by D'Arcy M. Juni

This summer I've decided to take on growing my own tomato plant as a DIY project. The best part about this garden is that it's all going to take place in my quaint little apartment — on the livingroom windowsill.

After all, gardening isn't just for your grandmother, or people with an extra patch of green on their property anymore.

Container gardening is a growing trend (pun intended). My mother has been a container gardener since the 90s, experimenting with various herbs to use in the kitchen. "Invest a little more than money, and reap a little more in rewards," she says.

So to test Ma’s theory, I’ve done a little research. In this tutorial you will learn how to start your own tomato plant from seeds. Happy Garending!

First Off: Why Grow Tomatoes?

1. The health benefits. Tomatoes are high in nutritional value -- an excellent source of, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, iron, and fiber. They also have anti-oxidant properties, and are proven to help reduce circulatory problems and blood clotting.
2. It’s (relatively) easy. They’re a popular starter food for first-time balcony or apartment gardeners because of how low maintenance and space-efficient the plants are.
3. Cost-optimality and profitability. Studies show that the price of produce has risen 26 per cent thus far in 2009. But growers don’t need to suffer the cost because tomato plants are generally cheap to produce and very fruitful.
4. Organic is better. Much cleaner for your body than mass-produced, hormone-injected food flown in from God knows where.

Getting Ready: What You’ll Need

Sunlight – at least 6 hours of sun a day
(A little) Space – a 1 square-meter area will work
Packet of tomato seeds – which should list seed specifications, such as seasons for planting, depth of planting, and seed life span.
Pot/container – Get as creative as you like, but make sure it has adequate drainage holes in the base and is thoroughly cleaned before use. The size of the container is dependent on specific tomato plant requirements, so read your seed packets.
Regular potting soil – Do not use garden soil in the containers to avoid the risk of soil contamination or insect problems
Fertilizer – Compost or manure is optional but optimal
Gravel – Just a little bit.
Mulch - a covering placed around plants to prevent the growth of weeds, while helping soil retain moisture and regulating soil temperature.
Even moisture – soil should be moist, but not wet when you use your finger to test. On hot days, this can mean having to water your plant once or twice daily. Irregular watering leads to blossom end rot and cracking.
Tomato cage/trellis – These keep tomato plants from drooping under the weight of ripening clusters. Be careful not to drive any of the poles of the cage into the stems or roots of your plant.
Garden tools – For those of us who don’t like to get our hands dirty

The Final Preparations

Before deciding if you want your tomatoes grown from a sitting container with a trellis or from a hanging basket, make sure you carefully consider the window/balcony space that you have available.

You will need to check the prospective plant area to gauge how much sun, wind, and shade it will be getting throughout the day. Even if shade is a problem you still have some choices of tomatoes that thrive in less-than-sunny conditions. Again, check the seed packets.

When you’re all ready to get started, bring out your container. To prevent soil from milling out of the drainage holes, form a layer of broken terra cotta or gravel over the base. Make sure something is under the pot to accommodate excess water.

Planting: Time to Get Your Hands (or Tools) Dirty

1. Prepare the container with potting soil. Some gardeners like to start their seedlings off in smaller containers, like ice cube trays and plastic Dixie cups, and transplant them to larger planters as they grow. Seeds should be planted in pre-dampened soil, and the texture should be like that of a wrung-out sponge.

2. Plant your tomatoes according to their seed packets. Remember not to crowd seedlings because they need their individual root space to grow properly. Also note that seeds like to be warm and can be kept near radiators until they sprout. (At the planting stage, seeds don't need light yet because photosynthesis does not begin until leaves are present.)

3. Once the seeds are planted, and the soil has had a chance to warm up, you’ve got mulching to do. Plastic mulch is recommended for heat loving plants like tomatoes and peppers.

4. And now for the waiting game. Tomato seeds usually germinate within a week or so. As soon as the first tip of green emerges from the soil, the plant has begun its dependency on light. The stronger the light the better. In your plant’s premature phases, you can use fluorescent lights (kept on inches away from your tomato seedlings) for 15 to 20 hours a day to promote growth.

5. It is important to be patient. Even if it looks like your seedling’s growth has been stalled, you should give tomato plants up to two weeks before worrying about lack of development.

Taking Care of Your Growing Babies: Pruning/Harvesting

- Ward off fungal disease:
1.When your plant is around 3’ tall, remove the leaves from the bottom 1’ of its stem.
2. Spray tomato plants weekly with steeped compost.

- Pinch and cleanly remove any growing leaves that appear in the crotch joint between 2 branches. They don’t bear fruit, and they take energy away from the rest of the plant.

- Modestly remove a few leaves here and there to help the sunlight get at ripening fruit in the final phases of fruition.

- Once tomatoes are beginning to ripen, they can be watered slightly less to produce a sweeter, more flavourful crop. Pick tomatoes at full color for best quality.

- Note: Storing tomatoes in the fridge lessens their flavour, but it does make them last longer. To conserve flavour, try making sauces or preserves.

If You’re Really Interested: Helpful Links

GardenWise
A great hobbyist site, includes DIY advice and answers to popular questions from the experts. Includes events and resources, and a special section dedicated completely to container gardening.

Backyard Gardening Blog
A site with a community of gardeners, featuring blogs with great advice coming from experienced growers. Also includes articles, galleries, and a forum.

The Garden Helper
Step-by-step pictorial tutorials on preparing and creating a healthy, beautiful garden.

D'Arcy M. Juni is a Women's Post editorial intern. Her favourite tomato product is hot sauce.