How to Grow Tomato Plants at Home from Kitchen leftovers- Use this easy 10 step guide

One tomato slice from your kitchen can create magic! Use it to grow multiple plants in your garden and get free tomatoes.

Let’s get started:

1. Take one ripe tomato and slice it thinly into 5-6 portions
2. Place tomato slices in ground or in a large pot
3. Cover them with sandy soil or vermicompost
4. Water lightly and cover any exposed parts again
5. Make sure you sow tomato slices in a semi-shaded area
6. Cover with a newspaper or cling wrap the pot
7. Remove the cover gradually as seedlings start to germinate
8. You can pierce the cling wrap for air circulation and remove it when seedlings start showing leaves
9. Spray Epsom salt when tomato seedlings are 2-3″ tall
10. Transplant to a sunny spot or a container when tomato plants are 5-6″ tall

FAQ’s about GROWING TOMATO PLANTS AT HOME

1. Why do tomato seeds die after germination? Common causes include:
   • Damping off – When the bottom of the seedling starts rotting due to too much moisture, it becomes thin and dies
   • Crowding – Too many seeds growing at the same spot compete for space and the weaker ones die off
   • Less sunlight – Seedlings need proper light to grow healthy and strong. Searching for sunlight makes the seedlings extra tall and weak
   • Drying after germination – If the germinating seeds do not get enough moisture, they die off in bright sunlight and cannot germinate again
   • Unfavourable weather – When tomatoes are in abundance in your local market, about 2-3 months before that is the ideal time to start seedlings in your garden
2. How much time do tomato seeds take to germinate from slices?
   • In ideal warm weather, seedlings should start germinating in about 7-10 days.
   • Not all seeds sprout at the same time and they will keep coming up every few days.
   • To start growing true leaves, give them at least 2-3 weeks after germination.
3. How much time do tomato seedlings take to bear fruit?
   • Normal tomato plants take about 3 months to bear fruit, if grown from seeds.
   • Directly planted saplings may start bearing tomatoes earlier.
4. What is the cause of yellow leaves on tomatoes?
   • Certain deficiencies like calcium, iron or magnesium
   • Irregular watering

WHAT ARE THE COMMON TOMATO DISEASES AND HOW TO TREAT THEM WITH ORAGNIC REMEDIES?

1. MEALY BUGS – White sticky small bugs that cover the undersides of tomato leaves. Wash them off with a pressure pipe and spray a NEEM-HING based pesticide every 3 days. Make to use neem only during evenings to avoid leaf burn. READ MORE HERE
2. BLACK SPOT ON LEAVES – Caused by deficiencies and fungal attack. Fertilise regularly and keep the tomato plants clean. Allow air flow and avoid wetting the leaves while watering specially during evening.
3. LEAF CURL – Can be treated with Neem & Epsom salt spray. Use every 7 days. Haldi spray is also a great for maintaining tomato plant health. CHECK HERE
4. BUD DROP – This deficiency can be avoided by adding 1 tbsp. of EPSOM SALT to the base of tomato plants every 15 days. BUY HERE

HOW TO GROW HEALTHY TOMATO PLANTS?

• Give them adequate space and sunlight to prevent diseases and avoid pests.
• Water regularly and thoroughly.
• Keep the soil well draining, add sand and avoid cocopeat.
• Keep the plants clean and clear old leaves.
• The soil should be tilled every week to avoid fungus and aerate the roots.
• Use tomato cages if growing in containers or tie to a railing for support.
• Spray homemade pesticide containing neem regularly.

WHICH ORGANIC FERTILISERS ARE GOOD FOR TOMATO PLANTS?

1. COFFEE – It is acidic in nature and tomatoes love coffee-based organic homemade fertilisers.
2. EGGSHELLS – They provide calcium required for healthy and clean tomato fruits.
3. BANANA PEELS – They are rich is potassium and encourage more fruiting in tomato plants. CLICK FOR RECIPE

HERE’S A DETAILED VIDEO OF ORGANIC FERTILISER FOR TOMATO PLANTS.

CAN TOMATOES GROW IN CONTAINERS? YES. HERE ARE A FEW TIPS FOR GROWING TOMATO PLANTS IN YOUR BALCNY GARDEN

1. Use deep containers. You can grow one tomato plant per pot but make sure it is deep enough to accommodate fibrous tomato roots.
2. Keep the soil well-draining. Use a good potting mix with sand and vermicompost to avoid standing water in tomato plants.
3. Fertilise more often. Plants in containers need more nutrition as rain washes the soil away easily and creates deficiencies.
4. Give space. One square feet of space per tomato plant (for roots) is needed for ideal growth so plant in containers accordingly. Either use very large pots or stick to one plant per pot for best growth.
5. Give support. Tie the plants to a railing as they grow, support with sticks or use individual tomato cages.
   Tomato plants are like vines they cannot grow upright without support.
6. Allow air-circulation. It is very important to avoid crowding of plants otherwise the fruit will catch fungal diseases and attracts pests.

TIPS FOR GERMINATING HEALTHY HEALTHY TOMATO SEEDLINGS

• While the seedlings are growing, spray Epsom salt every week to grow healthy tomato seedlings.
• Thin out the seedlings and provide ample space to thrive.
• Keep in good sunlight to prevent lanky seedlings.

TOMATO SLICES TO SEEDLINGS

ARE TOMATO CAGES USEFUL AND INCREASE TOMATO YIELD? YES.

• Tomato cages help the plants grow better and support the weight if fruit.
• They help keep the tomatoes suspended in air keeping them clean and fresh.
• Cages also define the space used by each plant so that they do not crown each other and catch diseases.
• Tomato cages are re-usable and do not harm the plant stems that happens with tying them.
• Cages can be used for tomato plants growing in large gardens or pots, both.
• As an alternate to tomato cages, you can also use PLANT CLIPS or ZIP TIES to support tomato plants gently.

You can BUY TOMATO CAGES HERE that are good quality and cheap.

GROWING TOMATOES IN CAGES

TOMATO GERMINATION FACT SHEET

WHERE TO BUY TOMATO SEEDS ONLINE IN INDIA?

I prefer to buy my stock of seeds from Amazon. Click for link.