The Safest Way To Repot Growing Tomato Plants For An Abundant Harvest

Among the many tips for growing the best tomatoes in your garden, making sure to repot properly can be particularly important. Getting the repotting process wrong can stunt the plant's growth — ultimately affecting how many tomatoes you get in the summer. There is usually more than one repot involved with growing tomato plants so here's how the moves like a pro.

The first repotting is quite crucial, and timing plays a big role. At this stage, you're probably watching your seedlings like a hawk, so once you see the first two sets of true leaves (not the first seed leaves) — or if you notice roots are coming out of the drainage holes — it's time to move the plant to roomier accommodations. Watering your tomatoes properly before you transplant them is especially important here so make sure to give them a good soak before their move.

You want to select a container that is about one-gallon. Make sure it's filled with good quality potting mix and use your hands to create a little dip in the middle of the soil. Squeeze the sides of the original container very gently until the plant is loose, then gently pull the plant out by the soil and pop it in the depression you made. Don't be afraid to plant it quite deep as tomato plants can grow new roots from their stem and this will only create a stronger foundation for a bigger plant. And don't forget to take some time hardening the plants off before putting them outside. 

There will come a time for a final move — either to a garden bed or into a much larger container — where your tomato plant will remain. As this second move involves a much bigger plant, this transition will need even more preparation. One of the best hacks to remember when growing tomatoes is to understand the timing of your final transplant: choose a cloudy day or even evening hours to minimize transplant shock.

If you're growing tomatoes in a container, make sure the plant's final container is big enough — at least 12 inches, and it needs to have good drainage holes. If you're growing tomatoes in the garden in a bed, make sure they're 14- 18 inches deep and equally as wide apart and placed in a spot that gets at least eight hours of sun. This move itself is not dissimilar to the first transfer, it's simply a bigger job — so turn the pot on its side and support the stem as you loosen the root ball. Bury the plant deeper again, at least two thirds of the stem should be submerged in soil. Then once your plant is in its final position, water it, but give the roots a week to adjust to the move before giving any fertilizer. With these repotting techniques in mind, you're well on your way to your most abundant crop of juicy tomatoes yet.