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• LOWEST TEMP FOR TOMATO SEEDLINGS FULL

Your lights should stay on for 14 to 16 hours per day.What is the coldest temperature tomato plants can handle?

Remember, strong light is needed to support tomato growth. Be creative to find a way to get your seedlings directly under the lights.

LOWEST TEMP FOR TOMATO SEEDLINGS FULL

For ideal growth, set up full spectrum grow lights or white florescent lights just a few inches above the seedlings. If you have no other light source than a windowsill, turn your seedlings regularly. The light your seedlings receive on a windowsill may be adequate but most often is insufficient and may lead to leggy growth as a result of seedlings stretching for sunlight. If the light is not adequate, you will get long, leggy stems shooting up which is not good. Watch for the first seedlings, because they will need to be moved into a good light source as soon as they begin to emerge from the soil. (Some varieties need more time to germinate.) When seeds start coming up remove tray from plastic bag. However, temperatures below 50F (10C) or above 95F (35C) are poor for germination. The lower the temperature the slower the germination. Best to keep temperature range 70 to 80F (21 to 27C). If temperature is kept consistently and sufficiently warm, your tomato seeds will usually germinate within 5 to 10 days. Light is ok, but not needed during the germination process. Place your containers in a warm location out of direct sunlight.

Some air circulation is good but don't let the mix dry out because dry seeds won't germinate. Put your containers or tray into a loose-fitting plastic bag (leaving the end open for circulation. Dampen soil mix thoroughly with a gentle drizzling of water. Plant your seeds a maximum of 1/4 inch deep. Fill container with dampened seed starting mix. It's generally pretty easy to find a home for seedlings you won't be using. I advise planting 20% more seeds than the number of plants you'll want to allow for seeds that may not germinate or seedlings that become damaged. Check the climate zone map on TomatoFest or ask your local nursery, or gardening friends for the best date for you to plant. Planting your seedlings outdoors should be scheduled around 2 weeks following the average last frost date for your region. Sow your certified tomato seeds 6-8 weeks before planting your seedlings outdoors. Your choice of the container that will best fit your needs depends upon how many plants you wish to start.Īvoid planting too early to prevent plants from becoming root-bound or spindly. If you choose to reuse older plastic containers, I suggest sterilizing them first with a light bleach solution (5-10%) I now use commercially available 128 cell seed trays. Most gardening stores will carry seed starting containers with single or multiple cells. I've found that commercially available seed starting kits with peat or plastic containers are easy to use and proven successful.

I used to use styrofoam cups with holes punched in the bottom. The final product should be evenly dampened but not soggy wet.Īs long as your tomato seeds get sufficient moisture, warmth and drainage almost any container will work. You may want to let your seed starting mix sit wet overnight before using to assure that it is evenly soaked. I like to thoroughly combine the seed starting mix with warm water to make it useable since a dry mix is difficult to work with. A good commercial seed starting mix is often a blend of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite. Because your garden soil compacts too easily and can harbor organisms that may cause diseases it's a better choice to purchase a prepared seed starting mix.