Before Planting: Tomatoes should be grown in a sunny location with good soil drainage.
Planting: Start seeds indoors under controlled conditions. Use soilless grow media. Place in a sunny window with at least 8 hours of sunlight. Water only when soil feels dry to touch. No fertilizer is needed until transplanting. Using a heating pad to keep the soil between 70-80°F. Slowly introduce your tomato seedlings to the outdoor environment one week before transplanting. Each day add more time outside. Start with shade and no wind outdoors and work your way up gradually to sun and wind. Transplant after last frost date and soil temperature has reach 60°F.
Watering: Water at least 1 inch per week. Always water the base of the plant and not the leaves.
Tomatoes are one of the most common plants grown in the garden, but they are usually grown from transplants bought at the store and not seeds. However, growing a tomato from seed allows for more options when it comes to the type of tomatoes a gardener wants to grow.