On Sunday we enlisted the help of family to get the bulk of our tomatoes and peppers planted into our new vegetable field.

With 160 tomato plants and over 500 pepper plants to get into the ground, we like the policy "many hands make light work"!!

For the last two weeks we have been selling our tomato seedlings at the Chestertown Farmers Market.

We send each customer away with words of advice on how to plant a tomato, and it occured to us that the rest of you might appreciate a little tutorial on how best to plant a tomato plant!

So, here goes:

Step One: Dig a Deep Hole

Look at your plant and dig a hole that will leave about 8" of the plant above the soil level.

Step Two: Amend With Compost

A small scoop in the bottom of the hole will do.

We make our own, but you can find LeafGro or another brand at your local garden center.

BEWARE: "topsoil" is NOT compost! Compost is alive with biological activity and lots of organic matter.

Step Three: Gently break apart the rootball of your plant

This helps to keep the plant from becoming root-bound and encourages the roots to extend outward.

Step Four: Trim the lower leaves from your plant

By removing these leaves and then planting deep enough that those growth points are now in soil, you will encourage adventitious roots to form! Every leaf removed is replaced with roots, resulting in a much more drought-resistant plant!

Step Five: Give it a little more love

Mix a little more compost into the hole around the plant.

Step Six: Fill in the hole

Fill the hole up and tamp down with your hands to ensure that the soil is firmly packed around your plant.

Your plant should be sitting in a little well to allow the water to collect and absorb in when you water.

Step Seven: Mulch well

You can use regular garden mulch or a thick layer of straw. Avoid using dyed mulch around your food! Mulch helps to keep the soil moist and prevent weeds from growing around your tomato plant.

Step Eight: Provide words of encouragement

We all need a little pep talk from time to time! Let your plant know that you believe it has GREAT POTENTIAL!

Water it deeply immediately after planting and every 2-3 days for the next few weeks, then weekly if it hasn't rained, or more often if your tomato is growing in a pot.

It's best to water with less frequency, but more volume. This promotes deep root growth and results in more drought-resiliant plants!

Cheers,

Jennifer & Brian

P.S. We will have lots of tomato and sweet italian pepper seedlings for sale at the Chestertown Farmer's Market on Saturday from 8am - noon!

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