using seeds from fresh tomatoes. Thanks you
I have Roma Tomato seeds I'm starting to plant using described method from this video.
How well do Tomato seeds do starting in soil blocks with proper soil mix?
Last season I had 90% germination with my peppers using soil blocks.
i use paper towels in ziplock bags. works perfect everytime and then I have the choice to transfer to whichever type of system i like :)
I’m trying to garden for the first time, I am learning a lot through videos such as this, so thank you. I was wondering what the lighting should be while germinating, I noticed you said it could be done in a basement? My house doesn’t have good sunlight, so was wondering about the lighting.
You can use a grow light, my partner did this for his peppers and it turned out very well!
It doesn’t need light till it sprouts. The seed won’t sprout till soil is warm enough so put in a warm place in the basement, perhaps near the furnace. Once it sprouts it needs 8 to 16 hours of light. You can use shop lights or LCD. It’s about the lumens. Anything labeled “grow lights” is going to be much more expensive. Do a little research on grow lights (perhaps UA-cam) to see how other gardener use them.
I start my tomatoes in the same size six-cell containers (Bootstrap Farmer in my case), usually 3 seeds per cell; and within 2 weeks of starting I separate them out into 2.5" pots, one per cell (separation is as easy at that point as any kind of repotting). Fresh tomato seeds have a very high germination rate, 75-80%, so I don't have the complications of late seeds popping up as I do with peppers.
I start in plain seed starting mix but have been having the most success with moving to Happy Frog for 2.5" and larger pots, and also start a fertilizing and bottom-watering schedule from then on (for which I'm still trying to improve the details). Being late May in zone 7a here, all my tomatoes are now outside in at least 3.5" pots and many are in-ground; they have been much happier outside and in larger pots once they are more than a few inches high.
No spray bottle? Take a regular water bottle… make holes ( use a thin nail) in lid, fill bottle with water & voila! Squeeze lightly & perfect watering device!
Great tip! I use a similar "device" for watering our winter sown seeds in milk jugs. Works great!
Thank you, very simple easy to follow instructions
Sally sells single six-seed small sized sprout starting cells by the sea shore ? 👍🤣
Sheeet
She's awsome
Superbe vidéo bravo 👍 👍 👍
I have planted tomato seeds 9 days ago and they have sprouted already.
Please advise me.
1. Should keep the seedlings 🌱 away from the sunlight?
2. Can I apply fertilizer now?
Please answer my questions so that I don't waste my time. Thank you.
Outstanding presentation. Thank you!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed
I use a cap full of hydrogen peroxide in my spray bottle for watering all the way till its time to transplant.I do this with everything we start.
That's potentially a good tip for anyone dealing with fungus gnats or root rot, and can help older seeds germinate more reliably
@@geekygreenhouse and those are all the reasons we do it and more. Thanks for the video my friend Happy gardening we've already started a bunch of our plants. I don't think people realize how much stuff you can grow in the winter.
Can you tell me in which ratio you put 3% hidrogen in water? Can that be used for protection against fungi on leaves later as tomato grows?
@@vekicro87 I have sprayed 3% hydrogen peroxide on apple tree leaves ti kill cedar rust disease with no beneficial effect but no harm to the leaves dilution if 1 to 10 ir 10% of 3% will cause a reaction on a human body wounds
I've used this technique for decades, and I learned it from the mycology side. :)
Regarding plucking the extra plants in each cell, can I replant the very small plants?
If their not damaged when you pluck them. You can’t pluck them the way he did if you want the plant. Try digging it out with a chopsticks or coffee stirrer to avoid yanking the roots. Put it in s different pot.
@@ericeandcoThanks!
Thank you, how long do you transplate the seedlings?
Couldn't wait to grow my first Heirloom Tomatoes from seed. This was an excellent video. Followed the steps and have 5 varieties sprouting up. Question: the young ones you remove to allow for growth, can you replant them in a empty pot?
In my experience, i wait until my seedlings start developing "fuzz" on the stems before i snip the extra ones (to make room for my main choice seedling). Just stand the stems in something like a shot glass with water, and in a few days, white roots will start to develop on the stem. Stuff it in an extra soil pot, and voila! You have more plants! I choose the choice looking leftover seedlings only, and discard the rest.
@geekygreenhouse Do you have a video on how to grow strawberries? This video was so thorough and very helpful!!
Not yet! We have that planned for sometime soon though. If you want to grow from seed, you want to start much sooner than you would tomato seeds (around 8-10 weeks before last frost). Excited to share that guide in the near future!
@@geekygreenhouse thanks for the advice!! I’m growing from transplants, I don’t have the nerve or expertise to start from seed. I bought 2 Sweet Charlie plants from the nursery that desperately need repotting, 2 Fresca plants that will need repotting soon, 1 plant from Lowe’s that has at least 3 little plants in the same pot, and 1 hanging basket that has 5 plants. Both plants I purchased from Lowe’s has a few berries already, as well as the ones I bought from the nursery. I need to get some potting mix to put in my raised bed planters soon so that I can get the plants in the dirt. Unfortunately, I can’t afford the FoxFarm Happy Frog soil that the nursery recommends, so I’m wondering if you have another recommendation for an alternate that will be more affordable. Also, how far apart do I plant the plants, should I plant them in the center of the planter or closer to the sides? Any advice you have will be greatly appreciated.
whats your recommendation for indoor fertilizer ?
Our house temperature is 72-74. Is that warm enough to germinate?
Absolutely
I forgot about some tomato seeds that I had soaking in water. They have been in the water since October. Will these seeds still germinate?
I doubt they will sprout unfortunately, but you can try doing a germination test with a few of the seeds. I like to test any older seeds during the winter so that I know which batches have low/no germination.
The seeds have probably rotted by now!
Never found it necessary to soak tomato seeds. It’s the bigger seeds with the harder shells like peas and beans you might soak for faster germination.
Taking the first step to start a garden.
How long do you leave the humidity dome on ? Days? Weeks?
Until the seeds sprout. Once they germinate, the dome can come off, and the seedlings need light. Still be mindful of watering to make sure the soil doesn't become dried out!
I like to start my seeds in the smallest size pot I can. Then upsize as they grow
I had a slice of tomato in my refrigerator and it started sprouting I throwed it away but do you think I could have made a plant with them
Definitely could have grown into a plant if you got them under grow lights, yep
I grew mine fresh seed from the fridge right way just outside lights. And good fertilizer It germinated in 6 days.
When did you start to fertilize after the plant started to show up?
How wrong I was I figured the gel from a fresh tomato would give it extra moisture, Oh well next time I will wash them off first and then plant. Thanks for the tip.
That's what I thought better to leave that goo I figured I'm glad out hist mention that the gel prevents germination I would if never known
Thanks🔥love the way you explain it
Question, what if I have store bought tomatoes that are starting to go bad. Can we take the seeds as you described and plant them?
Hard to say whether the seeds will sprout, but if you want to try there’s really no harm! Just give them a soak and plant a bunch to see if they’ll germinate
@@geekygreenhouse the supermarket tomatoes should germinate, after all the tomatoes rot down in nature, I would give however many you would like to grow a wash I use a tea strainer run them under a tap move them around to remove the coating they have on them plant 1/8 of an in deep keep warm and plenty of sunlight, stand the seed pots in water before you plant. Lift out then sow make sure they do not dry out you can then spray on top, I keep mine under plastic….. after that being said they might not turn out the same, because they could be a hybrid a mix of different varieties hope this helps have a go!!
A suggestion for a technique I have tried here in an Australian warm temperate region. When I come across a tomato fruit I like I scoop out some of the pulp / seeds and spread them out with a spatula onto a doubled over piece of paper towel. Allow to dry out completely and then put the sheet in ground at usual seed planting depth early in the next season. Germination rate has been good over last three seasons. Also like covering planted seeds with a coir / coconut fibre mixed with soil. Coir / fibre blocks that expand in water are a magical planting medium.
p.s.We have a lovely sweet, smallish variety called Kumato...reddish black colour.....recommended if available in USA.
The very first time I grew tomatoes it was from seeds from store bought tomatoes. Wash the seeds, remove the jell coat that you see and just plant in fluffy soil. Stay on top of keeping it moist and you should see germination in about a week. Good luck. I did the same with store bought cucumbers.
@ Debbie I would wash the seeds to remove the sticky bits then dry them for a few days before sowing. They germinate fine for me.
What type of fertilizer do you use once you have the true flowers
Compost only. Unless you're not eating the tomatoes.
Use an ice cream stick or paint stirring stick there free at the box stores to mark species the steak them to the garden. If you use a store bought tomato, will taste as good or better if planted at home?
People seem to say that store bought tomatoes are not the best tasting. They are grown for durability and toughness in transport. I have heard the same thing about red apples.
You explained very well good work bro
Glad you liked it!
When you pluck the extra sprouts, can you replant them in a cell that did not sprout?
It doesn't look like he replanted those, and I think that's a waste.
Can i grow a tomato plant with only seed starting mix ? (From start to finish)
You could, but you would definitely need to supplement with fertilizer throughout the season
@@geekygreenhouse alright cool, thanks man
This is a great vedio
shewwie, it worked finally...only by using soil starter mix not my home made
compost
Keeping your house at 70 degrees while you are at work can be expensive for growing a couple of tomatoes. Heating oil is $5 per gallon. Do you have a more economical way?
Tomatoes and peppers need warmer temps to germinate. But once they do, they can be taken off the heat mat. Leaving them with too much heat will cause them to grow too quickly, get leggy, and even yellowed leaves. Once sprouted, they do not need so much heat.
And a heat mat warms the soil medium, so your house does not need to be that warm as well. Good luck!
Great tips.Hi from Colorado Springs 😀
Does the heat Mat have to stay on all the time ? Day and night thanks
No, cycling on during day and off at night will still provide the benefit
@@geekygreenhouse Would be better leaving on at night so as to maintain a higher average temperature.
Once the seeds have germinated you may be able to turn off the heating mat. I only have one mat, so I can only do about 30 plants of seeds at a time. My environment can have big sudden temperature drops, snow in May, so I leave the mat on until they have a couple of sets of leaves.
My tomatoes seem to always get leggy. I try to keep my gro lights low but it doesn’t really work that great. What is ur recommendation.
I have the same problem every year so this year I'm trying something different. I'm going to do my seeds later in the year 5 weeks before the last frost. Last year I planted seeds at different times within 8 weeks and what I noticed is once the outside temperature reached 70 to 80 degrees my tomato plants thrived and the later plants i grew cought up to the other plants i started earlier.
So this year I'm just going to start my plants later and time it so they can go out side before they get tall and skinny. My tomato plants were growing about 3 inches a day once the temperature hit the 70s and 80. Happy Gardening!
If the problem isn’t the distance of the lights or the length of time they’re on you might not be getting full coverage from the lights. Try putting a piece of cardboard covered in foil or painted white or a reflective poster board behind the set up to reflect some lost light back. You might need a different grow light set up but reflecting lost light back might help.
@@ericeandco Thanks for the tip! I just bought 4 new lights but now I'm worried about to much light.
You don't feel its necessary to sterilize the potting mix for fungus gnat eggs? I use Jiffy and have always had good luck. Different story with Miracle-Grow products.
great video, you just made me try this 🙌
I started my seeds way too early.. do I need to toss the seedlings and start later?
How essential is fertilization?
I use the same steps except I used an egg carton and I didn't use a heat pad. It's been 7 days and it still hasn't sprouted yet 😭
Cardboard is toxic. We won't put it anywhere near plants we intend to munch on.
Love your videos!
Thank you!
I start my tomatoes basically the same way, the problem I'm having is that when it comes time to plant outdoors I have hardly any root system. I either lose a few plants after transplanting or they take a long time to start growing, just how do you make the roots look like the store-bought ones?
A greenhouse guy told me to grow tomatoes on the dry side .then juice them up with water and fertilizer about 2 weeks before planning
I have the same question, I use his process with seed starter soil but only a light bulb for warmth. My plants and grow tall enough but the plants and roots are not robust. High mortality when I transplant outdoors
@@gooslems1995 99% sure your issue is not enough heat and light. A generic light bulb would need to be inches away from your plants to be an adequate replication of the sun, and most likely it's doing nothing to replicate a warm root zone. Therefore your plant doesn't have the energy from light it needs to convert into root growth. You want the soil temp to be around 70F or higher for best success IMO, these plants are native to South America. A heat mat, setting a 10x20 tray over a floor heater vent, putting it on the dryer, you need to do something to get to 70F until they pop.
I would think 70 degrees is an absolute minimum…I believe that 80 to 85 degrees is optimal.
I like to use the 16-18 oz red Solo type cups. If you plant seeds or transplant the little seedlings into the cups, only put a few inches of soil in the bottom of the cup. As the plants grow, pinch off the bottom leaves and add more soil. Continue to do this until you have filled the cup. This works really well because the stems grow new roots and you end up with a vigorous root system by the time you want to put them in the ground. At that time I usually plant them deeper than they were in the cup to further encourage root growth.
I cut good sized holes in the bottom of the cup for drainage and then take a second cup with a marble or a couple of pebbles in it (so they don't nest too tightly) and put your planted cup inside it. This not only is tidy, it allows the roots room to go beyond the original cup and into the bottom cup through your drain holes. (don't let water sit in the outside cup for long after watering) The plant thinks it has more room than it actually has and it will grow additional roots into the extra cup. You'll have to cut the original cup to preserve these roots when planting out but the young plants do really well.
Question? 🙋 Is it possible to still grow from seed if the fruit/vegetables were frozen ???
I would think so. Cherry tomatoes often fall to the ground and deteriorate in the fall. The next year, after freezing in the winter, these seeds will inevitably pop up once it gets warm enough.
Nice video share
Thanks for visiting
Do I spray just the leaves r water the whole pot
Throw some tomatoes in a worm bin and wait you will have tomato plants in no time at all
Great video
Do I need to water aging during 7 days?
Good stuff
Appreciate it!
8:38 also when you're not emotionally attached to them
Mine sprouted in 2 days idk how i really need ansers
Hi
You said in this video you are going to use fertilizer, but I don't see it
The potting mix has enough nutrients on its own. He’s probably going use a little fertilizer when planting in the garden.
Great but the plants that you cut araway I prefer to replant them into another container
Thank you.
what fertilizer do i need for 🍅?
I use an all purpose slow release with no issues. Some use a layer of manure in the planting beds then look for signs of deficiencies in the place and amend accordingly. Some like to cut back on the nitrogen once blooms show to encourage less leaves and more fruit.
I use heat mat and bottom watering
I’ve bought a heat mat, sowed some beans 🫘 waited and waited for them to germinate 😢no show. Decided to have a look at one bean to see what was happening….the whole lot had cooked as the mat was too hot😂😂😂I’m not giving up, just moving the mat to a cooler location.
Can I put the seedlings outside in the sun? Covered.
Planting tomatoes from the supermarkets are not legal in norway/scandinavia because of the dangerbof spreading diseases
Plant just like pot seeds.... The end...
What is it when you have a plant that keeps growing and has blossoms like mad but no fruit
Where did you get the seeds from?
The blossoms aren’t setting aka “blossom drop” It could be temperature is too hot or cold or inconsistent moisture. It can’t be too wet or too dry.
Good video but disappointed that you’re not using pest free compost
paper towel never fails...
😊
👍👍
3 out of 12 tomatos are germinate after 3 weeks, and they still small
I've tried all of this crap and have had better luck by just planting the seeds directly into the garden.
You should use peat free soil
Two cup method is best Murdoch patriot garden
larger pots for more roots at this stage aren't correct... roots grow and thats it... no place? they curl ,twist,pack... but they dont slow or goes faster with bigger pots... compaction on the other hand is diffferent.
when is the weed video coming?
You can germinate seeds without using all the supplies.
Something to start the seeds in and a medium is bare minimum
Viewers should be warned to wear gloves and preferably a mask when handling ANY organic growing materials. If they are not awarre of the reason why, it would be a good idea to read up on the hazardous nature of bacteria contained in mixes and garden soil that can result in Legionnaires Disease. ALL gardeners should take note.
Thank you for the information.
Wow. Takes 12 minutes to explain the fast way?
I place dirt, water,seeds in container and let Jesus take the wheel. :) But that's not worth a video.
Sad that in 2023 you are promoting the use of Peat. This is environmentally unnecessary when many eco friendly alternatives are available.👎
Feel free to make a suggestion!
anyone who cares about the environment, should not use peat moss.
Thank you.