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