Best Way to Start Tomato Seeds Indoors (or Outdoors)

Summary

In this gardening tutorial, Brian from Next Level Gardening shares his 25 years of experience to ensure a bountiful tomato harvest. He reveals a secret hack for maximizing growth and production by showing how to sow seeds in party cups with the right potting mix and moisture. The video covers seedling care, including using a double cup method with marbles for drainage, maintaining proper humidity and warmth, and the importance of light for seed germination. Brian also discusses the use of a fan for strengthening seedlings and the process of transitioning them to the garden with a deep planting technique to encourage root development.

Takeaways

• 🍅 The secret to successful tomato growing starts with proper seed sowing techniques.
• 🌱 Use 18 oz party cups for sowing seeds and ensure they are filled halfway with seed starting mix or indoor potting mix.
• 💧 Pre-moisten the growing medium to a consistency like a wrung-out sponge to avoid overwatering.
• 🌿 Sterilized soil or seed starting mix is recommended to prevent fungus gnats and diseases like damping off.
• 🌱 Plant two seeds per cup for an insurance policy against seed failure, and thin to one seedling once they germinate.
• 🌳 The 'Double Cup' method with a marble and a clear cup can help regulate watering and monitor root development.
• 🌡️ Maintain a consistent temperature of around 75°F (24°C) for optimal tomato seed germination using a heat mat or warm appliance.
• 🌞 Provide light as soon as the seedlings emerge, with a grow light or direct sunlight, and adjust the light source as the plants grow.
• 🌬️ Use a fan to strengthen seedlings by simulating outdoor conditions and reducing fungal issues.
• 🌱 Fertilize seedlings with a half-strength liquid organic fertilizer every two weeks once they have their first set of true leaves.
• 🌱 When transplanting to the garden, bury as much of the stem as possible to encourage root development and plant health.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to provide tips and a secret hack for growing tomatoes successfully, starting from the right way to sow the seeds to maximizing growth and production throughout the summer.

What is the significance of the 18 oz size for the party cups used in the video?

The 18 oz size is important because it provides enough space for the tomato seedlings to grow without being too large, ensuring that the seedlings have adequate room for their roots to develop properly.

Why is it recommended to use seed starting mix or indoor potting mix for sowing tomato seeds?

Seed starting mix or indoor potting mix is recommended because they are typically sterilized, which helps prevent the growth of fungus gnats and fungal diseases like damping off, providing a healthier start for the seeds.

What is the purpose of using vermiculite in the seed sowing process as described in the video?

Vermiculite is used as a protective layer over the potting soil to deter fungus gnats and fungal diseases. It also helps in maintaining moisture around the seeds, which is crucial for germination.

Why does the video suggest sowing two seeds per cup?

Sowing two seeds per cup serves as an insurance policy to ensure at least one healthy seedling grows in each cup, as not all seeds may germinate successfully.

What is the 'Double Cup method' mentioned in the video and how does it benefit tomato seedlings?

The 'Double Cup method' involves placing a planted cup inside another empty cup with a marble at the bottom. This method helps in maintaining proper moisture levels and allows the grower to monitor the water level, preventing overwatering or underwatering.

How does the clear cup in the Double Cup method benefit the seedlings?

The clear cup allows the grower to see the water level and the roots developing, which helps in monitoring the health of the seedlings and adjusting care as needed without disturbing the plants.

What role does humidity play in the germination of tomato seeds as per the video?

Humidity is crucial in maintaining moisture around the seeds, preventing the top of the soil from drying out, which can hinder germination. The video suggests using a plastic bag to create a humid environment for the seedlings.

What is the ideal temperature for tomato seed germination according to the video?

The ideal temperature for tomato seed germination is around 75° Fahrenheit (24° Celsius), which can be achieved using a heat mat with a thermostat or placing the cups on a warm appliance.

Why is light important for tomato seedlings after germination, and what are the different lighting options presented in the video?

Light is essential for seedlings after germination as it provides the energy they need to grow. The video presents three lighting options: clip-on shop lights, fluorescent tubes, and professional grow lights, each with different specifications for lumens and Kelvin to mimic sunlight.

How does the video suggest handling seedlings that have two seedlings growing in one cup?

When two seedlings grow in one cup, the video suggests waiting until they have their first set of true leaves, then selecting the stronger one and removing the weaker one at the stem, or if desired, transplanting the weaker seedling into a separate cup.

What is the hack mentioned at the end of the video to supercharge the tomato seedlings when planting them out?

The hack involves filling the cup with more potting soil up to the rim, encouraging the tomato plant to develop more roots along its stem. This results in a more robust plant with a stronger root system, which is then planted deeply to take advantage of the additional roots.

Outlines

00:00

🍅 Starting Seeds for Maximum Tomato Growth

Brian from Next Level Gardening shares his 25 years of experience in growing tomatoes, emphasizing that success begins with proper seed sowing. He suggests using party cups as seed starters, cutting them to a specific size for planting. The choice of growing medium is crucial, with sterilized indoor potting mix or seed-starting mix recommended to prevent fungus gnats. Vermiculite is optional for an extra layer of protection. Seeds are planted with a 1/4-inch covering, and a 'Double Cup' method is introduced for better moisture control and root development. The importance of observing water levels and maintaining proper watering to avoid over or underwatering is highlighted.

05:00

🌱 Creating the Ideal Seedling Environment

The video script describes the process of creating a suitable environment for tomato seedlings. It starts with maintaining humidity using plastic bags and ensuring warmth, ideally around 75°F, using a heat mat or other heat sources. Light is not necessary for germination but is crucial once the seedling emerges. Different lighting options are discussed, including clip-on lights, fluorescent tubes, and professional grow lights, with an emphasis on lumens and Kelvin for light intensity and color temperature. The script also addresses the issue of seedling stretching due to inadequate light and the need to keep the seedlings close to the light source.

10:01

🌱 Advancing Seedling Care and Hardening Off

This section details the care of tomato seedlings after germination, including the use of a fan for strengthening the plants and reducing fungal issues. The importance of thinning to one seedling per cup after the first true leaves appear is discussed, along with the introduction of liquid organic fertilizers. The script also covers the process of filling the cups with more soil to encourage root development along the stem, which is a unique characteristic of tomatoes. The goal is to create a robust plant capable of withstanding diseases and producing more fruit.

15:03

🌱 Planting Out and Supercharging Tomato Seedlings

The final paragraph outlines the process of planting the tomato seedlings in the garden. It emphasizes the advantage of tomatoes' ability to grow roots along their stem and suggests burying as much of the stem as possible. The video script advises removing the first truss of flowers to focus the plant's energy on root and stem development. It also provides tips on planting depth and the use of organic granulated fertilizer. The script concludes with a teaser for future videos that will follow the tomato plants' progress throughout the season.

Keywords

💡Seedling

A seedling refers to a young plant that has recently germinated from a seed. In the context of the video, seedlings are the starting point for growing tomatoes, and the video provides detailed instructions on how to sow seeds and nurture the seedlings for optimal growth. The script mentions covering the seeds with a growing medium and watering them to ensure the seeds come into contact with the soil, which is crucial for germination.

💡Sterilized Soil

Sterilized soil is soil that has been treated to kill any pathogens, weed seeds, or other organisms that could potentially harm the plants. The video emphasizes the importance of using sterilized soil or seed-starting mix to prevent issues like fungus gnats, which can be a common problem when using non-sterilized soil. This is directly related to the video's theme of successful tomato cultivation, as it sets the stage for a healthy start to the growing process.

💡Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a type of mineral that is often used in gardening as a soil amendment due to its ability to retain water and provide aeration. In the video, vermiculite is recommended to be placed over the potting soil after sowing the seeds as an additional layer of protection against fungus gnats and damping off, a fungal disease. This illustrates the video's focus on preventative measures to ensure healthy seedling growth.

💡Double Cup Method

The Double Cup Method is a technique mentioned in the video where a second cup is placed over a cup containing the planted seeds, with a marble in the top cup to elevate the bottom cup and allow for better water management. This method is said to have given good results in the video creator's experiments, highlighting the video's theme of maximizing growth and production through innovative gardening hacks.

💡Humidity

Humidity refers to the amount of moisture in the air and is a critical factor in the germination and early growth of plants. The video discusses creating a humid environment for the seedlings by covering the cups with plastic bags, which helps retain moisture and prevents the soil from drying out. This is essential for the successful germination of tomato seeds and the subsequent growth of the seedlings.

💡Heat Mat

A heat mat is a device used to provide bottom heat for starting seeds and growing plants. In the video, the creator mentions using a heat mat with a thermostat to maintain the ideal temperature for tomato seed germination, which is around 75°F (24°C). This device is integral to the video's message of creating a controlled environment for optimal seedling growth.

💡Grow Light

A grow light is an artificial light source used to provide the necessary light spectrum for plant growth, especially in situations where natural sunlight is insufficient. The video discusses the importance of light for seedlings and offers advice on different types of grow lights, emphasizing the need for light with specific lumens and Kelvin ratings to mimic natural daylight. This is a key element in the video's overall theme of creating the best possible conditions for growing tomatoes.

💡Fan

In the context of the video, a fan is used to provide air circulation around the seedlings, which helps to strengthen them and reduce the risk of fungal diseases. The video suggests using an oscillating fan to create a gentle breeze that mimics natural outdoor conditions, preparing the seedlings for transplanting into the garden. This illustrates the video's focus on hardening off seedlings to ensure their resilience post-transplanting.

💡Organic Fertilizer

Organic fertilizers are derived from natural sources and provide nutrients to plants in a form that is readily available to them. The video mentions the use of a liquid organic fertilizer, specifically Neptune's Harvest tomato and veg, to feed the seedlings once they have developed their first set of true leaves. This ties into the video's overall theme of promoting natural and sustainable gardening practices for growing tomatoes.

💡Root Development

Root development is the process by which a plant's root system grows and expands. The video discusses the importance of root development for tomatoes, particularly the ability of tomato plants to grow roots along their stems. The video includes a technique for planting tomatoes deeply to encourage root growth, which is crucial for a strong and healthy plant that can better resist diseases and produce more fruit.

Highlights

The success of tomatoes starts with the way you sow the seeds.

Use party cups in size 18 oz for sowing seeds, and cut about one inch tall triangles for drainage.

Pre-moisten seed starting mix or indoor potting mix to the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.

Sterilized soil is recommended to prevent fungus gnats and diseases.

Vermiculite can be used as a protective layer against fungus gnats and damping off.

Fill cups about halfway with soil and sow two seeds per cup for insurance.

The Double Cup method with a marble can help prevent overwatering.

A clear cup allows monitoring of water levels and root development.

Maintain a water level about halfway up the triangle for optimal seed contact.

Use a sandwich bag to create humidity until the seedling emerges.

A heat mat set to 75°F (24°C) is ideal for tomato seed germination.

Light is not needed for germination, but is essential once the seedling emerges.

Use grow lights or fluorescent tubes with specific lumens and Kelvin ratings for light.

Maintain a 16-hour light and 8-hour dark cycle for seedlings.

An oscillating fan strengthens seedlings and reduces fungal issues.

Thin out to one seedling per cup once the first set of true leaves appears.

Begin fertilizing seedlings every two weeks with half-strength liquid organic fertilizer.

Fill the cup to the rim with soil to encourage root growth along the stem.

Plant seedlings deep to bury as much stem as possible for a strong root system.

Remove the first truss of flowers to focus energy on root and stem development.

Ensure the planting date is after the last frost date for the area.

Transcripts

I hope you guys are ready to have your

best tomato year ever because that's

what's going to happen after watching

this video I've been growing tomatoes

for 25 years and I know a secret and

that is the success of your Tomatoes

starts right now with the way you sew

the seed stick around to the end because

I'm going to show you a hack to

supercharge your seedling when you plant

it out for maximum growth and production

throughout the summer by the way I'm

Brian with Next Level gardening and if

you could let me know in the comments

where you're from and how many years

you've been growing tomatoes and if it's

your first year definitely let us know

that now let's get growing so first

let's talk about what we're going to sew

the seeds in and that would be one of

these party cups could be any color any

brand you want them to be the 18 o size

though that's important so if you have a

party collect all the cups and reuse

them these things will last for years

the only thing we need to do to the Solo

Cup is to cut about one inch

tall

triangles

just like that about three will

do now the growing medium I'm using is

nothing fancy it's just some seat

starting mix um or indoor potting mix

you want to pre moisten it and you want

it to be about like a a rung out sponge

so when you squeeze it you might get a

few drips but that's about it you don't

want water to come pouring out now the

reason I say indoor potting mix or seed

starting mix is because typically those

are sterilized why is that important if

you've ever grown seeds indoors and had

little flying fungus knats all over the

place probably came from your soil and

if you get sterilized soil uh the eggs

won't be in there not saying they won't

find it later but at least you're

starting off on the right foot I'm also

going to be putting vermiculite over the

top of the potting soil once we've uh

sewed our seeds this is just another

layer of protection against fungus gnats

and also a fungal disease called damping

off but that's optional all right so

we're going to fill our cups about

halfway full you don't have to really

pack it down you know just a little bit

but about halfway full and that's it now

we're going to put two

seeds right there in the cup now you're

going to cover them up with about 1/4

inch of seed starting mix or like I said

I'm using

vermiculite then we're just going to

water it

just enough to wet the vermiculite and

what that's going to do is that's going

to pull that seed right into intimate

contact with the potting soil now the

reason I sewed two seeds in here is one

is an insurance policy so you can always

make sure you got at least one seedling

coming up in each cup now at this point

you can either leave them like this or

you can do the Double Cup method I tried

the Double Cup method last year as an

experiment and I really thought it gave

me good results so we need another cup

of the same size either colored like

this one or clear you'll also need some

marbles you can get these at the Dollar

Tree and they'll last you forever if you

have everything but the marble and you

want to get this started today you can

just use a small pebble the same size as

a marble now I'm going to use the clear

cup I'll tell you why that's great in a

minute all right you got your empty cup

and your planted cup we're going to drop

a marble in the clear one and place the

planted cup inside now that marble holds

it a bit off of the bottom of the cup

now some people plant in the clear cup

so they can lift it out and they can see

the root development we're not growing

these in here for very long just a few

weeks so I'm not really concerned about

the root development I'm more concerned

about seeing through this cup and how

much water is in there eventually you'll

also see roots coming out of the bottom

of the drainage hole so you'll be able

to see the roots no matter what but

being able to see the water level lets

you know if it needs to be watered or

not I got this idea from Gardener Scott

about the clear Cup on on the outside

and I think it's brilliant because seeds

and seedlings are most often killed by

underwatering or overwatering so being

able to see right in there let you know

if you're doing it right if you see the

water level and it's touching the Red

Cup at the bottom you don't need to

water it may look dry on top which is

okay um the best place for the water

level to be is about halfway up that

triangle I don't know if you can see

that that allows the water to Wick up

through this soil but you don't want it

above that triangle that means you're

going to flood your seeds so about a/

inch of water or halfway up that

triangle is the sweet spot but I would

rather there be just a few drops in this

cup than overfilled so at this point

whichever way you go one cup or two and

if you do one cup you'll probably want

to put all these in a tray so that the

water doesn't go everywhere but again

make sure that water in the tray only

comes up halfway on these triangles the

next thing we need to do is create the

perfect growing environment and we start

that with humidity you want to be able

to keep the moisture inside and not let

the top dry out cuz remember your seed

is only a quarter to an eighth of an

inch deep so we're going to take a

regular little sandwich bag here and

just slip it right over the top of these

cups just like that we're going to leave

these on until you can look in there and

see that the seedling is up and as soon

as that seedling is up take off the bag

save this for next time you don't want

to leave the bag on there after the seed

is up and growing because you'll start

to get algae growth and you'll probably

get that disease damping off like I told

you a lot of funguses can thrive in that

environment for the rest of this we need

to take these inside the garage where I

have my seed starting set up so I can

walk you through that by the way don't

forget to label your

plants all right we've got humidity with

our baggie and now we need warmth now

being indoors could be enough if if you

like your heater set on high we do not

plus this is in the garage Tomatoes

germinate best at about 75° Fahrenheit

21 CS now to get this temperature uh I

use a heat mat and I recommend one with

a thermostat that way you can set the

temperature and not have to worry about

it and they're actually pretty

affordable now you can also Sit Them

above or on top of a warm Appliance like

a refrigerator if you have a radiator

with a window sill or a shelf above it

that can work too with bottom heat

Tomatoes can germinate in about 4 days

it's really fast now light is not needed

for tomato seed germination however as

soon as that seedling pops its little

head out of the soil it needs light ASAP

there's only so much energy in that seed

and now it needs to get it from the Sun

so keep a close eye on them and once

they have germinated you need to either

move them into a very sunny window and

when I say sunny window it only works if

you have six at least 6 to eight hours

of direct sunlight coming in that window

very few have that if you do you're

lucky if you don't you're going to have

to mimic that sunlight with a grow light

now don't get scared this is where most

new gardeners get turned off and scared

I'm going to simplify it and show you

three different kinds of Lights you can

use depending on your budget the

cheapest way would be to use one of

these clip-on lights can can also use a

fluorescent tube shop light or you can

use a professional grade grow light I'll

put a link to this one as well as any

other products that I use down in the

video description there are discounts

associated with some of them but for the

other two for the uh silver clipon and

the shop light this would be the

cheapest way unless you need a bunch of

them but for both this kind and the shop

light fluoresent tube kind uh you do not

need to spend extra money on a package

light that says grow light those are

going to be more expensive every time go

to Home Depot Lowe's wherever has a a

good selection of regular light bulbs

and you're looking for specific numbers

on the packages you want to look for

lumens and Kelvin lumens is just how

bright a light is the intensity of the

light and you're looking for between

1,500 and 2,000 lumens Kelvin is the

temperature of the light not the actual

heat that it puts off but the color

temperature you want it to mimic the Sun

so on the package you're looking for

something that says daylight or 4500 to

6500 Kelvin that's all you need to look

for and it can be a bulb it could be a

long tube it could be led it could be

whatever they have instead of LED now

maybe nothing with a professional grow

light like this the grow light can

actually be 12 18 in or more above the

plants because it has an intensity that

the other two just can't mimic what's

great about that is it can cover a large

area with the other two you need to keep

the actual light bulb 2 to three in

above the leaves of the plant at all

times so you need to either raise those

lights as the plants grow or lower the

plants away from the light as they grow

and you can do that by putting the uh

the trays or whatever you're growing in

up on books or bricks and just kind of

remove those a little at a time to allow

the plants room between the light and

the tray so you really got to figure out

how big of an area you have and which of

these bulbs would actually uh be the

best value for you if you notice your

seedlings stretching I'll put a picture

up right here that's what you don't want

to see that means they're really

struggling to get enough light and

probably not getting enough now in most

seedlings once they get to that stage

they're not you're not going to be able

to fix them Tomatoes you have a little

more leeway on which which you'll find

out why in a minute but you really got

to get the the plants close enough to

whatever type of light that you have now

no matter what light choice you make the

light needs to stay on 16 hours and off

for eight in a 24hour period now I

personally run mine all night long

because the electricity is cheaper then

so one more thing to get the environment

perfect and that would be this old fan

right here nothing fancy but this works

wonders for your seedlings they are here

in a protected

environment and in a few weeks they're

going to be expected to go out into the

cruel world of the garden and deal with

a lot of issues out there and you need

them to be as strong as they can be so

the first thing this is going to do is

make them strong it's going to give them

a workout you're going to see the plants

kind of swaying back and forth whenever

it needs to be an oscillating fan so it

can go back and forth forth and the

plants will you know move with that

breeze and that's going to get them

stronger the second thing it's going to

do is keep the top of the uh potting mix

dry and that's going to cut way down on

fungal issues and fungus Nets so this is

an optional thing but if you've got an

old fan laying around it's well worth

putting it in this area all right so

we've got the environment perfect the

light that we need to have them grow and

now we've sewed two seeds into each of

the cups if both of those come up you

want to wait until they have their true

leaves the first pair of leaves that

come up are the seed leaves and the

second pair are the real true leaves

they'll look like a tomato leaf they'll

look different so once they have their F

first set you pick the strongest one and

you clip the weakest one off at the stem

so you have one per cup now if you're

not heartless you can save both you

gently take them out of the cup and

tease those root Roots apart and give

them their own separate cups once they

have their first set of true leaves you

can begin to fertilize them every 2

weeks you're going to want to mix up a

liquid organic fertilizer half strength

I use Neptune's Harvest tomato and veg

and it's okay to get them on the leaves

you're feeding them through the leaves

that way make sure you check the water

level if it goes up too much give it a

chance to soak in still too much you can

dump it out till it's about halfway up

that triangle if you're growing them in

a tray instead of cups lift them up out

of the tray make sure that the half the

triangle is still out of the water

anything you pour out of the cup or the

tray save that that's nutrient-rich

water and water with it again next time

all right we're fast forwarding a few

weeks to where the plant is now Above

the Rim of the cup this is where we're

going to turn a regular seedling into a

supercharged seedling and that goes back

to the question why did we only fill

this cup halfway in the very beginning

tomatoes are one of the few plants that

actually grow roots anywhere their stem

touches the soil and the more roots that

you can develop the better and the

sooner you get them to develop those

roots the healthier and more robust the

plant's going to be when it's planted in

the garden a more robust plant is going

to have the ability to fight off disease

and pests and produce more fruit so

we're going to take some more potting

soil and we're going to fill up all the

way around that stem leaving about

a about a half inch of space at the top

just for uh watering and you may be

covering up leaves that are on the plant

it doesn't matter that's not going to

hurt anything in any way now you've

tucked your plant in all the way up its

neck and more roots are going to develop

in the top section of this cup another

great reason to do it this way is

tomatoes have two types of roots they've

got feeder roots and they've got water

Roots the water roots go deep to get

water and the feeder roots are in the

top section of the soil and they collect

food from around the top so generally in

the wild it would be rotting leaves and

things like that so throughout this

process we're developing more and more

leaves toward the top of the soil now in

just a couple more weeks your plant is

going to be getting nice and Tall nice

thick stem you might even see some

flowers forming that means it's ready to

go outside as long as you're past your

last frost date so you need to Google

your ZIP code Town wherever you are and

last frost frost date and find out when

the average last frost date is for your

area you don't want to put these out if

there's still a chance of frost in fact

you really would like it to be in the

upper 40s at night to put these out and

that would be the coldest if you can get

it in the low 50s even better so

remember when I said stick around to the

end of the video I was going to show you

a hack to supercharge this even more

when we plant it out in the garden this

guy's ready so let's go out in the

garden and take care of business all

right so here we are in the garden

Bella's here to help so always wanting

to take advantage of tomatoes being able

to grow roots along their stem when you

plant your tomato out you want to dig a

deep hole as deep as you can to bury as

much stem as you can now you have to

leave some out of the ground and you can

go ahead and take off these lower leaves

or not it doesn't matter I also like to

uh take off the first truss of flowers

so just pinch those off that puts more

energy into the actual root and stem

development rather than fruit right now

so you want to dig as deep a hole as

possible uh maybe here even that would

be good in this bed I have gopher issues

and so I have uh hardware cloth or

gopher netting on the bottom so this

bed's really only about 6 in deep now

there's native soil underneath so the

roots can still go deeper than that but

planting wise that's as deep as I can go

if you're in a similar situation or

maybe you're planting in a container

dig a trench as long as you need it to

be to lay this root ball and the stem

into the hole then we're going to pull

that

out lay it down in here and fill in

around it gently pulling the stem up at

an angle to be 45 it doesn't have to be

at a 90° angle you don't want to do that

it's probably going to break the stem

once the stem is half buried it's a

great time to add a Sprinkle of organ

organic granulated

fertilizer and it'll probably be aiming

that way but it'll straighten itself out

once it's in the Sun a couple days now

if you want to see The Next Step hit

subscribe right here when I get to that

point I'm going to put out another video

and keep putting out videos to follow

the progress and what you should be

doing all season long if you want to

skip ahead though click this video right

here it's an entire growing guide it's

got 12 million views at this point I'll

see you guys next time