Tomato Dirt Newsletter
Volume 2, Number 2: Issue #18

Dear Tomato Dirt reader,

Welcome back to Tomato Dirt! Once or twice a month, we’ll send you this newsletter packed with tips about growing tomatoes and using them.

What to Look for In Seed Staring Kits for Tomatoes

Seed starting kits offer an excellent value if you want to grow your own tomato plants from seeds. By purchasing a kit, you save money over the price of buying individual components. And kits are convenient. In one package, you get all you need to start tomato seeds. Beginners, in particular, are drawn to kits because using them makes starting tomato seeds much less intimidating.

Gardener’s Supply and Burpee offer a range of seed starting kits for tomatoes. You can also get going with a Beginner Seedstarting Kit.

Seed starting kits come with trays that have different numbers of cells. You can choose a kit offering the number of cells that meets your needs. If you want to start only a few plants, buy a kit with a smaller number of cells. If you’re interested in growing large numbers of tomatoes, get larger trays. And seed starting kits come with all different numbers of cells in between. (Compare different seed starting kits in the full article here)

What features to look for in seed starting kits

• Planting tray system: traditional vs. self-watering
• Size: bigger is better

Other features to consider in seed starting kits

• Planting medium
• Greenhouse cover
• Plant fertilizer
• Plant labels
• Tray material
• Heat mat

(Compare different seed starting kits here.)

Tomato Dirt Recommends Sites for Tomato Seeds

Hybrid Tomato Varieties

For hybrid tomato seeds, we recommend Burpee, a leading home gardening and seed company since 1881. Shop Burpee.com for Tomatoes

Other Helpful Tomato Seed Starting Info

Kathy with Tomato Dirt
www.tomatodirt.com
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P.S. As you choose which tomato varieties to grow in 2012, make sure you consider which ones grow best in your climate. Check out these tomato variety lists to help.