Starting and hardening off in the greenhouse

**mdvpc** · April 15, 2006

I am getting ready to plant outside the week after Easter. What I do is start my tomatoes in the Parks 60 plug thingie with bottom heat. When they have some roots showing, I transplant into 16 oz styrofoam cups and bottom water them on a drip system. I have been doing this for 3 years and it works well. I put them on the top shelf so they get plenty of sun. I took the photo last year when I brought them down from the top shelf for something. Anybody have any improvements to my method that they could share? They really take off when they are planted outside in the containers. Its already very hot and sunny when I do that-the only caveat is that I plant in the late afternoon so they get one day of shade to start spreading their roots before they get hit with the blazing sun and dry heat..

April 15, 2006	#1
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Starting and hardening off in the greenhouse I am getting ready to plant outside the week after Easter. What I do is start my tomatoes in the Parks 60 plug thingie with bottom heat. When they have some roots showing, I transplant into 16 oz styrofoam cups and bottom water them on a drip system. I have been doing this for 3 years and it works well. I put them on the top shelf so they get plenty of sun. I took the photo last year when I brought them down from the top shelf for something. Anybody have any improvements to my method that they could share? They really take off when they are planted outside in the containers. Its already very hot and sunny when I do that-the only caveat is that I plant in the late afternoon so they get one day of shade to start spreading their roots before they get hit with the blazing sun and dry heat.. __________________ Michael