Starting Tomato Seeds in a Glass Dish: 8 Simple Steps
Tomato seeds are easy to germinate. Gardeners often start tomatoes from seed in seed trays or peat pots for later transplanting, but starting tomato seeds in a glass dish or bowl can be an excellent alternative.
Seed trays and peat pots
Use an existing dish or bowl, so there is no need to purchase seed trays or peat pots–and peat is not a sustainable ingredient. Here’s how in 8 easy steps:
1) Wet a paper towel and place it into a large flat bowl or dish that has a firmly fitting lid.
3) Place the tomato seeds onto the wet paper towel, spacing them at least one inch apart. Put the lid onto the bowl or dish to create a humid environment.
4) Place the dish in a warm-but-not-hot area indoors, out of the sun, preferably at temperatures of 70° to 85°F for at least a few hours each day.
5) Monitor seeds daily. Add water as needed to keep the paper towel moist but not wet. Tomato seeds may take 3 to 12 days or longer to germinate, with longer germination times when temperatures drop below 70°F.
6) Remove sprouts as soon as possible after germination from the bowl or dish. Be careful not to damage tiny roots; tear the paper towel if necessary.
7) Plant sprouts in cells or small pots to grow into seedlings, or plant directly outdoors in a protected area. Cover sprouts in soil up to the base of their first tiny leaves, or cover the entire sprout with soil if no leaves are visible.
8) Sprouts need moist soil and partial shade for at least a week or two to safely establish outdoors.
GardenZeus recommends hardening off all transplanted tomato seedlings for about 7 to 14 days (depending upon the harshness of your outdoor conditions, with longer periods during hot and cold weather) before transplanting or exposing to full sunlight all day.
Tomato seeds should germinate within 5 to 7 days if kept moist at temperatures of 70° to 85° F. If more than a week has passed under these conditions, investigate your seeds. Something may have gone wrong or you may need to replant.
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Other articles on tomato include:
Yellow Leaves on Tomato Plants: A GardenZeus Guide, Part 1 of 3