Re: Tomato Plants

On Saturday 09 June 2001 09:48, Andrea Green wrote:
> We just moved into our new home, and there are some tomato plants that need
> to be transplanted. How do we go about doing that? Andrea

Short answer:  With a shovel!  ;-)

I think its probably still early enough to move tomato plants from one part 
of the garden to another if that's what you meant.   I'd use a shovel to 
first dig an 8-10 inch diameter hole where the plant is going.  and then dig 
a root ball about 8 -10 inches in diameter around the plant.  Using the 
shovel, pick the whole plant up by the root ball  and put it  where you want 
it.  

Be careful to handle by the plants by the root ball not the green plant stalk 
or you'll risk damaging the plants.

I grow my tomato plants a bit close together, leaving a bit more than 1 
square foot per plant.  I don't know if this is right or not.  Anyone know 
for sure?

If you have some seedlings to transplant, here's what I do:

When I put tomato plants in from seedlings,  I use a product called planting 
mix.  Its a mix of peat moss, loam and cow manure.  Great stuff!   I Dig a 
hole about 8 inches deep, and 10 inches in diameter.  Fill it in with this 
stuff.  Adding enough to go bit above the level of the old soil in a rim 
around the 10 inch diameter circle.  I put a handful of soil in the center of 
the crater to form a small mound.  This is what you want the soil to look 
like when you're done.  Its a bit like a small moon crater.

I plant the seedlings so the top of the soil from the transplant root ball is 
1/2 inch below the original soil level.  I mound up a little soil around the 
stalk about 1/2 inch above the level of the  original soil so the soil looks 
like the moon crater again.  I expect this little bump in the middle and the 
1/2 inch below grade level will accept new roots the tomato plant will put 
out as it grows and that this will make the plant healthier.   The rims 
around the outside of my craters will hold water.  I can water with a 
watering can and the water won't run off to nourish the weeds.  

Many Thanks to Mr. Liu from Taiwan who showed me this crater technique this 
spring.

What do the experts on the list think of these techniques for transplanting?  
Will Andrea run into any problems if she's moving plants as I suggested?

-Pat
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