Start Growing Tomatoes Indoors From Seeds For Juicy Vegetables All Summer

Whether you want to enjoy sweet and juicy tomatoes or grab a head start on the growing season, growing tomatoes indoors from seeds is always a great way to go. Tomatoes always make a tasty, bountiful, and colorful addition to any garden, and they are quite easy to set up. If you’re thinking about planting fresh tomatoes, run through this quick list to get in on the simplest way to start tomato seeds.

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growing tomatoes indoors from seeds

When you go to choose seeds, you’ll notice there are many varieties of tomatoes. Sweet cherry tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, plum tomatoes…The hardest part is really choosing what which ones to try! Once you choose your seeds there are just a few more things you can grab to kickstart your tomato garden.

What You’ll Need to grow tomatoes indoors

To get started you’ll need a few simple things from your local nursery or gardening section of the hardware store:

• Tomato Seeds
• Seed Starting Dirt Mix
• Seed Starting Peat Pots or Strips
• A Spray Bottle With Water for misting

Plant tomato Seeds In Peat Pots to start growing tomatoes indoors from seeds

Using the seed starter soil, plant your seeds about 1/4 inch deep in the peat pots, if using. If the soil is dry, moisten slightly by misting with water. I used simple biodegradable seed starting peat strips. I planted the seeds simply by poking a dimple in the dirt and dropping in one seed per pod. The seeds are quite small and can be tricky to handle. I poured mine in a small clear bowl and just used my finger to slide out one seed at a time.

Mist & Keep tomato seeds Moist

Keep the soil moist and place seed pods in a warm place. I like to keep a spray bottle nearby and just mist them as often as needed to keep the soil wet without dumping in too much water over the pods. This helps to keep the seedling in a wet environment and in place without overwatering.

This is a fun job for little ones! My youngest one loves to mist the seed pods first thing in the morning!

Related: 9 Great Garden Ideas To Try This Summer

how long do tomato seeds take to germinate?

After about one or two weeks, seedlings will form spouts. They will need plenty of sunlight so place them on a sunny facing windowsill or grow under fluorescent plant lights.

If you struggle with good direct sunlight in your house, check to see how the direction of the sun pours in light throughout your house windows. Usually south-facing windows offer nice bright light. Choose the best position in your house to place the plants so that they get enough light to nurture growth until they’re ready to go outside.

label your tomato plants

If planting multiple varieties or starting different plants, it’s always a good idea to label everything so you can track your plants when they go from container to ground. A sharpie and some popsicle sticks usually does the trick. I just write and pop them in.

Transplant your tomato plants To Wider Pots

When the tomato sprouts have developed 3 or 4 pairs of leaves, transplant them to wider 3 or 4 inch pots. If you don’t have smaller pots, solo cups make great temporary containers. Just puncture the cups at the bottom for drainage.

I placed the cups on a baking sheet to catch any draining water. They’ll now have a little more space in wider pots to develop stronger root systems before they are planted in the ground.

Harden Your Tomato Plants

To harden your tomato plants and help prep them to greet the outdoors, place them outside every day for a week or two. They’ll get plenty of bright sunshine and fresh air. This will help the tomato plants get acquainted with their new outdoor environment. Bring back indoors if the danger of frost is still likely or if temperatures are still dipping below 50 degrees.

Transfer Tomato Plants To Garden Bed

When the danger of frost has passed, transfer your plants to your garden and plant them in ground. If you are unsure of the first and last frost dates typical of your zone, check this zone guide and plan accordingly. Here in Chicago we are typically a zone 5 and have to wait until the end of April for the danger of frosty temps to lift.

Water Your tomato Plants Regularly

Once your plants are in ground they will need plenty of water. Feed them once a month and plant in a spot that will receive plenty of direct sunlight. Give your tomatoes support by using tomato cages or stakes.

Harvest tomatoes anywhere from 45 to 90 days from the day they were planted. Enjoy your fresh, colorful tomatoes in salads, soups, or roasted! This orzo salad, or this easy tomato basil chicken are just two examples of great ways to make good use of cherry tomatoes! They always taste better when they come from your own garden.

If you have some more tips or experience growing tomatoes in your garden, let me know in the comments below! What’s your favorite variety? The ones I planted here above in our garden are Burpee honeycomb hybrid tomatoes which came in abundantly and with little effort!

They’re sturdy, sweet orange cherry tomatoes. Perfect for picking all summer long and using in everything from garnishes to grilling, to salads and dips. I hope some of these quick tips help you to easily start growing tomatoes indoors from seeds. These few steps will get you closer to enjoying your fresh tomato garden all summer long!

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