It is official… the tomatoes are out of “transplant shock”!  One of the advantages that tomatoes have over the melons is that they are planted deeper and far more resistant to cold weather.

The tomato plugs are planted about 6-7 inches deep which puts the root ball firmly in the ground.  Also, immediately after transplanting, we run the drip irrigation long enough to bring the moisture up to the surface which insures that the roots can grow out and expand into the surrounding soil.  This first irrigation normally provides enough water for about three weeks.  However, this year, mother nature was kind and we got two inches of rain after planting.  These plants are now 21 days from planting and I will not irrigate them again for at least another week—maybe longer.

The weather gives and takes every crop cycle and with a water allocation of only 20% of normal this year, I’ll take whatever I can get!