Shop Our Online StoreOur BlogRetail LocationsAbout UsContact UsThe 2012 Christmas Tree ContestHow to grow perfect tomatoes (pomidory), from seeds to plants.March 17, 20141 commentThe middle of March marks the ideal time to cultivate tomato seeds at home. Seedlings need a good eight weeks of growth before planting outdoors – although temperatures vary from place to place, a good rule of thumb is to plant after the last frost or typically around Mother’s Day in the middle of May.When choosing seeds make sure they are not modified. Our tomato seeds are imported directly from Poland and aren’t modified in any way. They are the purest form of seed.Raspberry Ox Heart – Malinowy Bawole Serce.It’s recommended that seeds be placed in a “seed-starting” soil that is medium draining. Potting soil is too rich and doesn’t drain well enough for seedlings. Place your seedlings near plenty of sunlight and make sure to water enough but not too much so that the soil is constantly wet.About a week before planting outside is a good time to start introducing your plants to the outdoor elements like wind, rain, sun and temperature. Begin by taking your plants outside during the daytime hours when it’s warm and bringing them back inside for the night. This simple task makes for smarter and much heartier plants.Seedlings ready for outdoor transplantAfter the last frost – about the middle of May – start digging deep holes in your outdoor garden to transplant your seedlings. Your plant should have four to six large leaves when planting outdoor. At the bottom of each hole place a small handful of composted cow manure. Manure is an organic fertilizer that is a prime source of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, and is rich in bacteria. You can find composted manure at garden centers, like ours located at 5212 W. Belmont. Cover the manure with soil so that the plants’ roots do not come into contact with it. Water will naturally mix the soil and manure to produce an ideal environment for your tomato plant to thrive.As your tomato plants grow outside there are a couple of things to keep in mind for a healthy crop.Healthy tomato plants require workFirst and foremost, water the soil and not the plant. Many people make the mistake of watering plants in the evenings but the plant leaves aren’t able to dry effectively overnight thus attracting insects to swarm to the moisture. Water the soil in the late afternoon or early morning. It’s recommended to water the plant’s soil two to three times a week if temperatures are below eighty degrees. Water daily in extreme heat over eighty degrees. In the middle of August trim the top of the tomato plants so the plant can focus on producing large tomatoes instead of a large quantity of small tomatoes.Pick tomatoes from the vine when they blush red in color. This allows the plant to focus more energy on producing more tomatoes. Tomatoes that are too ripe