What is the right season to sow cherry tomato seeds in Punjab?

Jaime BeamerMarch 10, 2023

0 34 7 minutes read

Having a supply of fresh tomatoes on hand may make or break your meals. And with just a few tips, you will be growing ripe, juicy and perfectly firm tomatoes in no time.

Because of their nutritional composition, sweet-smelling fresh tomatoes are a vital element of a balanced and nutritious diet. And, thankfully, tomatoes are exceedingly simple to produce from seed in India. Even if you are short on space and do not have a garden, you can grow delicious and juicy tomatoes in containers without much effort. Simply choose your favourite variety to grow and follow our guide to enjoy a bounty of sun-kissed tomato harvest.

Contents

About selecting Tomato Seeds

Growing tomatoes at home from seeds

Tomatoes are one of the most versatile varieties of vegetables (or fruits, pick your clan) used almost routinely in most cuisines around the world including salads, sandwiches, for juices, sauces, or for salsas and ketchup and authentic Indian recipes. The tomatoes you want to cultivate at home will be heavily influenced by how you intend to utilize the fruit.

San Marzano, Paste Tomato or Plum Tomato, Cherry Tomato, Amish Paste, Yellow Pear, Rose, Black Krim, Cherokee Green, Cherokee Purple, and Nepal are some prominent open-pollinated heritage tomato cultivars.

All of these tomato types may be broadly classified as determinate or indeterminate. The determinate varieties will produce shoots until the flowers have blossomed on the vine while the indeterminate varieties will form flowers along with the shoots and continue to grow until the weather conditions are no longer favourable.

Since there is more flesh than seed compartments in thick-walled plum tomatoes, they are extremely appealing. Cooks like the sweet tanginess of the tomatoes because of their chewy flesh and low water content. Cherry tomatoes, on the other hand, are a flavorful kind that is often consumed fresh in salads, pasta, and pizzas. If you want to cultivate a luscious type of tomatoes, these vivid round red cherry tomatoes are the seeds to choose. Both varieties of tomatoes are high in vitamin A, C, iron, and lycopene making them an ideal ingredient for a healthy diet that boosts immunity against cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

You may now purchase heritage open-pollinated tomato seeds online for all of your home gardening requirements.

How and when to grow tomatoes at home in pots: Seed Starting and Germination

Tomatoes are a summer vegetable that is often produced as a summer annual. Between March and June, tomato seeds must be started inside. Here’s how to grow tomatoes in a container.

To begin, sow tomato seeds in tiny pots 3 to 4 inches deep or seed starting trays 14 inches deep in reasonably healthy soil.

Tomatoes thrive in soil pH ranges of 6.0 to 6.8. Tomatoes will grow in almost any type of garden soil except for heavy clay soil.

The optimal temperature for tomato seed germination is between 21 and 27°C (70 and 80°F). Keep the pots in a warm, dark spot for the optimum germination outcomes. After 10 to 14 days, the seedlings should emerge.

The soil holds the key to producing healthy tomatoes at home. Maintaining optimum soil moisture is essential for successful tomato growth.

Seeds need very little moisture before they germinate. Mist the seedlings with a spray bottle to keep the top of the soil wet. In case you feel the soil has become too moist, just place the potted plant to an area with increased airflow.

How about growing Cherry Tomatoes at home?

Cherry Tomato Seeds

Cherry tomatoes, with their sweet-tasting flesh and luscious texture, can do more than simply add color to your dishes. Low in calories, high nutritional content and limited space requirements make Cherry tomatoes a great pick for home gardens. Growing cherry tomato in containers is recommended since you can move and place your tomato growing container anywhere with minimum 5 to 6 hours of sunlight. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind for a flavorful crop of container-grown Cherry tomatoes:

Choose a container that is at least 20 inches in diameter and 18 to 24 inch deep. To prevent illnesses like early blight, stick to the one plant per container guideline.

Put your container somewhere that gets a lot of sunshine. Tomatoes are a cold-sensitive plant so only put the container outside once temperatures are within the range of 24 to 26℃

In July heat, the soil moisture may quickly evaporate, causing the cherry tomato plant to grow skinny.

Water the soil at least once a day to keep the top layer equally wet. Simultaneously, good drainage from the container is also very important to avoid root rot.

To increase output, organic liquid seaweed fertilizer may be applied to the plan.

Pick cherry tomatoes once they are almost completely red and you can also let them ripen after plucking. Slice them and serve when they are soft and totally colored. Raising cherry tomatoes is simple and enjoyable, and the reward of a tomato crop from your own garden is well worth the wait.

Transplanting and Plant Care

The seeds must be planted at least 6 to 8 weeks before they are to be transplanted outdoors. For example, if you want to transplant seedlings in early June, the seeds must be sown inside by mid-April. Once your tomato seedlings are five to six inches in length, it’s time to take them out of their small indoor pot to deeper and spacious pots or your home garden outdoors that receives 6 to 8 hours of good sunlight. This is often referred to as hardening off the plant. To simply move immature tomato plants outdoors, follow these instructions.

Remember to wait until the seedlings are three times the length of the container before transferring.

Begin with big, clean pots. Mix together a well-draining type of soil and compost(if available). Choose the healthiest plants to transplant outside. Pinch off the plant’s lowest branches to develop a better tomato plant with a healthy stem and a few branches at the top.

Begin by gently loosening the root area of the young plants and lift them with some soil at the roots. Plants should not be pulled from their stems.

Place the tomato seedling inside the new container filled with potting soil and cover with soil leaving some part of the stem outside. Bury two-thirds of the plant inside the earth during transplanting to create stronger tomato plants and larger tomatoes.

Water the seedlings immediately after transplanting for letting them settle well. Continue to water once every two days to keep the top layer of soil wet.

If you’re repotting plants directly in the garden, keep an eye out for dry soil, since water might evaporate quickly and harm the plants.

Solving common tomato plant problems

Aphids, Cutworms, Flea Beetles, Whiteflies, and Hornworms are among the garden pests that attack tomato plants. The garden pests can be avoided by keeping a regular check on the plant and pinching off the affected foliage where there is a large concentration of the pests.

In addition to this, the following are other frequent illnesses that might impact your tomato plant:

Late/Early Blight: It’s a common fungal disease of tomato plants which can damage the entire plant. Potato, pepper, and eggplant blight may also spread.

Blossom end rot: As the tomatoes ripen, a dark blotch will appear at the bottom. It indicates that the plants are deficient in calcium. To prevent this issue, organic calcium-rich compost may be applied to the soil before transplantation.

Leaf Roll: Due to exceptionally high temperatures, over-moist soil, and trimming, fully developed plants’ leaves may begin to curl at the bottom.

Blossom Drop: A tomato plant will blossom but not bear fruit. This happens due to variations in temperature, lack of moisture or lack of pollination.

Fruit Cracks: Due to humidity or insect attacks, ripe tomatoes may develop cracks.

Organic insecticides like neem fertilizer is another option if you want to ward off the common pests and diseases of the tomato plant. Also, frequent checks of the plant are another way to save the plant from some common problems. Moreover, organic seaweed fertilizers are an excellent approach to encourage more fruit in the plant. You may also dilute the liquid seaweed concentration to meet the demands of your plants.

Harvesting and usage

Tomatoes taste and flavor best when eaten fresh from the vine. After transplanting, you will start to see the fruit appear within 65 to 70 days. A fully ripe tomato is softer than an immature tomato. Ripeness also varies with each variety of tomato but most tomatoes will be ready for harvest by late summer in planted in early spring.

Gently pluck the fruit off the stalk with your hand. Store tomatoes at 13 °C to 21 °C(55 to 69 °F) or cooler if you would like the tomatoes to last longer, and check regularly for ripeness.

Fresh tomatoes may be used in salads, pizza, and spaghetti, but they can also be used in chutneys, pickles, and other Indian dishes.

Growing tomatoes is an easy way to get going on your home gardening and get fresh ingredients for your soups, salads, sandwiches and more. Begin with a variety to grow and enjoy a delicious crop from your own backyard.