The best time and simple step-by-step method for transplanting tomatoes explained in detail

Want to grow tomatoes loaded with fruit? Let's walk through it properly.

1. Timing for Transplanting Seedlings

Home-grown seedlings: When the tomato seedlings have grown 5-6 true leaves and their roots are sturdy, that is the best time to transplant.

Mail-order seedlings: When the parcel arrives, do not rush to pot them up. First mist the leaves and root ball to keep them moist, watering until thoroughly soaked, then place them in a bright spot with indirect light to acclimate for 1 day.

2. How to Handle Seedlings in Different Conditions

Healthy seedlings: Home-grown seedlings or mail-order seedlings in good condition can be transplanted directly.

Weak seedlings: If the seedlings are drooping and their leaves are turning yellow, it is best to pot them on into a temporary container first. Use a small pot 10-12cm across, fill it with seed-starting mix or ordinary garden soil, plant them, and then leave them to rest in indirect light for 3-7 days. Once the leaves perk up, move them to a spot that gets half a day of sun each day, along with a foliar feed. If you see new shoots after 10 days, that means new roots have formed, and in 15-20 days they can be moved into a large pot.

3. How to Transplant

1.For large tomatoes, use a pot 30cm in diameter and 25cm or more in height; the bigger the pot, the more fruit you get. For dwarf cherry tomatoes, a pot with a 20cm rim is enough.

2.Mix your soil and fertilizer and plant. First put a 10cm layer of soil in the bottom of the pot, add 2 big handfuls of fully rotted sheep manure/cake fertilizer, then scatter 1 handful of wood ash +1 handful of bone meal/eggshell powder, then cover with 5cm of soil. For ordinary planting, just scatter 1 small handful of compound fertilizer in the bottom of the pot, then fill with soil.

3.If the seedling stem is thin and long, plant it at an angle so that the lower part of the stem is buried in the soil, leaving only the top 5 leaves exposed. The buried section of stem will gradually grow new roots, making the plant stronger.

4.Water thoroughly right after transplanting, but with a large pot be careful to water only the area within 10cm in diameter around the seedling. When the temperature is below 18°C, avoid making the whole pot too wet, or the roots may easily rot.

4. Fertilizing After Transplanting

After 7-10 days, if you see the tomato putting out new leaves, that means the transplant was successful. At that point, water with a little diluted okara (soybean residue) fertilizer or another high-nitrogen fertilizer to help the stems and leaves grow. Once the roots reach down into the base fertilizer layer, the plant feeds itself and you no longer need to top-dress frequently.

In short, follow the steps and a "tomato free-for-all" is no dream.