Tomato Planting Guide: Do we really need to introduce the benefits of tomatoes anymore? Let's dive straight into how to grow them from seeds!
Sowing seeds: Soak the seeds in a wet cloth for 24 hours before sowing. Then, plant them in a tray or plastic cup. Simply put some soil in the tray or cup, place 2-3 seeds on the surface, cover with a thin layer of soil, water them, and wait for the seeds to germinate.
About 3-4 days later, the seeds will sprout. If all seeds have germinated, choose the healthiest one to keep. Note that once the plants have sprouted, you should place them in a location with at least 4 hours of sunlight per day.
Soil preparation: You can grow tomatoes in a garden bed or in pots. If using a garden bed, mix organic fertilizer and raise the bed about 20cm high. If growing in pots, ensure the pot is large enough as tomato roots grow extensively.
Handy tip: Crush eggshells and mix them into the bottom of the garden bed or pot, as tomatoes require a lot of calcium when fruiting.
Transplanting: When the plants have at least 3 leaves, you can transplant them into the soil. The ideal distance between two tomato plants is 30-40cm.
Fertilizing and watering: Tomatoes require more potassium and calcium, so focus on these nutrients when purchasing fertilizer. Tomatoes need plenty of water in the initial stages; once they start fruiting, they require less water, but do not let the soil dry out.
Handy tip: Avoid watering the tomato leaves; tomatoes dislike water on their leaves.
Caring for mature plants: You should provide support for tomatoes to grow taller. When the plant starts flowering, prune off all the side shoots, leaving only the main stem and flowers. This way, your tomatoes will grow bigger and more beautiful.
Additionally, when fruiting, tomatoes require a lot of calcium, so you may also consider supplementing with fertilizer rich in calcium when the plant starts flowering. If there's a calcium deficiency, the fruits may crack or rot.
Here are some images of tomato plants that I previously cultivated following the instructions above.
