it doesn’t take long at all! They will germinate quickly at a temperature of around 20☌, so if you’re growing indoors, tomato seedlings will start to grow on the top of a warm indoor windowsill, for example. Growing tomato seedlings indoorsįor those of you asking ‘how long does it take for tomatoes to grow?’. Move the pots to a propagator or tomato grow house to germinate, or place a clear polythene bag over the tops of individual pots, held away from the compost with sticks, and secured in place using an elastic band. Water the pots thoroughly and allow them to drain, before spacing individual seeds at least 2cm apart.Ĭover the seeds with a 0.5cm layer of sieved seed compost or vermiculite, and lightly water them in using a watering can fitted with a fine rose. Fill the pots up to within 1cm of the rim, and gently pat the surface down. Sow your tomato seeds into 7cm pots of seed compost or potting soil/potting mix. Sowings can be made even earlier, in March or late February, if you’re growing tomatoes indoors in the greenhouse, or in milder parts of the southwest. This means sowing from the start of April for outdoor plants.
So, work back from the usual date of your last frost – the end of May in the Midlands – and sow accordingly. Tomato plants are ready to move into their final positions approximately seven to eight weeks after sowing. Plants can be grown in greenhouse beds, or you can plant tomatoes in grow bags or pots. Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse will allow an earlier start and will extend the season, meaning you’ll be left with more fruit.
#TRANSPLANTING TOMATO SEEDLINGS GROW BAGS FREE#
Greenhouse-grown tomatoes will stand the best chance of success if they are introduced into a clean, sterile environment that’s free from overwintering pests, so thoroughly clean all nooks and crannies within your greenhouse the winter before.
Rake the soil level a week before planting, ready for your new occupants. Tomatoes perform best when given a nutrient-rich soil, so early preparations will go a long way to ensuring the best possible yields. Prepare the soil by digging it over and incorporating plenty of well-rotted organic matter such as home-made compost. This will reduce the chances of crop-specific pests and diseases, such as late blight, passing on to the new crop. If you’re growing tomato plants in the soil outside, pick a spot where tomatoes or potatoes have not been sited within the past two years. Look out for those varieties described as suitable for outdoor growing, or pick an old, reliable favourite such as ‘Shirley’ or the appropriately named ‘Outdoor Girl’. There’s no single best way to grow tomatoes: all varieties can be grown under the cover of a greenhouse or polytunnel, but many are also suitable for outdoor cultivation, so long as these growing requirements are met. When growing tomatoes outside, remember that they thrive in a sheltered, sunny position. Tomatoes can also be grown in bottomless pots positioned on top of grow bags or soil – the extra space leads to sturdier plants. Pour your water and liquid feed into this to allow it to seep gradually into the soil or compost. Watering can be made a lot easier by sinking empty plant pots or inverted plastic drinks bottles cut in half into the soil, right next to the base of the plant. This is particularly important once fruits begin to form, as sudden swings between bone-dry soil and moist conditions can cause rapid fruit-swell, forcing the skins to split open. Watering tomato plantsĪll tomatoes will need to be kept moist so that they grow steadily: you definitely want to avoid irregular watering. Early-season tomatoes need around 50-60 days to harvest from transplanting, whereas mid-season tomatoes require up to 80 days. If you’re wondering, ‘how long do tomatoes take to grow’, this depends on the variety. They’re even attractive enough to be a slotted into an ornamental plot, or grown next to a flower bed. There are even succulent, meaty plum and beefsteak types of tomato on stocky, bush-like plants that need little support – making them great for busy gardeners looking for a low-maintenance variety. You could also try growing tomatoes in pots. There is a variety to fit every space: you could be growing cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets by the front door growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, including vine varieties, and even cultivating the plants in grow bags. The plants are easy to get going, quick to reach maturity, and once they start producing their flavoursome fruits, there’s no stopping them! The tomato is a much-loved fixture on UK plots, and it isn’t hard to see why.
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