How To Grow Organic Tomatoes - Transplanting Your Tomato Seedlings Into Peat Pods

You have babied your organic tomato seeds. They are now beautiful seedlings.

Problem is, Kansas City has not yet had it's last frost. It is too soon to put your tomato seedlings into your garden.

Therefore, our little tomato plants are going to have to be gently transplanted into Peat Pots, set out for sun during the day in a greenhouse or maybe a cold frame.

To successfully transplant your organic tomato seedlings you will need:

* One peat pot for every organic tomato seedling.

We are putting ours in 3 inch peat pots. Ideally, the bigger the peat pot the longer you can take to put it in it's permanent home.

* A large, fairly shallow bowl full of water.

* A combination of top soil and compost.

We are using 1/3 top soil, 1/3 compost, 1/3 Hummus with manure.

* Trays.

* A spoon or some kind of utensil to lift the plants out.

* Popsicle sticks or something similar for labeling each individual plant.

Here we go:

1. Over fill your peat pots with your dirt mixture.
Being the non-green thumb in this duo, this is my job. I just fill the peat pots then set them in rows on our trays.

2. Carefully, remove each organic tomato seedling. Gently remove the dirt from around it's roots and then place each individual tomato plant in the water to soak the roots.

3. Make a good size whole in the dirt in the peat pot, place your organic tomato plant inside it. Refill the dirt around the plant - packed just a bit. Then sprinkle dirt back around the tomato seedling so the peat pot is full again.

4. Label each peat pot with which kind of tomato you are awaiting. We use popsicle sticks.

5. Fill water in the tray to cover the peat pots about half way.

The secret here is to allow the organic seedlings enough sun, but not to get cold. If you have to, carry them outside each morning, let them soak in the sun, and then bring them in by dark. This is how my sister and I did the organic tomato seedlings last year. For obvious reasons, it's least favorable.

This year my brother -in-law has given us the gift of a make shift greenhouse plus a cold frame - Jackpot!!!!! He enclosed their back porch by making a wooden frame and then covered it with some plastic. Actually, the cold frame is the exact same idea. He just built it small enough to cover the garden area we are going to grow the organic tomato seedlings.

There is nothing complicated to transplanting these babies. Grab a partner, then not only are you on your way to having yourself some yummy tomatoes, but you can also solve all the world problems along the way !

You do not have a partner today? No worries. It is hard to think of a better way to mediate and enjoy just being then putting your hands in the dirt and helping these beautiful plants grow!