The right time for sowing tomato seeds needs to be chosen carefully. Too early is just as bad as too late. Find out here how to accurately determine the optimal time frame and act accordingly.

Timing of sowing as the quintessence of various factors

Tomatoes only germinate and thrive if the factors of light, heat, moisture and time harmonize perfectly with each other. It is important to reconcile the following influences:

  • sowing too early results in seedlings that are too large and sprout under wintry light conditions
  • too late sowing results in too narrow a window for maturity

Since tomatoes can only be planted outdoors from mid-May at the earliest, the weeks from the end of February to the end of March are suitable for sowing behind glass. Cultivation begins in the heated, light-flooded greenhouse in the last week of February, differentiated according to the possible locations. On the not so bright window sill or in the unheated greenhouse, the starting signal is given in mid-March.

Appointments alone are no guarantee of success

With the selection of the optimal time for the start of cultivation, a first important step has been taken. In order for magnificent young plants to find their way outdoors in May, other aspects play a decisive role. How to proceed with sowing:

  • only thinly sieve the seeds in the poor growing substrate as light germinators
  • place in semi-shade and warm at at least 20-24 degrees Celsius until germination
  • after germination, be sure to place it cooler at temperatures of 16-18 degrees and brighter
  • after the appearance of the second pair of leaves prick out in lightly fertilized soil
  • compensate for any lack of light with special plant lamps

During this growth phase, the substrate is kept constantly moist without waterlogging developing.

tips and tricks

The required germination temperature of 20-24 degrees Celsius is sometimes endangered on the windowsill by cold bridges. You can effectively prevent this situation by placing the seed containers on polystyrene plates or ideally on small heating mats for plant cultivation.

Category:

Vegetable garden