- Tomatoes should not go into the outdoor garden until the last frost is past and nighttime temperatures are at 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Contact your local university extension to find out the projected last frost dates in your area, and work from there.
- Start tomato seeds eight to ten weeks before the last average frost date to give them time to germinate and grow before transplant. Use starter pots and starter soil for seed germination, and keep the tomatoes in spots that get at least four hours of sun every day.
- Purchase young tomato seedlings from a nursery four to six weeks before the last frost to ensure strong seedlings for the outdoor transplant. If you've grown your tomatoes from seeds, transfer the seedlings into larger pots at this time for continued growth. Give seedlings 3-inch pots and nutritious soil mixes with compost and quick-draining potting soil, and set them in places that get six to eight hours of sun every day.
- Measure garden readiness once temperatures warm. Pick up a handful of garden soil and squeeze it; soil that breaks apart again is ready for planting. Transplant tomato seedlings into the garden with a mixture of compost, quick-draining soil and 6-24-24 fertilizer, and space them at 24 to 36 inches apart. Mulch the new tomatoes with 2 inches of mulch to keep the soil moist and warm through the spring season.
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