How to Choose the Best Tomato Seeds for Your Garden?
You’ve decided to take the plunge and grow tomatoes in your garden. Who doesn’t love eating fresh, ripe tomatoes? As you probably already know, buying them at the store can be super expensive. That’s why growing tomatoes at home is such a good idea, as they mention over here with plenty of helpful information.
How do you determine which tomato seeds are the best for your garden? The answer to that question isn’t as complicated as you might think. There are a few factors to consider, but choosing the right tomato seeds for your garden is a decision you can make without much guesswork.
Here is what you need to consider before choosing tomato seeds:
Decide how much space you have
Tomato plants grow in all sorts of sizes and shapes. If you’ve never been around tomato plants before, you might be surprised by the variety you have to choose from. There’s literally every type of tomato plant imaginable, from those with tiny window gardens to those with acres upon acres to work with.
So, the first question you must ask yourself is how much space you have to dedicate to growing tomatoes. The space you have will help you determine the size of plants you can grow.
Consider height and growth style
Did you know that some tomato plants can grow several feet tall? If you have the space, you can make certain tomato plants climb walls or plant stands. A tomato plant can be as tall as you or even taller. So, you’ll need to question how big you want these plants to become.
You also need to ask yourself how many tomatoes per plant you want. Do you want plants that produce lots of tomatoes, or are you concerned with quality over quantity? If you’re a tomato lover, you know that not all tomatoes taste the same, and usually, the plants that produce the fewest tomatoes tend to have the best flavor.
How many days to maturity
Some of you will have a longer window for a growing season than others. Where you’re located will play a significant role in the type of tomato seeds you choose when it comes to when you can harvest them.
If you live in an area with long, hot summers, you have more flexibility regarding maturity. If that describes you, then ask yourself how long you can wait before digging into your harvest. If you’re the type who can wait a long time, choose seeds with a longer maturity span so they can live on the vine longer and become more delicious.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. It’s something that you’ll need to ask yourself before you buy seeds. If you don’t, you’re buying a pig in a poke, which might not have the results you’re after.
Buy your seeds from a reputable dealer
Okay, this is where the rubber meets the road. If you choose to buy seeds from the wrong vendor, you’re in for a whole heap of trouble. You should look online and pay close attention to germination rates. Some seed sellers talk a good game, but they’re all duds when it comes time to germinate your seeds. You can do nothing with seeds that don’t germinate other than feed them to the birds and cry about the money you lost.
Size matters when it comes to tomatoes
There are three basic types of tomatoes: cherry, medium to large, and paste. Cherry tomatoes are, well, like little cherries. The medium to large are tomatoes that you typically buy in the grocery store. Paste tomatoes are used to make, as you can probably guess, tomato paste.
Most of you will probably want to buy seeds to grow medium to large tomatoes. You’ll also need to ask yourself if you want heirloom or hybrid plants. The answer to those questions can only be found at the site or the store where you’re buying tomato seeds. Read the fine print closely, and that should help you determine which seeds are best for you.
A few other things
You’ll also want to consider the type of soil in your garden. How much rain do you typically get, and if there are any pests nearby? All of those things play a role in helping you determine what tomato seeds you should be. In the end, it will take a little practice and sometimes a whole heaping amount of luck to find the right seed and have a bountiful harvest.
