Tomato and all their Stages

The Four Stages of Tomatoes

Growing tomatoes from seed is not a one step process. In the past I’ve bought tomatoes as established plants, and then transferred them to the ground. This year, I’m growing them from seeds. Over the past few months, they’ve had lots of homes and identities. They’ve been tiny seeds, little green leaves, leggy stems, and now, hopefully, the beginning of actual tomato plants. I’m trying a few different methods this year, and by the end of the season I’ll know whether starting them indoors was worth it.

First Phase: seeds

I sowed a couple hundred tomato seeds into these tiny cells and gave them lots of water and light. I used Coast of Maine potting soil, and bought my seeds from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Sowing them was fun and exciting. I loved checking on them every morning and night to see tiny green sprouting. Once the weather started warming up, I brought them outside for short stretches to expose them to sunlight, cool air, and a little wind.

Second phase: pots

We planted a lot this year so I saved all the plastic containers I could. I transferred them to these bigger pots where they’ll live for the next 2 weeks before finally touching down to the ground. This phase was recommended to me by another gardener, and a crucial step, apparently. This phase gives them the opportunity to grow bigger, stronger roots, that way once they go into the ground they’ll almost guarantee survival. They live outside now since there’s almost no chance of a frost.

Third phase: in the ground

I started noticing the plants were getting much stronger in the pots. They had been in there for about 3 weeks, and lived fully outdoors. I knew they were ready for the ground, and to continue their life in a bigger open space. The soil is already really fertile where I was placing them so I didn’t need to do much. I pinched a little bit of Neptunes Fish Fertilizer in the hole before planting them.