Remember Me
forgot your password?

Transplanting Tomatoes

Well, the time is here. You've been growing and nurturing your little tomato seedlings the last six to eight weeks and it's time to put them in the garden. Don't worry. You'll be fine. Transplanting tomatoes really isn't rocket science.

For those gardening in the upper two-thirds of the country, don't plant your tomatoes outside until at least Memorial Day. In fact, when I lived in Vermont, we never planted hot season crops until the first moon in June. Tomatoes are part of a crop of what's known as "tender" annuals.

What makes them tender? The cold. Anything below about 55-60 degrees at night and tomatoes aren't happy. Planting around Memorial Day weekend will ensure that you won't lose your tomatoes to a cold snap. No, you won't have the first ripe tomato by Fourth of July. But you'll have a strong yield in August when the early bird plants are starting to die back.

Prepare the bed in the garden before removing the seedling from its cup. You'll want a nice deep trough to plant them in. Instead of digging a deep hole, make sure you dig a furrow to lay your tomato plant down. The root ball lies in the foot of the trough and the plant goes at the head. You may not need to secure the plant to a trellis or tomato cage right away but just be prepared to do so.

Next, remove any seedling stakes and plant ties that have been supporting your tomato plants while they grew in their seedling cups. Next, gently massage the sides of the seedling cup to loosen the soil. Place your hand over the top of the cup with the stem of the tomato plant between your first and second fingers. Turn the cup over so the root ball lands in the palm of your hand and pull the cup off with your free hand.

When you have gently removed the plant from its seedling cup, lay the root ball and the stem in the furrow up to the true leaves. They're the very first set of leaves that were produced during germination.

The best thing about this process is that tomatoes will grow roots along the stem as well as continue growing roots in the root ball. Planting tomatoes this way will ensure a stronger root base and better fruit. Does this mean you can't plant the traditional deep-hole way? No, you certainly can. I've found, though, that my tomato plants are stronger when they're laid in a furrow instead of planted in a hole.

Tomatoes are voracious eaters so feed them every two weeks or so with a liquid fertilizer. Toward the end of the summer and into early fall, keep your eye out for a nasty tomato muncher called the tomato hornworm. They're clever and disguise themselves like the color of the plant so they're hard to see. Look for tomato plant green with white stripes. These pests will destroy a tomato plant in the time it takes to change your mind.

Well, maybe not quite that fast but I've seen them reduce a plant to stubs and half-eaten fruit in the course of a few days. When you see one ... and you will ... clip the branch that they're resting on and kill them. I may get some comments about killing a living thing but I can't imagine one beneficial thing a tomato hornworm does. If you know of one, feel free to email me.

Victoria Rosendahl
Victoria Rosendahl is a freelance copywriter, novelist, and passionate gardener. Visit her website, http://www.money-saving-garden-tips.com, for three FREE gifts and tons of great money saving ideas for your garden. You can also email her at victoria@money-saving-garden-tips.com.
Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish

Add new Comment



Captcha
0
1. josh (16:45, 23.04.2008)
I just re planted some tomatoes and the leaves are just hanging down looks bad and the day is not to sunny

  • Latest Gardening Articles
  • More from Victoria Rosendahl

Enjoy Herb Garden Plants All Year

By: Pat Mctigue | 16/11/2009
One of the neat things about growing herbs is that you can grow them year round. Herb garden plants grow very well indoors which means you can continue to have fresh herbs all winter. Plus, all the beautiful greenery really perks up your home.

Discourage Those Deer

By: Brenna Hartmann | 16/11/2009
How to keep the deer out of the yard and eating plants.

Know Your Zone

By: Brenna Hartmann | 16/11/2009
This is about knowing the Gardening zone that you live in.

Full Sun Gardens

By: Brenna Hartmann | 16/11/2009
Plants that do well in Full Sun.

Building Your Own Greenhouse - The Essential Basics

By: paul rivas | 16/11/2009
creating your own greenhouse can be a joy you may give it a go. A greenhouse gives you protection whenever you grow your plants, flowers, and vegetables. It also gives the necessary dampness and light for the flora. You can enjoy and unwind whenever you visit the place that you worked so hard to make.

Campania Fountains: The Water Fountains That Catch The Eye

By: Carlton Locke | 16/11/2009
At Campania Fountains you can make sure you will get the best products the fountains that they produce are the finest and their fountains look very stylish and are durable too. When you decide to purchase a water fountain make sure you go through the catalogue so you won’t make the wrong choice.

Greenhouses From Oxfordshire Specialists; Grow Your Own Seasonal Produce This Winter

By: Danielle Ingram | 16/11/2009
However, purchasing a greenhouse offers the opportunity for keen gardeners to cultivate seasonal produce and plants all year round without having to brave the wind and rain.

How to do an Arizona Tree Removal

By: Benjamin Fillmore | 16/11/2009
In order to safely and efficiently remove a tree it is very important to consider the following things: safety, equipment, and work plan. 1. Safety- this is the most important aspect of all. Tree removal can be a very dangerous undertaking. Do not undertake a tree removal that is beyond the...

Sometimes It's Good to be A Little Messy

By: Victoria Rosendahl | 26/07/2006 | Gardening
Are you a gardener who doesn't always have time to keep your garden neat and tidy? Not a problem. A messy yard is for the birds.

Law Students: Go Beyond Your Resume

By: Victoria Rosendahl | 26/07/2006 | Law
Don't stop at your resume when putting your best foot forward looking for a job.

A Different Way to Generate Leads

By: Victoria Rosendahl | 07/06/2006 | Copywriting
Generate leads for your copywriting business by turning convention on its head.

Square-Foot Gardening: Grow a Lot in a Small Space

By: Victoria Rosendahl | 07/06/2006 | Gardening
Square-foot gardening is a great way to grow lots of flowers and vegetables without using every inch of your backyard

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.19, 1, w1)