Newbie Advice on planting tomatoes

[KingTwistedKidd]

This is my second year gardening, first year growing from seeds. I have some tomatoes that have outgrown there pots and I'm getting antsy about getting them into the ground. I have been hardening them off for the last week, and we are finally getting nights into the 50s this week, but next week as of right now it could possibly get as low as 42°. I know they should survive, but is it worth stressing them out? Should i just wait another two weeks to plant and watch the weather closely? What is the best minimum night tempts if so? Thanks!

 

[Chuck]

This is my second year gardening, first year growing from seeds. I have some tomatoes that have outgrown there pots and I'm getting antsy about getting them into the ground. I have been hardening them off for the last week, and we are finally getting nights into the 50s this week, but next week as of right now it could possibly get as low as 42°. I know they should survive, but is it worth stressing them out? Should i just wait another two weeks to plant and watch the weather closely? What is the best minimum night tempts if so? Thanks!

They will still grow in the 50's but 60's is better. If your plants are getting too leggy repot them into a larger container and wait until perfect weather to set out.

 

[TomatoNut]

I grow all of my tomatoes from seeds in my greenhouse, and believe me, I understand what it's like for your tomatoes to get leggy before you're ready. Chuck is right, never plant any veggies outside until nighttime temps stay at least above 50. (listen to Chuck, he's very smart) When you finally get them outside, plant your leggy plants deep.

 

[headfullofbees]

Don't plant them deep, you're wasting growing time on replacing a perfectly good set of roots.

 

[TomatoNut]

Ignore headfullofbees when he tries to tell you to not plant your tomatoes deep. Many expert gardeners recommend planting deep, and I find this method works for me as well.

 

[Meadowlark]

I completely agree with planting tomatoes deep.

Also, make sure your soil has adequate calcium and magnesium...composted egg shells, oyster shells, ag lime, Epsom salts, bone meal, are all good tomato soil additives.

 

[TomatoNut]

Chuck and I also recommend leaf mulch as well. And avoid Sta-Green garden, and potting soils. Bad nutritional value.

 

[headfullofbees]

Many gardeners are wrong. Tomatoes have tap roots for deeper mining of water and nutrients.
It's an old husband's tale.
Other gardening nonsense:

 

[TomatoNut]

Look, I don't know where you get all those crummy videos, but there its nothing wrong with planting deep. I will continue to do it as long as I garden. You do your tomatoes the way you want, but I'm going to forever recommend planting deep to whoever asks advice on how to plant tomatoes because that method works for me!

 

[marlingardener]

Plant leggy tomatoes deep--up to the first set of leaves. If nighttime temps get too low for your comfort and the tomatoes' comfort, you can just set black plastic 1 gal. pots over them at sundown, and take the pots off before the sun gets high. I don't know where you are in the USA, but here in central Texas if the night temps are 50-ish, we cover the plants just for security. Such fun covering 50 plants!
We start our tomatoes from seed, and as hard as I try, they always get "leggy". However, once in the soil, planted deeply, they produce and produce and produce!
You'll have a good tomato crop, just don't over-think it. Tomatoes have been around for many years and we've been enjoying them for many years!

 

[Chuck]

One only plants DEEP when he has to and that is when the plant is too tall to be left to its own without support. There are leggy plants and normal sized transplants. I always plant my normal sized transplants up to just a little below the first set of true leaves or just a little above the cotyledon leaves. I don't know if that translates to deep planting or not. On leggy plants, plants a foot tall or more and with a skinny trunk I plant them as deep as possible to avoid them getting blown over and broken.

 

[TomatoNut]

Marlingardener is 100% correct! I live in East Texas, and grow all my tomatoes from seed in a dinky, cheap made greenhouse. If I don't plant them quick enough, they get leggy and I try to plant deep. Marlingardener, what type of soil do you have? I have clay soil and plant my garden in a crummy raised bed full of store-bought dirt, or in pots of potting soil. Have you ever had a plant look this bad after you plant it? This has happened to me before, it just turns this gray color and looks sick not long after I plant it in my raised garden. What's wrong?

 

[TomatoNut]

That's exactly what I try to do Chuck! I need you in my backyard!! Can you figure out what went wrong with my tomato plant?

 

[Chuck]

That's exactly what I try to do Chuck! I need you in my backyard!! Can you figure out what went wrong with my tomato plant?

Looks like a trace mineral deficiency possibly Boron. What are you fertilizing with

 

[TomatoNut]

There is all kinds of dirt in my raised garden: peat moss, miracle-gro garden soil, Scotts topsoil, you name it, it might be in there. As for extra fertilize, the only thing I use is the box of Miracle-Gro 'mix-up-in-the-watering-can' and water-on stuff. I wasn't able to do that with all that extra rain we got, I didn't want to overwater and rot my stuff. I sprinkled Scotts Humus and Manure around my plants not long ago. The tomatoes I have growing in pots seem to be doing great, especially my 'mystery tomato' that was supposed to be a 'Micro Tom'. (It's in the first, big pot in the pic)