Starting and Caring for Tomatoes: From Seed to a Rich Harvest

Starting and Caring for Tomatoes – From Seed to a Rich Harvest

Tomatoes are Germany's most popular vegetable plant – and also the plant where hobby gardeners make the most mistakes. With the right knowledge, you can harvest aromatic fruit continuously from July to October, from the balcony or the garden bed.

Choosing Varieties – the Foundation of Success

Type	Example	Location	Special feature
Cocktail	Sungold, Black Cherry	pot, bed, balcony	very sweet, robust
Beefsteak	Oxheart, Marmande	bed, greenhouse	for salads, soups
Bush/staked	Harzfeuer, Matina	bed, pot from 30 L	classic size
Wild/bush tomato	Rote Murmel, Golden Currant	pot, hanging basket	very robust, no pinching out
Outdoor-hardy	Resi, De Berao	open ground	late-blight tolerant

💡 Beginner's tip: Start with 'Resi', 'Sungold' or 'Philovita' – late-blight tolerant, high-yielding, reliable.

The 2026 Sowing Calendar

Time	Action	Location
Mid/late February	sowing (early varieties, greenhouse)	22–24 °C, windowsill
Mid-March	sowing (standard)	bright, 20 °C
Early April	pricking out (1st true pair of leaves)	individual pots 10 cm
Mid-May	hardening off (outside during the day)	sheltered spot
After the Ice Saints (May 15)	planting out into the open	min. 12 °C soil temperature

Raising Seedlings – the 7 Decisive Rules

1. Sowing depth 0.5–1 cm – tomatoes are tolerant of light germination, but cover thinly
2. Germination temperature 22–24 °C – a heat mat speeds up germination to 6–8 days
3. Light from germination on – otherwise long, thin, unstable shoots ("etiolation")
4. Prick out as soon as the 1st pair of leaves appears – set deep, up to the cotyledons
5. Fertilize only from the 4th pair of leaves – weakly, weekly (nettle slurry 1:20)
6. Turn the pots every 2 days – for even growth
7. Harden off 7–10 days before planting out – gradually accustom to sun and wind

Planting Out – How to Do It Right

• Location: full sun, sheltered from rain (e.g. tomato roof), low wind
• Soil: humus-rich, deep, pH 6.0–6.8
• Planting distance: staked tomatoes 70 × 70 cm, bush tomatoes 50 × 50 cm
• Plant deep: stem ⅓ into the soil – forms additional roots
• Set support immediately: spiral stake or string from the greenhouse roof

Watering, Fertilizing, Mulching

Action	Recommendation
Watering	in the morning, near the soil, never over the leaves
Water quantity	in midsummer 1–2 L per plant and day
Mulching	with straw or grass clippings – prevents splashing water
Fertilizing	every 14 days organically (sheep's wool, horn shavings, nettle)
Potassium boost	from July additionally wood ash or patent potash

💡 Tip: Wet leaves = risk of late blight. A simple tomato roof made of film extends the season by 4–6 weeks.

Pinching Out – Yes or No?

• Staked tomatoes: ✅ remove side shoots (in the leaf axils) weekly
• Bush tomatoes / wild tomatoes: ❌ do not pinch out
• Limit height: from early August, cap the tip ("topping") so the fruit can ripen

The 5 Most Common Problems

Symptom	Cause	Solution
Brown spots on leaves	late blight (Phytophthora)	roof, spacing, remove affected leaves immediately
Black base on the fruit	blossom-end rot (calcium deficiency)	water evenly, algal lime
Cracks in the fruit	irregular watering	mulching, even water supply
Yellow lower leaves	nitrogen deficiency or normal loss	nettle slurry, remove lower leaves
Few fruits	too little sun / no pollinator	sunny location, shake plants gently in the morning

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest when fruit is fully colored – pick with the stem base
• Store at 12–18 °C, never in the fridge (loss of aroma)
• Green tomatoes can ripen with an apple in a dark room

Saving Your Own Seed

For open-pollinated varieties (not F1): halve the fruit, ferment the seeds with their gel for 3 days in water, rinse, dry, label. This way you secure your favorite variety for the next season – free of charge.

Conclusion

With the right variety, a rain-sheltered location and even watering, even beginners harvest 5–10 kg of tomatoes per plant. Invest in quality rather than quantity – 4 well-cared-for plants yield more than 10 neglected ones.

💡 PermaNatura practical tip: Set up your tomatoes as their own bed, activate the "Pinch out weekly" reminder and record harvest quantities for the variety comparison in the following season.

Sources: VEN (Association for the Preservation of Crop Plant Diversity), Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture, practical experience of biodynamic nurseries.