Advice on Growing Tomatoes from Seed?

[tru2pru]

My daughter (4 yo) recently saw a pre-packaged Elmo cherry tomato kit and HAD to have it. I have grown tomatoes in the past, but always from seedlings, never from seeds. She took the 6 little red pots and put the peat? pucks in and then added the water and watched them expand. She then, very carefully, placed between 6 and 8 seeds in each pot and lightly pushed them into the soil. They came with there own little "green house" and are currently sitting in my south facing kitchen window. I REALLY want these to grow for her so she can learn to appreciate and enjoy growing your own veggies and fruits. Does anyone have any advice in how to make these little babies actually grow?

[garden5]

Well, you can start [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6809&start=0]here[/url] . this is a pretty good thread on the basics of tomato growing.



Welcome to the fourum .

[katylaide]

From my experience (not that much), tomato seeds take about two weeks before you see anything. Just keep the growing medium moist but not drenched. Make sure your daughter knows she doesn't have to water them every day (it's actually harder than it sounds, I'm 20 but was so eager when I started gardening last year that I watered my seedlings every day and the first few tomato plants I tried didn't get beyong the seed-leaf stage). Once the plants are up, it's even more important that they're not over-watered, and they need lots of sun too.

[Ozark Lady]

I got my 6 year old granddaughter one of those for her birthday last year, but it was flowers... and we put it in her bedroom window.

Well, the poor things didn't do so well, and soon I noticed, peat...everywhere...

Then I saw it... she watered them, then she shook them up good just to be sure the water got all through it...

So, please don't let the child give it a good shaking, turn it over and shake it some more... it just does not work that way!

I still have her set up and lots of flower seeds, so we will try again, without the shaking!

[tru2pru]

I can see my daughter trying to do the same thing Thankfully (or unfortunately) her bedroom window is north facing and gets little to no direct sunlight, so growing plants in her room just doesn't work well. Thanks everyone for the advice.

[rainbowgardener]

You've gotten good advice, especially re not over-watering. Once the seeds have sprouted, take the dome off the little green house so there is air circulation. 6-8 seeds per pot is a lot. In good conditions, they may well all germinate, so then you will need to cut some of them out. If the little seedlings are looking pale and spindly, like the stems aren't quite strong enough to stand up straight, it isn't getting enough light and you will need to add some supplemental light.

[Zouaoua]

Yes, you may need to re-pot them if a lot grow in one pot because, from my experience, (which isn't a lot though!) they get quite cramped. Last year I tried some and they took a long time to come through from the soil.

[soil]

sounds like you did everything you needed to, just let them seeds grow. keep them moist and don't let them bake.

[tru2pru]

THEY'RE GROWING!! THanks everyone for the advice

[wolfie]

don't forget to post pictures!