35 Monster Tomato Seeds, Solanum lycopersicum

Sowing tomato seeds is a relatively simple activity, but there are a few key steps to follow to ensure good germination and healthy plants. Here are the detailed steps for sowing tomato seeds:

### 1. **Seed Preparation**
- **Choosing seeds**: If you have purchased tomato seeds, check that they are good quality and suitable for your climate. If you are using tomato seeds that you have harvested, make sure they are thoroughly dried before storing them.
- **Soaking (optional)**: Some people recommend soaking seeds in warm water for 12 hours before sowing, but this is not essential. This can help stimulate germination for some varieties.

### 2. **Prepare the substrate**
- **Choose a suitable potting soil**: Use a light, well-aerated and well-drained potting soil. A special potting soil for seedlings is ideal, as it contains few nutrients to prevent the young plants from developing too quickly before the roots are strong enough.
- **Seedling Container**: Use small pots, seedling trays or trays. Make sure the container has drainage holes to prevent water from stagnating and rotting the roots.

### 3. **Sowing the seeds**
- **Sowing depth**: Sow tomato seeds at a depth of about **0.5 cm to 1 cm**. Tomato seeds are small, so it is not necessary to bury them deeply.
- **Spacing**: Avoid overcrowding the seeds. Place them about 2-3 cm apart in the same pot or tray to allow good root development without excessive competition.
- **Cover lightly**: Lightly cover the seeds with a little potting soil, pressing gently to ensure good contact with the soil, without packing too much.

### 4. **Germination conditions**
- **Temperature**: Tomato seeds need a warm temperature to germinate, ideally between **20 and 25 °C**. If the temperature is too low, germination will be delayed or will not occur.
- **Humidity**: Keep the substrate moist, but not soggy. Use a spray bottle or gentle watering to avoid moving the seeds.
- **Light**: Tomatoes need light to germinate. Place the pots or trays in a bright location, but avoid direct sunlight, as this can dry out the soil too quickly. Indirect light is ideal.
- **Covering the seedlings**: To maintain humidity, you can cover the pots or trays with plastic wrap or a bell jar, but be sure to air them from time to time to avoid excessive humidity and the formation of mold.

### 5. **Germination**
- **Germination Time**: Typically, tomato seeds begin to germinate in **5 to 10 days** if conditions are favorable.
- **Check the seedlings**: When the first shoots appear, remove the plastic cover to allow air to circulate and prevent mold. Young plants need light to grow and strengthen.

### 6. **Care of young plants**
- **Watering**: Once the seeds have germinated, water regularly to keep the soil slightly moist, but avoid overwatering. Use a watering can with a fine spout so as not to disturb the young plants.
- **Light Exposure**: When the first leaves appear, young tomato plants need **6 to 8 hours of light** per day to grow properly. If you don't have enough natural light, you can use grow lights to supplement.
- **Temperature**: Make sure the room temperature remains constant between **18 and 22 °C** for good plant development.

### 7. **Transplanting the young plants**
- **When to transplant**: When the young plants have 2 to 3 true leaves, they can be transplanted into larger pots. You can also put them in the ground if the weather conditions are favorable and the risk of frost has passed (tomatoes are sensitive to frost).
- **Handling the seedlings**: When transplanting, be gentle so as not to damage the roots. Plant them a little deeper in the new pot or in the garden to encourage root development.

### 8. **Acclimatization before planting outdoors (hardening off)**
- If you have sown the tomatoes indoors and plan to plant them outdoors, it is important to harden them off before planting. This consists of gradually acclimatizing them to the outdoors to make them more resistant to climatic conditions.
- Place the young plants outside for a few hours a day, gradually increasing the time spent outside over 7 to 10 days.

### 9. **Outdoor planting**
- **Soil**: Choose a rich, well-drained, and slightly acidic soil (pH of 6 to 6.8) to plant tomatoes.
- **Spacing**: Plant tomatoes about 45-60cm apart from each other to allow them to develop properly.
- **Sun exposure**: Tomatoes need **lots of sun**, ideally between 6 and 8 hours per day, to produce good fruit.

### Additional tips:
- **Minimum temperature**: Do not plant tomatoes outdoors until the night temperature remains above **10-12°C**, as they are sensitive to frost.
- **Staking**: Tomatoes need support to grow properly. Use stakes, cages or supports to keep plants upright and prevent them from breaking under the weight of the fruit.

By following these steps, you will be able to sow and grow your own tomatoes at home and enjoy their tasty fruits throughout the growing season.