Getting your tomato garden started every season includes the choice of how to grow your plants—from seeds or seedlings? Buying seedlings at your local nursery is quicker and easier, but your choices are limited to what they carry, and the cost of seedlings will likely exceed your cost of starting from seeds. If you’re growing heirloom tomatoes from seeds that you already have, then the choice is already made for you! Or perhaps you’re trying a mix of seeds and seedlings.

For growing from seeds, you’ll need the tools and a disciplined process for getting from seeds to plants that will produce a good harvest for you.

Besides your seeds, tools might include:

• Starting soil
• Containers
• Widger (a spatula-like tool for lifting seedlings without damaging them)
• Germination station
• Grow lights
• Heat mats

Depending on your set-up situation, you might not need all of these items—or you might be able to do-it-yourself (DIY) on some things. If you choose to grow your tomatoes from seeds, take advantage of all the options to select the varieties that you really want.