| Well, the time is here. You've been | | | | second fingers. Turn the cup over so the |
| growing and nurturing your little tomato | | | | root ball lands in the palm of your hand |
| seedlings the last six to eight weeks | | | | and pull the cup off with your free |
| and it's time to put them in the garden. | | | | hand. |
| Don't worry. You'll be fine. | | | | When you have gently removed the plant |
| Transplanting tomatoes really isn't | | | | from its seedling cup, lay the root ball |
| rocket science. | | | | and the stem in the furrow up to the |
| For those gardening in the upper | | | | true leaves. They're the very first set |
| two-thirds of the country, don't plant | | | | of leaves that were produced during |
| your tomatoes outside until at least | | | | germination. |
| Memorial Day. In fact, when I lived in | | | | The best thing about this process is |
| Vermont, we never planted hot season | | | | that tomatoes will grow roots along the |
| crops until the first moon in June. | | | | stem as well as continue growing roots |
| Tomatoes are part of a crop of what's | | | | in the root ball. Planting tomatoes |
| known as "tender" annuals. | | | | this way will ensure a stronger root |
| What makes them tender? The cold. | | | | base and better fruit. Does this mean |
| Anything below about 55-60 degrees at | | | | you can't plant the traditional |
| night and tomatoes aren't happy. | | | | deep-hole way? No, you certainly can. |
| Planting around Memorial Day weekend | | | | I've found, though, that my tomato |
| will ensure that you won't lose your | | | | plants are stronger when they're laid in |
| tomatoes to a cold snap. No, you won't | | | | a furrow instead of planted in a hole. |
| have the first ripe tomato by Fourth of | | | | Tomatoes are voracious eaters so feed |
| July. But you'll have a strong yield in | | | | them every two weeks or so with a liquid |
| August when the early bird plants are | | | | fertilizer. Toward the end of the summer |
| starting to die back. | | | | and into early fall, keep your eye out |
| Prepare the bed in the garden before | | | | for a nasty tomato muncher called the |
| removing the seedling from its cup. | | | | tomato hornworm. They're clever and |
| You'll want a nice deep trough to plant | | | | disguise themselves like the color of |
| them in. Instead of digging a deep | | | | the plant so they're hard to see. Look |
| hole, make sure you dig a furrow to lay | | | | for tomato plant green with white |
| your tomato plant down. The root ball | | | | stripes. These pests will destroy a |
| lies in the foot of the trough and the | | | | tomato plant in the time it takes to |
| plant goes at the head. You may not need | | | | change your mind. |
| to secure the plant to a trellis or | | | | Well, maybe not quite that fast but I've |
| tomato cage right away but just be | | | | seen them reduce a plant to stubs and |
| prepared to do so. | | | | half-eaten fruit in the course of a few |
| Next, remove any seedling stakes and | | | | days. When you see one ... and you will |
| plant ties that have been supporting | | | | ... clip the branch that they're resting |
| your tomato plants while they grew in | | | | on and kill them. I may get some |
| their seedling cups. Next, gently | | | | comments about killing a living thing |
| massage the sides of the seedling cup to | | | | but I can't imagine one beneficial thing |
| loosen the soil. Place your hand over | | | | a tomato hornworm does. If you know of |
| the top of the cup with the stem of the | | | | one, feel free to email me. |
| tomato plant between your first and | | | | |