How do YOU start your tomato plants?

The best way is to use a bottom heating pad. They use only about 4 to 8 watts of energy. These can be purchased as a kit. Seeds are placed in compressed peat or potting soil. These will sprout in about 7 days. As soon as they sprout they need a lot of light. Then use grow lux bulbs, should be 2 inches higher than the tops of the plants. Fertilizer such as Miracle grow needs to be added often.

If you have a south facing window that is the best.

I use 4" pots filled with potting soil. Place near a window for light. I try to plant seeds about 6 weeks before the outdoor growing season starts. Using the larger pots helps since the weather may not be right for transplanting outside and this way the plants do not get "root bound". I use a spray bottle to keep the soil moist.

Start from seed under a 50/50 mix of T5 Floro bulbs of Warm White and Daylight. Once they have an established root system in a "Rapid Rooter" starter transfer over to a 1 gal. pot under a 400 HID bulb, specifically metal halide bulb, and watch them grow. Make sure to use a good soil, I prefer Fox Farms Ocean Forest, you will have the largest and healthiest tomato plants in a short amount of time, they will flourish with this setup. It costs a little to setup and will increase your elec. bill a little, but if you plan on growing some very nice quality/quantity of tomatoes, this works ideally. If you time it correctly for the growing season, they can be transferred outside into your garden, or kept inside... either will produce a nice fruit. Hope that helps, good luck.

I use the peat pots that you soak and they expand. Add seeds. Place on heating pad. Once they are up I have them under florescent lights.

Last year I had my trays near a sunny window. They kept growing toward the light and I had to keep turning them. I won't put the trays here again. I think I may try my basement because it is warm near the furnace.

i scatter seeds in a tray...then when about an inch high, thin and transplant to small dixie cups or peat cups...any florescent light fixture will work. the trick for bushy plants is to keep the light just above the plants so they dont get leggy...raise the light as they grow or lower the plants...

If you love gardening and especially tomatoes than you must try this.

http://kashifbt.blogspot.com/2009/11/amazing-pomat...