If you sow your own seeds, you have a wide variety of cultivars to choose from – so the effort is worthwhile if you want the greatest possible diversity of varieties in your vegetable patch.

1. It's best to use seed trays or peat pots, which you fill with seed-starting mix. If you want to avoid pricking out, place only two to three seeds in each peat pot. Tomatoes are dark germinators – so cover the seeds with soil and gently press it down. Keep the soil slightly moist (ideally with a spray bottle) and cover the sowing container with a transparent lid or plastic wrap to prevent the soil from drying out. Ventilate regularly. The sowing container should be in a bright spot, but not in direct sunlight. The ideal germination temperature is between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius (68-77°F). Seedlings should appear after eight to twelve days.

2. Pricking out happens when the first "true" pair of leaves appears after the cotyledons. Use a pricking-out tool to carefully lift the strongest seedlings from the soil and transfer them to a pot filled with lightly fertilized substrate. Once the roots have filled this pot, transfer the plants to a new one, a few centimeters deeper than before. This encourages roots to form on the lower main stem, ensuring they can absorb plenty of water and nutrients.

3. After the last night frosts, when the young plants are about 25 centimeters (10 inches) tall, you can plant them outdoors or in the greenhouse. Before doing so, you can harden off the young plants by placing them outside during the day and bringing them back in at night. Don't plant them too closely together (maintain at least 70 centimeters or 2.3 feet of space) so the leaves can dry well and prevent blight. The root ball of the young plants should be about 5 centimeters (2 inches) below the soil, allowing roots to form at the base as well. Tomatoes love a warm, sheltered, sunny location and nutrient-rich soil.

Pinching out (or "suckering"). To prevent the tomato plant from forming too many side shoots, which sap the plant's energy and lead to smaller fruits, you should "pinch out" excess side shoots that are less than ten centimeters long. This allows the plant to concentrate its energy on the main stem. Important: Pinch out every few days and, to reduce the risk of fungal infections, only do so in dry, warm weather if possible. Use a clean, sharp cutting tool. Never tear or break off the shoots, and do not injure the main stem.

Staking. Most tomato varieties, except bush tomatoes, need support, especially if you're pinching out side shoots and the fruits are forming on the main stem. A simple wooden stake can work, but spiral metal stakes are particularly practical. You can insert these into the ground when you plant the young seedlings. Then, guide the fast-growing main stem of the tomato plant clockwise through the turns of the stake. An added benefit: in the next spring, these metal stakes can be easily disinfected to kill any fungal spores from the previous year.

Rain Protection. If a damp, cool summer is expected, you should protect your tomato plants with a foil cover; otherwise, fungal diseases could become a threat.

First Aid. If late blight (Kraut- und Braunfäule) or grey mold does strike, spray with horsetail decoction. Alternatively, apply nettle manure every 14 days as a preventive measure.

Fertilizing. Tomatoes are heavy feeders, meaning they require a lot of nutrients. Fertilize every two weeks with a specialized tomato fertilizer from a garden center, which contains everything the red wonder fruit needs. If you prefer organic methods, water with nettle or comfrey liquid fertilizer, or apply manure or compost.

Companion Planting. Tomatoes get along particularly well with spinach, celery, radishes, daikon, lettuce, leeks, cabbage, garlic, carrots, and beans. You should avoid planting them near potatoes, cucumbers, fennel, and peas.

Harvesting and Storing Correctly. Gently cup the fruit in one hand and twist the stem with the other to detach it. Never put tomatoes in the refrigerator; they'll become mealy and lose their flavor. Store them at room temperature or slightly cooler, ensuring they don't touch each other. Unripe tomatoes will ripen after picking.