Eating organic food is the best choice for leading a healthy lifestyle and makes all the difference in the taste of any favorite meal. Not only is it much cheaper to grow your own organic food, than purchasing them from your local grocery store, but it also offers peace of mind knowing that you are truly eating organically.
One of the best vegetables to start growing organically is tomatoes. Tomatoes are easy to grow and are a delicious and healthy add-on to almost any meal. With sunlight and care, you can grow tomatoes successfully in just a few weeks.
Read on to learn how to grow organic tomatoes from seeds!
Select a location that is sunny outdoors, you can choose a garden or a bucket on your terrace to start to grow organic tomatoes using seeds. Start to plant them 6-8 weeks before the Fall/Winter season begins to avoid the frosty weather.
Choose a tomato that has a success rate in your area. By visiting a local farmers market, you can get the gist of what tomatoes have the best survival rate for your area. To increase the chances of growing a successful crop, choose tomatoes that are easy to grow such as “indeterminate tomatoes”. These tomatoes have a higher survival rate and can survive in cooler conditions than any other tomatoes, but with the utmost care.
If you would like to grow an assortment of tomatoes, even better, as many tomato varieties are available as seeds. To being growing organic tomatoes from seeds, plant the seeds 1.5 to 3 feet apart and 1/4 to 1/3 inch deep but always refer to the seed packet for complete directions. Each packet should only be a couple of dollars with about 30 seeds included in each packet.
Use organic soil to grow strong roots and leafy tops to support the weight of the tomatoes. Seeds should sprout in about two weeks.
Use organic fertilizer once every two weeks until the tomatoes begins to bloom. It is important to support the tomatoes with tall thin pieces of wood and heavy-duty wire once they being to bloom, as tomatoes can grow up to six feet tall. Keep in mind that tomatoes that grow on the soil, instead of upwards, take up a lot of space and tend to be attacked by insects that live in the soil.
Use organic mulch for your tomatoes and water them generously. Make sure to soak the soil 6 to 8 inches deep twice per week, but do not over water to the point of causing mold. To ensure that the soil stays moisturized, apply a thin layer of newspaper and then a large pile of straw over the newspaper. This will allow the soil to hold in the water.
Keep an eye out for insects or bugs and get rid of what you can by squishing them. If the pest problems persists, use organic controls to keep your crop safe, such as applying soapy water. Apply soapy water to a spray bottle and spray the insects as needed.
For the best tasting tomatoes, leave them on the vine as long as possible. Once they are ripe, store them in a cool dark place such as a brown paper bag for a couple of weeks until they turn red. Never store tomatoes in a refrigerator as this may cause them to lose their delicious flavor and firmness.