From sowing seed to harvesting the first crop takes quite a while. That’s why we start sowing early in the season. If you are going to grow tomatoes outside, you can start sowingin mid-March.

- Fill the plastic tray with 1 to 2 cm of earth. Use sowing or potting soil, but you can also take soil from the garden.

- Cut the tomato in half. Separate the seeds from the tomato and strew the seeds so that they fall onto the soil.

- Distribute the seeds evenly in the tray and press the seeds lightly into the soil.

- Lightly coat the seeds with 0.5 cm fine soil. DO NOT PRESS!

- Spray the soil well with a watering spray.

- Cover the tray with plastic cling film and pierce 4 breathing holes. Set the plastic tray in a warm and light place indoors, but not in direct sunlight.

Regularly check that the soil is still damp and if necessary, spray extra moisture. After 7 to 10 days, the first seedlings will emerge. Then you can remove the plastic cling film. Regularly check whether the plants need watering and if so, spray them.

When the seedlings are 2 cm in size, they can be transplanted. You will probably have lots of young plants. First think about how many adult tomato plants you want. Before you get carried away growing 20 plants, remember that each adult will need 50 x 50 cm of space. Most people have enough tomatoes when they grow 3 to 4 plants.

Tie the tomato plants to the stick at regular intervals. This is best done beneatheachcluster of flowers, because when they grow the tomatoes will always be heavy.

Removing side shoots is important. If you don’t do it, you will get huge bunchesof leaves and side shoots and you will hardly be able to harvest the crop. Read the article: “How to prune tomato plants” and then you will know all you need to know.

Tomato plants can withstand a bit of drought. But when it is hot and there has been no rain for several days, make sure to give them extra water.