Follow along. You can’t mess this up.
About the Zero-Waste Tomato Garden Kit.
Samwise’s tomato plant kits are as green as they come. Respectful of the environment, it’s a zero-waste, all-in-one DIY project designed to make gardening simple and efficient. Complete with seeder pod, soil puck, Samwise-cultivated seeds, and a secondary biodegradable pot for transplanting, it provides everything you need (and nothing you don’t) to raise a healthy plant—you’ll even use the packaging! By following our digital instructions below, the warmer months will be filled with exciting growth and juicy tomatoes.
Beefsteak, striped heirloom, and globe varieties available in our Shop.
Your kit has everything you need.
1 biodegradable seed pod
1 peat-based soil puck
1 standard issue Samwise Seeds seed packet
1 biodegradable pot
4 feet of biodegradable jute twine
1 compostable lid
Your kit is zero-waste.
Don’t throw anything away! Everything in the kit is designed to be either used for growing your garden or can be easily recycled.
Both the seed pod and larger pot are peat-based and will break down in the soil and feed your plant nutrients as it does so.
The lid (and its sticker) and seed packet are safe to recycle or break down in your backyard compost.
The branded tag on the pot can be recycled or composted.
The jute twine can be used to tie your tomato plant to a stake as it grows taller!
Let’s get our hands dirty.
Remove the string, pry open the lid, and unpack the kit.
Stand up the small seed pod on a level surface.
Unwrap soil puck, compost the shredded wrapper, and break or cut the soil puck in half.
Place half in the seed pod and soak (with roughly two tablespoons of water).
Let it sit 20 seconds and watch it expand! (Fluff the soil with your fingertip to ensure it has soaked through.)
Place two seeds on top, then push them down as deep as your fingernail.
Cover the seeds and smooth over the soil.
Place the pod in a warm, sunny location.
Water when the soil appears dry. (If the seed pod is soggy, it doesn’t need water!)
Keep going. Here’s part two.
Start with a transplanting readiness checklist:
Did your tomato plant sprout between 5–14 days?
Does your tomato plant have two sets of “true” leaves? (These should be jagged while the first ones were smooth.)
Is your tomato plant between 3–4 inches tall?
Can you see tiny hairs all along the stem?
Do you still have that larger pot and half soil puck we gave you?
If you checked all boxes, continue with these steps…
Let’s give it some breathing room.
Fill the larger pot with potting soil. (Something nutrient-rich!)
Carve out a space twice as wide as the seed pod in the center.
Poke a hole in the middle of each side, then carefully cut the bottom (below pictured arrows) into strips to allow root growth.
Drop the seed pod in the new pot and cover the seed pod completely with soil, level with the base of the plant stem.
Crumble the second half of the soil puck on top, then water until moist.
Place in a warm, sunny location and water again when the soil appears dry.
Time to spread your wings.
When the plant has grown between 8 to 10 inches tall, it’s time to find a permanent home for it.
If you’re planting in the ground, make sure nighttime temperatures are regularly over 50℉ degrees, 55℉ to be safe.
If you’re growing on a deck or balcony, choose a pot that’s at least 12 inches deep. You can bring the pot inside if it’s going to be a chilly evening!
In both situations, given proper water and sunlight, you may have tomatoes ready in 50–80 days.
**For best results in transplanting, cut the biodegradable pot from top of the rim down to the base to allow the root ball to expand (so it doesn’t stunt growth).
One more thing…
When questions arise—and they will—check out Samwise’s journal for more know-how or consult with our head gardener on Instagram at @KnowBeforeYouGrow.