Who doesn’t love a fresh, juicy, ripe tomato? Whether it’s on your sandwich, in a salad, or as a stand-alone snack. Of course, you can also enjoy it squeezed fresh to make a delightful juice or pasta sauce.

Tomatoes are an essential food item in every household, so why not grow them yourself? Although it may seem intimidating, growing tomatoes from seed to harvest is easier than you think.

With the growing trend to produce our food, tomatoes are an excellent place to start. It requires relatively little investment and offers great practice in basic gardening.

Here are five easy steps to follow that can lead you to a rewarding harvest. 

Step 1. Prepare compost.

However, it will require you to get a head start. Here’s what we mean. Begin creating your compost in advance with kitchen scrap. Allow it to decay and create rich organic compost.

Step 2. Get seeds.

It’s super simple. Some people hunt for seed packets, but here’s an easier start. If you have a favourite tomato variety, then select one. Gently remove the seeds using a sifter and rub them briskly against the sifter to remove the outer casing (this will help speed up the germination process).

Step 3. Set seeds.

Once you’ve removed the outer casing, you’re ready to set the seeds. Begin by placing them in any recyclable container and cover lightly with a cost-effective potting mix and saturate with water. You should allocate two to three seeds per container.   

Step 4. Transfer to compost

Now head to your backyard or garden and find a nice sunny spot. The spot you choose should get at least six to seven hours of sun daily. When the seedling is approximately 12 inches tall, you can transfer it to your allocated spot. Dig a hole and fill it with compost. Alternatively, you can use a discarded five-gallon bucket as your pot. Transfer the tomato plant to either location, ensuring that at least half the plant is in the compost. For example, if the plant is 12 inches, then six inches should be immersed. Also, to reap large tomatoes, top up with compost every two to three weeks.

Step 5.  Water daily

Once you’ve planted your tomato tree, water daily. However, be careful to avoid getting the leaves wet as keeping them will help to prevent parasites. But, be warned they are a common occurrence and can be treated organically with neem oil.

There you have it; how to grow tomatoes in five quick steps. Now, you may be wondering what about harvesting. Well, in all likelihood your tomatoes should be ready in 60 days.

While growing healthy organic food is important, so is storage. Check out our article that provides tips on how to store your fresh produce.

Sources: Gardener’s Path and Stacia’s Sushi.