If you want to make this the year you finally start and grow all of your tomato plants indoors for your garden – then now’s the time to get everything you need together and ready to go!
There are so many benefits to starting your tomato plants from seeds. From saving money to having more tomato variety options, growing tomatoes from seed is the way to go for many home gardeners.
Not only can your wallet and taste buds benefit from starting seeds indoors, but it’s also a great way to extend the growing season. There’s nothing better than being able to get your hands dirty long before the weather allows you to step out into your actual garden space.
However, there are some items you need to have on hand if you want to start your own seeds indoors. The great part is that you can often use items you already have on hand.
In addition, if you do end up purchasing some of these items, you can reuse them again in future years. It’s a small investment you can make in your gardening journey now that will pay off big time in the long run.
Advantages Of Starting Tomato Plants Indoors
As mentioned above, there are so many advantages to starting tomato plants from seeds. First off, growing from seeds is a great way to save money this gardening season. Let’s admit it, nothing is getting cheaper these days!
Whether you have a large garden or just a few container plants, purchasing seedlings from garden centers and nurseries gets rather expensive. This is especially the case if you plan on growing 10 plus tomato plants in your garden.
You can usually purchase entire seed packets for less than you can purchase a single tomato plant. In addition, you can save all the extra seeds you don’t sow for planting the following year. (See, “How To Store Tomato Seeds In The Winter”)
Another great advantage of starting your own seeds is that you are able to grow varieties you can’t find in your local garden centers. Purchasing seed packets is super simple to do in-store or online. It opens you up to unique and diverse tomato varieties that many local nurseries don’t grow.
Varieties like “Cherokee Purple” or “Aunt Rubys German Green” are excellent cultivators that you likely can only find by purchasing seeds. Just make sure the tomatoes can grow in your specific growing zone before purchasing. (Eden Brother’s Tomato Seeds Affiliate Link)
Lastly, starting tomatoes from seeds allows you to save your own heirloom tomato plant’s seeds. It’s a great way to not only continue growing great genetics from your garden but also saves you money.
What You Need To Start Tomato Plants Indoors
Besides tomato seeds, here are a few other things you are going to need in order to start your plants indoors this spring.
Seed Starting Containers & Trays
This is one category where you can spend quite a bit of money and get high-quality, durable growing containers and trays or you can go with a more basic route using items you have on hand.
At the basic level, you need to have several small containers that are at least 2.5” wide by 2.5” tall. The containers need to be able to hold soil while allowing excess water to drain out. You also need a tray or something to set the container on that will collect the water.
You can usually find seed starting trays and containers at most garden centers, farm stores, and big box stores in early spring. These trays and containers are usually fairly inexpensive and allow you to start several tomato seeds in a small space.
However, you can also use items you already have on hand. For example, a rimmed baking sheet or foil pan can make for great trays to set containers in.
As for the containers themselves, think outside the box and reuse on-hand plastic containers. Clean out yogurt containers and punch holes in the bottom. Or clean out plastic fruit clamshell containers from the produce section for use. Even plastic drinking cups with holes in the bottom can serve as great seed starting containers.
Covers After Germination
After you plant your seeds, you need to cover the containers with a clear plastic lid of some sort. Again, you can purchase lids but you can also just use a layer of plastic wrap as well. This covering will help to keep in the heat and moisture and encourage seeds to germinate quickly.
Seed Starting Soil – What You Need To Start Tomato Plants Indoors
The next item you need is seed starting soil. It might seem like an obvious one, but there are some things to keep in mind when it comes to the type of soil you use to start your tomato seeds indoors.
Don’t use any basic potting soil that you would use for house plants or mature plants without making alternations first. Regular potting soil is much too dense. Seeds need loose soil in order to sprout and easily push out roots.
You can purchase bagged seed starting soil that is intended specifically for sprouting and growing seeds. The soil needs to be lightweight and contain plenty of nutrients to get the seeds off to a great start. (Affiliate Product Link: Espoma Seed Starting Soil)
You can also make your own seed starting soil as well by combining potting soil, perlite, compost, and worm castings. (See, “How To Create The Best Seed Starting Soil”)
Lighting – What You Need To Start Tomato Plants Indoors
As soon as your tomato seeds germinate, you need to provide them with a light source. Unfortunately, setting seeds next to a bright window won’t produce the best results.
The problem with growing seeds next to windows is that the source – the sun – is so far away that the tomato plants will end up growing tall and leggy. This will create plants that will likely struggle once they are planted outside in the elements.
Instead, you need to use artificial lights. There are lights that are specifically labeled as “grow lights”, but those lights are usually more expensive and unnecessary. Your basic LED or fluorescent shop lights will work perfectly fine for starting and growing tomatoes.
The key is to use a setup that will allow the lights to stay a few inches above the seedlings as they grow. You will need to move the lights up as the plants get taller. You can create a seed starting stand to hang the lights from or you can prop the lights up on blocks and add more as needed.
Along with your tomato seeds and a little water to keep the seed starting soil moist, these simple items will have you all set up on the path for growing healthy and amazing tomato plants right from your own home!
Follow Our Facebook Page For Even More Great Tomato Growing Tips! I Grow Tomatoes Facebook Page
I Grow Tomatoes is a website created for those who love all things about tomatoes – from planting and growing – to cooking and canning! We publish two articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email! This article may contain affiliate links.