GROW YOUR OWN TOMATOES

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED ......

1. Choose a tomato that you really like the flavour of ...

 Slice  the tomato , and scoop out the seeds

 Place the seeds on kitchen towelling

 and let the seeds and towelling to dry out completely in dry air on a cake rack . Allow  10 days for this process.

Place the dried sheet with the seeds in a brown paper bag .

Store in a dry place until ready plant out in a seedling tray.

 

I will continue with instructions and photos when my seeds dry out.

 

8 / 11 / 2014

The seeds have dried out , and  my sheets are now ready for storage .

I live in Churchill , ( Latrobe Valley part of the greater Gippsland , Victoria . Australia .) and this year `s crop of tomatoes have just been planted out , using the seeds collected from last seasons crop.

 

1. Place the sheets in a paper bag in a dry position  till mid July 2015  when we will  commence the activation process for planting out next Nov ( 2015 )

2. You will need a seedling tray ......

3. Seed raising mix ...( a  fine textured soil  )

4. Line and 3/4  fill the tray with the soil mix

5. Place the seed sheets on the soil and cover with a layer of soil.

6. Keep moist with a light spray of water.

7. Your trays should be kept protected and if you don't have a hot house make sure the trays are placed where they will get sunlight  ..eg , a window sill , patio , verandah .

8.Between 10 and 12 days your seeds will germinate and little green tips will push through the soil surface .

9.Continue to keep the trays moist.

10. Leave the seedlings develop to about 45mm

11. Your seedlings are now ready to be potted up into small pots to allow the immature plants develop root structure .

12. The plants still need protection and sunlight is  vital for their development .

( Tomato plants will not tolerate frosts. )

13. The plants will develop rapidly , support the stems as the grow .

14.Tomato plants can be planted out into garden beds as the temperatures warm up or can be grown successfully in tubs good sized tubs in a sunny position on patios or courtyards.

15.Tomato plants respond well  to blood and bone or chook manure.