Tomato seeds

The number of tomato varieties available is almost unimaginably vast. Dividing them into groups makes it easier to understand and how they fit together. We distinguish between two different groups:

Bush tomatoes, which should NOT be pruned and each plant forms a larger or smaller bush of branches and fruits. The bush tomato group usually includes dwarf varieties that are well suited for indoor cultivation in pots. The fruits are usually small although the variation between the varieties is great.

Tall tomatoes, which SHOULD be pruned and only one main stem is allowed to grow. Here, the majority of the most cultivable varieties and subgroups such as beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes, plum tomatoes, and so on, are all represented with many different varieties within the group.

Sowing:
Tomatoes can be sown during much of the year, but it's easy to be too eager! Early sowing results in plants that are tall and spindly and they quickly get overtaken by later sown plants. Therefore, the sowing time should be planned based on the conditions at hand so that the quality of the rapidly growing plants does not deteriorate due to lack of space. Experience shows that sowing in the middle to the end of March gives the best results for cultivation in open ground or in a cold greenhouse in central Sweden. For cultivation of so-called potted or micro tomatoes that are to be grown on the windowsill and not planted out, earlier sowing is of course possible if there is space available.

The seeds are sown in seed compost about 0.5 cm deep and covered with soil, fine sand, or vermiculite. Water the sowing gently, cover with plastic, and then place it in a warm place, 22-24 degrees. No light is needed before the seedlings emerge above ground, and an ideal place for germination can therefore be on a warm floor, for example in the bathroom. However, be careful to monitor the temperature so that it doesn't get too hot, as temperatures above 25-26 degrees inhibit germination. Germination can be expected within a week, but usually it takes a couple of days under optimal conditions. As soon as germination has occurred, a lot of light is needed and for early sowing before mid-March, supplementary lighting is required for 16-18 hours per day for optimal growth.

Care:
If the plants crowd each other, they will quickly become tall and spindly. Therefore, after emergence, it is soon time for the first repotting. It is usually appropriate to repot when the first true leaves have formed (true leaves = the real leaves that develop after the cotyledons). If the plant has become tall, the stem up to the true leaves can be gently placed under the soil at this first repotting since it quickly forms roots and helps with water and nutrient uptake. It is important not to damage or break the stem during this repotting as the plant will quickly wilt away. When the plant begins to show signs of crowding in its pot again, it is time to repot once more. Don't forget to regularly add liquid plant food throughout the plant-raising process, preferably with each watering. A healthy tomato plant has dark green leaves. A starving plant has light green-yellowish green leaves with yellowing at the bottom of the plant, which is a good indication that you should increase nutrient intake!

Planting:
When the risk of frost is over, typically in early June for central Sweden, it's time to plant out on the final growing site. It's important to gradually acclimate the plants so that they don't get shocked. This acclimatization period is usually called hardening. Tomatoes can be grown in pots, containers, or directly in the ground, but it's always important to use good soil. When growing in pots, the best variety is always chosen, whether bought or self-made, and never cheap planting soil. When planting in the ground, the soil is improved with ample amounts of compost, well-rotted manure, or other materials that are available. If possible, it's best to avoid planting in the same place year after year because tomatoes are sensitive to soil-borne diseases. These diseases appear if tomatoes are grown in the same place year after year and are commonly called soil fatigue. What has actually happened is that the concentration of harmful microorganisms in the soil has become too high.

Maintenance during the summer:
When the summer heat finally arrives, growth happens very quickly. During this period, the plant should never suffer from a lack of water or nutrients. It is also important to remove the side shoots, or suckers, from tall-growing varieties every week so that maximum energy goes to the main stem. The plant should also be properly tied up so that the stem does not risk breaking when the fruits swell and heavy clusters hang on the plant. In mid-August, it's time to top the plant, which may feel early since it's still in the middle of summer, but remember that it takes 8 weeks for the cluster that blooms at that time to start harvesting, and by then it is well into autumn with rain, cold, and damp weather. Shortly after topping, the plant usually shoots a lot of side shoots, and it is important to remove these so that there is not a mess of shoots going in all directions.

Harvest:
From flowering to ripe fruit, it usually takes about 8 weeks, depending on the temperature. The tomato fruit may have different colors, flavors, and sizes at maturity, but it is never eaten fresh in its green, unripe state. The exception is, of course, the tomato varieties that are also green when ripe and used for making green tomatoes at home. Green, unripe tomatoes can always ripen indoors afterwards or why not make a delicious jam with the last tomatoes of the season.

Issues:
There are many pests that like tomatoes, and the main actions are to regularly check the plants carefully every week. Most often, the pests are found on the underside of the leaves, and by using yellow sticky traps and carefully examining the catches, an attack can be detected and countermeasures taken early.

Aphids often attack young plants. Aphids reproduce quickly, and all attacks must be stopped in time before they become unmanageable. Use plant care products, soap, or the like. It is also usually effective to crush the insects between your fingertips or wash the plant's affected parts with cold water.

Whiteflies are also an insect that often appears in cultivation. They thrive mainly in enclosed, dry, and warm spaces such as a warm sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse. The insect has several stages, but it is the adult, flying animals that do the most damage by sucking plant sap from the plant's young parts. Use plant care products or soap to curb the attack. A very good way to combat whiteflies is also the yellow sticky traps available on the market. These are completely non-toxic, and the flying insects are attracted to the yellow color and once stuck, they cannot get away. The traps work well against all flying pests such as fungus gnats and thrips.

Root diseases can occur if you grow in the same soil for several years in a row, which is often the case with cultivation in beds in a greenhouse. You cannot see any fungi or other pests with the naked eye, but it is microscopic organisms that attack the plant's roots. The best remedy is to change the planting site every year, but in a greenhouse, this is often not possible. Instead, improve the soil with a generous amount of compost, well-rotted manure, grass clippings, and so on, or alternatively, replace all of the soil. The soil that is removed can be used for all other plants, but not for tomatoes or peppers, which are both susceptible.