Directions for Planting

1. Protect from wind and freezing temperatures.
   
2. Plants are tender from being in the greenhouse. Be gentle.
3. "Harden off" plants by exposing them to the outdoors for a couple of hours each day for a couple of days before planting in the garden.
4. Use Tomato baskets, stakes, fence, or trellis to keep fruit off of the ground. Old nylon stockings cut into rings make the best tomato ties.
5. Tomatoes love chicken manure, but keep some distance when applying in order to avoid burning plants.
6. Raised beds are best. They increase soil temperature and drain well. Allow tomatoes to get slightly dry before each watering.
7. To accelerate growth, enclose tomato baskets with plastic until onset of summer heat.

  Super Tomato Tip

Do you want the best, most prolific tomato plants ever?

Use the trench method. Cut off lower leaves leaving only the crown of the plant. Dig a shallow, horizontal trench about 3-4 inches deep. Lay entire plant (roots and all) sideways in trench and then cover the root ball and stem with soil up to the crown of the plant. The crown will bend upwards toward the sun all by itself within a day or so.

      Helps to keep plants from being battered by early spring winds

     Places the stem just under the soil surface where it is warmest in the sun

     Multiplies the root system early in the season since the stem (now underground) develops roots