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If you really want to experience the most satisfaction from tomato gardening, I recommend starting and growing tomato plants from seeds. If you do decide to go this route, you will be starting the seeds indoors, then transplanting your young plants outside to your garden when the weather finally allows it. Your other alternative is to purchase plantlets from the nursery and plant them directly outside. The benefit of buying plants is simply that it's less work, but you have the threat of bringing fungus and disease home with you and contaminating you garden. Another reason I like to start my own seeds, is that I get to decide from a much larger number of tomato species this way. They just don't stock that many tomato plant types at the store or nurseries.

When you have elected to grow your tomatoes from seeds, you have to figure out exactly when the right time to start them would be for your area. This is determined by researching the normal date on which your last frost occurs, count backward 6 to 8 weeks, and that's when you'll want to get your seeds started. Nighttime temps shouldn't be below 55F at the time of average last frost.

Experienced tomato gardeners will recommend lots of types of containers to start your seeds growing. My personal preference is to buy the small plastic trays that are available at your local nursery. They are a low-cost way to get going, and the process is simple too. One thing to keep in mind when growing tomato from seed, is to start in a sterile environment. Little tomato plants have a low tolerance to disease, so it's important not to expose them to anything that may prematurely end their growing cycle. It is best not to re-use your soil from last year, or recycle any from your garden. Ask your nursery professional for some soilless potting mix and you'll have much better results.

Once you've put the soilless mix into your plastic trays, they are ready for seeding. A good technique is to use the end of a pencil, and "drill" a little hole about ? inch deep into the mix. Next, sprinkle 2 or 3 tomato seeds into the hole you've punched, and cover lightly with more potting mix. Make sure you don't compact the soil down over the seeds, they need to breathe. Add just enough water to moisten the soil, preferable with a garden watering can. Make sure that you don't over saturate the soil with water as this will promote fungal growth.

The next step is to find a warm location for your seed cups to germinate. The optimal temperature is somewhere around 75F. You can place them in front of a sunny window during the day, which is especially recommended as the seed starts to germinate. During this period, it is important to make sure the soil is kept moist, but not overly so.

Soon, your small seedlings that you've been caring so much for, will be ready to move outside. After you've gotten them used to the outdoors, you'll be planting them permanently in your garden. Growing tomatoes from seeds can be a really satisfying aspect of gardening if you are committed to the extra time and care required to be successful. With just a little bit of practice and experience, you'll probably never buy another tomato plant again.

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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, tomatoes are the number one home-grown vegetable in the country. This would have to be because they are both delicious and easy to cultivate.

Soil

Tomatoes are not very picky about what type of soil they are grown in, but do have a preference for a neutral pH. Like most garden vegetables, they prefer fertile soil with a pH of 5. Mix several inches of organic compost or aged animal manure (minimum of 30 days), into the upper 4-8 inches of soil 2-3 weeks before planting. If a soil pH meter shows the pH is above 6.0,apply elemental sulfur -- if it is below 4.0,add oyster shell lime.

Where to Plant

Traditionally, it has been recommended that plants in the same family should not be planted near each other or in the same ground as the previous year. (This would include eggplants, peppers and potatoes, in addition to other varieties of tomatoes.) Members of the same plant family often share common pest problems, but it is nearly impossible to keep them apart if you have a small to medium-sized garden.

If you have even a moderately sunny spot (four to five hours of sunlight will do, though eight is best), you'll be fine.

Seven Steps to Transplanting:

1.) Choose a cloudy day, if possible, so seedlings don't dry out.

2.) Water plants an hour or two before transplanting

3.) Pinch off the lower leaves.

4.) Place a healthy amount of organic compost into each planting hole to give tomatoes an extra boost.

5.) Very gently, remove the seedling from its pot and place in the planting hole, slightly deeper than it was.

6.) Fill the hole with soil.

7.) Water well.

When to Plant

Seed packets tell you to start planting 6-8 weeks before the last frost -- indoors. However, if you live in a warm climate and don't have a frost, plant your seeds 6-8 weeks before daytime temperatures reach the high 70s and nighttime temperatures don't get below 55? F.

If you researched and planned this all out ahead of time, great! But, if it's May and the plant nurseries are already marking down their tomato plants half-off, you can try the Plant Now, Research Later approach. At least you won't have to wait a year for your first tomato. If you plant in May, you can learn enough in June to vastly increase your harvest in July.

Water regularly, but don't over-water them, and chances are good you'll get tons of tasty tomatoes. Over-watering causes tomatoes to crack, which then invites bugs to enter and reduce your harvest.

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If you wanted a couple of tomatoes, you'd probably just go to the supermarket and pick up some of those red ones. I think of this as more of a hassle, though. You have to get dressed, drive or walk over to the supermarket, spend a great deal of time picking out the best tomatoes out of a pile that doesn't even look so good, wait at the long lineup, pay, and finally haul your groceries back home. But what if you could grow your own tomatoes in the convenience of your own home without traveling back and forth from the supermarket?

In fact, you could do the same for other vegetables and fruits, but because tomatoes are loved by most people and is the most versatile vegetable (or fruit) to be included in your recipes. Because growing tomatoes in containers is cost effective, convenient, and easy, there are many reasons why you should grow tomatoes at home.

It is much easier to start your tomato plants in containers because there is less to take care of. This is an advantage for beginners who don't know about or are new to gardening. In fact, because you are a beginner, you should start with growing smaller tomato varieties, like red cherry or grape tomatoes, since their roots take up less space and are smaller.

Starting out in the garden can cause some problems, such as possibilities for contamination from neighboring plants, harsh weather conditions or bad climate, or bad soil laced with fungi and viruses. It's important to always start with new soil because old soil can be contaminated or depleted of nutrients. Though you can change the soil in your tomato garden, it is a huge time- and money-eater due to the larger area and the labor; however, simply adding new soil into your tomato-growing containers is just so much easier, both on your back and your bank!

Be aware that raising tomato plants require constant maintenance including watering, pruning, staking, and feeding. Because your container tomato plants can be simply placed on your patio or deck, tending to them requires fewer steps from your home to the plants. In fact, these tomato plants can even be planted indoors, with the help of light boxes or just from the natural sunlight coming through the window. When growing tomatoes in containers during the colder seasons, they can simply be brought indoors and maintained with the help of light boxes. If you planted your tomatoes outside in the garden, they must be harvested before the cold strikes or your crops are ruined, and hard work lost. For aesthetic reasons, these portable tomato plants can free up space in your garden for hardier plants like strawberries, for planting flowers, or just left empty if your don't like crowding your back yard. Conversely, having them on your patio makes the place more attractive and lively, sure to bring up comments by your guests and friends.

Since tomatoes are relatively disease resistant and don't attract insects that much, choosing tomatoes as your first growing experience is great for beginners. The challenges that are involved when growing tomatoes in containers are moderate enough to become a great learning process, especially if you decide to grow other vegetables and fruits in containers in the future.

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