Sowing tomatoes and transplanting them

Where to sow?

Sowing tomato seeds should be done in warmth indoors or in a heated greenhouse, ideally at 20°C (minimum 16°C). If needed, you can use a heated propagator to encourage quick seed germination.

Tomato seedlings need plenty of light to prevent them from becoming leggy

When to sow?

The ideal time for sowing is in March, but plants intended for greenhouse cultivation can be prepared as early as February. Sowing is possible until late April or early May.

How to sow?

To sow your tomato seeds, prepare seed trays about 10 cm deep and pierce the bottom if necessary to allow excess water to drain, then:

• Fill two-thirds with good, moist seed compost,

Filling the tray with good compost.

• lightly firm with a trowel,
• make small furrows about 5 to 7 millimetres deep,

Firm and sow the tomatoes.

• Sow one seed every 2 cm and cover with compost. Note that to prevent damping off, it is advisable to sprinkle with a little finely powdered charcoal. Remember to label the row if sowing several varieties,
• water gently with a sprayer using water at room temperature.

Water using a sprayer.

The trays can be covered with their transparent lid, a pane of glass, or plastic film to speed up germination. Remember to ventilate the seedlings regularly.

Cover and place your tray in a bright spot.

Place your seedlings in a very bright position and remember to turn them regularly so the whole plant benefits from the light. Keep the compost moist but not waterlogged until germination, which usually takes 6 to 8 days. After germination, remove the glass pane or propagator lid.

Sowing in pots is done in the same way—sow 3 seeds per pot, then cover with a plastic bag.

Transplanting seedlings

Once the seedlings have developed, at the two or four “true leaves” stage, proceed with transplanting into pots.

To transplant your tomato seedlings, start by preparing pots by filling them with a rich and light growing medium, then:

• Step 1: carefully lift the seedlings from your tray using a fork
• Step 2: after making a hole, place the seedling in, burying it up to the cotyledons: when in contact with the growing medium, the tiny hairs on the stem will develop into roots. When transplanting, handle the seedlings gently, holding them by the cotyledons rather than the stem if you’re prone to clumsiness!

Steps 1 and 2

Step 3: add compost up to the cotyledons and gently firm with your fingers

Step 3

Step 4: water gently with water at room temperature.

Step 4

After transplanting, continue to keep your plants in bright light and under heated shelter. Sometimes, after transplanting, tomato plants may show signs of stress. Don’t panic, this is perfectly normal and they’ll recover within a few hours.

This operation should be performed even if you sowed directly in pots, as transplanting helps develop a more extensive root system.

It’s possible to sow seeds directly in the garden, but only after the last frosts: this can be useful for obtaining late tomatoes, especially in the southern half of France.

How to grow strong and healthy tomato plants?

To obtain strong plants, they need to be hardened off.

About ten days before planting them out in the garden (once the risk of frost has passed), gradually acclimatise your young tomato plants to outdoor conditions by taking them outside for a few hours each day in fine weather. The slightly cooler temperatures and a gentle breeze will help them toughen up, ensuring they grow stocky and robust in the garden.

Start taking your tomato plants outside during the first fine spring days