How to Build a Tomato Seedling Grow Box

Select a large, plastic storage tub with a tight-fitting lid to use as your seedling grow box. Substitute a rigid foam cooler and use a sheet of plexiglass for the lid if you do not have a storage tub handy or yours does not have a lid.

Unwind a strand of LED Christmas lights and count the number of bulbs on the strand. The best lights to use for this project are either white or blue to stimulate seedling growth.

Drill a series of holes in the lid of the plastic storage tub (or the sheet of plexiglass) using an electric hand drill with a 1/4-inch drill bit. Drill the first hole about an inch from the corner of the lid and insert one of the LED bulbs into the hole to test for fit -- increase or decrease the drill bit size accordingly. Drill as many holes into the lid as there are bulbs on the strand of Christmas light, arranging the holes in even rows and columns across the entire surface of the lid.

Insert the bulbs on the strand of Christmas lights into the holes in the lid from the outside. Begin by inserting the first or last bulb on the strand into one of the corner holes and work by row or column to insert the rest of the bulbs. Use a dab of hot glue to hold the bulbs into place if the they do not stay in the holes on their own.

Fill the plastic storage tub two-thirds full with compost or high-quality garden soil. If you prefer to plant your seedlings in individual trays or cups, fill them with soil then arrange them inside the plastic storage tub.

Plant your seedlings in the soil by digging furrows or by poking individual holes in the soil with your finger. The depth at which you sow the seeds may vary according to the variety of tomato seed, so consult the instructions on the seed packet or perform basic research to determine the proper depth.

Moisten the soil with water then place the lid on the plastic storage tub and plug in the LED lights. The lid on the tub will help to keep the soil moist and the LED lights will provide seedlings with the proper spectrum of lighting.