Spring gardening for beginners: Tips and best tomato varieties to consider
Tomatoes - they're sweet, meaty, and juicy. Eaten with onion, chive, or mozzarella, we crave their taste all year round. These are among the most popular seasonal vegetables, grown by many of us on our windowsills or balconies.
11:08 AM EST, February 12, 2024
It's well known that the best tomatoes are those picked straight from the plant. Taking your first steps in gardening? Consider planting some tomatoes. Cultivating these vegetables is straightforward. Keep reading for our recommendations on the best varieties for beginner gardeners.
Tomato varieties for beginner gardeners: which are the best?
There's nothing quite like the taste of a tomato straight from the plant. It's no wonder many people choose to grow their own tomatoes. It's easier than you might think. Follow a few simple rules, and by the end of July, you'll be enjoying delicious, juicy tomatoes.
Let's begin with the basics. Planting seeds directly into the ground is risky. Starting with seedlings is the better approach. You can get them going around February and March. Which seeds should you choose? If you're new to gardening, we suggest varieties such as: 'Rumba Ożarowska,' 'Honey Moon,' 'Koralik,' and 'Henryka' F1. Sowing 'Rumba Ożarowska' will produce shapely, juicy tomatoes that are exceptionally resistant to weather changes and diseases.
'Honey Moon' is a raspberry tomato type. When properly cared for, it can yield huge tomatoes that weigh up to 0.66 lbs. Similar to 'Rumba Ożarowska', 'Honey Moon' resists several diseases and blight. 'Koralik' tomatoes are small, cherry-like and suitable for growing on a balcony. 'Henryka' is a different raspberry tomato variety with high resistance to common diseases.
Growing tomatoes: some useful tips
The sooner you prepare your seedlings, the stronger your plants will be. So don't wait - start this month. You would also need containers for the seedlings. These can be purchased at any gardening store. If you strive for less waste, you can also use empty egg containers. But remember to create some openings in them.
Don't forget about the suitable substrate when shopping at the gardening store. The best choice will be fertile and permeable (with slightly acidic or natural pH levels). Look for it under the label "ready-made soil for sowing". Keep your seedlings in a warm place for at least two weeks. After that, move them to a cooler windowsill. Once they've developed leaves, move them to larger pots. Transfer them to the garden only after the mid-May chill, known as "Zoska's cold".
