Hey everyone! I'm about to start my tomato plants (San Marzano, Berry's Crazy Cherries, and Mushroom Basket) indoors under grow lights, and I could really use some advice before I transfer them to pots outside. Should I harden my plants before moving them outdoors? If so, how long should I do that for? Also, what type of soil is best for growing tomatoes in pots outside, and how big should the pots be? Thanks for any help!
2 Answers
Yes, definitely harden off your plants before putting them outside! If the weather is cloudy, it's actually a great time to leave them out all day. If it’s sunny, start with just a couple of hours in a shady spot before gradually increasing their sun exposure. Typically, you can do an hour or two for the first couple of days and then work your way up to full sun.
Thank you very much!
For grow lights, invest in the strongest full spectrum lights you can find. If they look too cute, they're probably not powerful enough! Keep the lights about 3 inches above your seedlings and adjust them higher as the plants grow. As for potting soil, regular potting mix works great. Make sure to get the biggest pots you can find since tomatoes can get really big. When I was growing tomatoes in pots, I used half whiskey barrels for the best results!
What size pots are you thinking of using?
How long does hardening usually take, just curious?