Tomatoes are one of the very few food-producing plants which will be quite large and still transplant without severe consequences. As long as the plant is in good condition, the roots aren’t damaged during transplanting, and it is set in a hole adequately large, even fruit-bearing tomatoes can be transplanted.
Ideal Transplant Size
In a perfect world, the weather cooperates at the exact moment your transplants have been 6 to 8 weeks old and about 6 inches tall and wide. A stout plant that magnitude is prepared to be set into the garden with about 1 1/2 ins of its top sticking out of the ground.
Older Transplants
Beefy, old transplants can still be set in the garden, even though it could take additional work. Although plants this era might be already trying to produce flowers, be sure to pinch them away when they form. Probably the strain of transplantation can cause the flowers to collapse anyway, and with them gone, the plant can concentrate on repairing and expanding its own root system. It’s still a good idea to plant the transplant 75 percent under ground, but might not be possible if the plant is quite large.
Leggy Transplants
Sometimes, young transplants suddenly take off, producing long and spindly growth. These leggy transplants aren’t unusable, and you can plant them at a horizontal trench several inches under the ground to support further root growth. Be cautious about providing these transplants with any more nitrogen since it can cause more tall, thin growth.
Transplant Care
Once your tomato was put into the soil, there is not much more that has to be done except to water it well. Water is the single most significant thing you can do to help a transplant. If your transplant was rather large when you planted it, pinching off unwanted branches can help to concentrate its growth to one stem and store it more compact. Wait to fertilize until fruits form and achieve about one-third of their last size. Placing a tomato cage ancient will simplify training.
