Growing Tomatoes; Transplanting Outdoors & General Care After seeding inside and transplanting tiny seedlings to larger pots to continue to grow and develop, the time will eventually come when the plants will need to move outside. In this post I will show you how to get your tomato plants ready for the outdoors, and how to further care for them. In my previous post, Growing Tomatoes Part 1: Seeding & Transplanting Seedlings, I went through the process of seeding and caring for tomato sprouts. Once tomato sprouts have reached a certain size, such as in the picture below, they will take off and grow very quickly; several inches a week is not uncommon. Tomato plants crave direct sun and warmth all day long, and will also absorb a lot of water. I often water twice a day at this stage, with holes on the bottom of the cups to allow for drainage. May 1: May 6: If not already done, this is a good time to pass out plants that are not needed to friends and family. Preparing for Transplanting Outdoors: Weathering Once the weather has warmed up sufficiently and the danger of night frost has just about passed, it is time to “weather” your plants in preparation for outdoor transplanting. Weathering means to get them used to the climate outdoors, where they will be exposed to the elements. They need to gradually get used to the outdoor air, wind, [...] Read more »