Organic Vegetable Gardening: Growing Tomatoes

A Gardener's Guide to Growing Organic Tomatoes

Because of the onslaught of "organic" foods and their benefits, many gardeners are interested in organic vegetable gardening. With rising prices at the supermarket, organic vegetable gardening is an affordable solution as well as practical. A little preparation and dedication will produce what the gardener is sure to consider the best tasting vegetables!

Growing tomatoes is perhaps one of the easiest tasks in an organic garden.

Depending on what area of the country you live in, tomato seeds should be started indoors approximately 4-6 weeks before the last frost date. If you live in an area with a short growing season, consider starting your seeds indoors 8 weeks before the final frost.

To start seedlings, purchase small pots, flats, or peat pots. My personal favorite is the peat disc. The peat disc comes as a small circle about a quarter inch thick. When the disc is immersed in water, it expands to form a little planter. The peat is held in place by fine mesh, and the seed is inserted in the top. When the seedling is ready to plant outside, the entire peat disc is inserted in the soil. The beauty of the peat disc is no loose soil - it is all contained by the fine mesh.