Tom plants from nursery - Now what?

[Zapatay]

OK I bought awesome Tom plants from a super-cute nursery nearby. Three plants are over a foot tall and nice healthy stems…  Now what?

Frost free date in my zone is Memorial Day and that's over a month off.

What do I do now? I don't have a grow light and Simply keep watered and by a window? Or should I repot and keep by a sunny window? Or should I repot and put outside, bringing them in when it's cold?


This is the first time I got so anxious and I usually buy them in May when I can plant right away…..

[TZ -OH6]

You are kinda screwed because there is almost no way to keep those plants in prime conditions for planting out. They are already at the upper end as far as best transplant size goes. What I would do is immediately pot them up into something big like 8" pots and then put them outside as long as the temps are above 40F. Cool temps will restrict further growth, Bright light will keep them stout, and the large pot size will enable growth during warm weather without binding up the roots. Then when last frost date comes plant them out and they should be in good shape.

[rainbowgardener]

Good advice from TZ (as usual TZ!). Putting them by a window just does not make it. They will get very tall and spindly while waiting.

[gixxerific]

Though if they do get tall and spindly remember to plant DEEP. Mine aren't so spindly but I still plant very deep. Any part of the stem that is buried will produce roots.

You may not be out of luck but some good strategy will help in the long run.

[GardenJester]

get three 5 gallon or larger bucket, filled it with soil, mix in some slow releasing tomato fertilizer, transplant the seedlings, put up a cage. set it in a sunny spot, move it inside on bad weather days.

[soil]

what are your daytime temps and weather like?

[hendi_alex]

My planting date is generally April 20th, and your planting date is only a month away? For the last month I upsize my containers and keep the tomatoes outside every day, only bringing the plants in when the temperatures drop below 40. IMO you are in perfect shape. You have great plants, and more than likely will have many 60+ degree days to give them full sunshine and a breeze. A cold frame of some design will definitely help in giving the plants outside time.

BTW, I can keep my largest plants which were seeded in December, growing extremely well in 3 gallon nursery containers until planting time arrives. Since the temperatures have settled here in S.C. (zone , all of my larger plants are now in there permanent summer homes. They were in 3 gallon containers and about two feet tall at their final transplant size. I'm expecting ripe tomatoes form those plants in about two weeks.