Do This to Your Tomatoes in April for a Massive Harvest – Treat Your Seedlings Well Now and They'll Reward You Big Time
April is when tomatoes go from teeny seedlings to real plants. Here's exactly what you should be doing to ensure a huge harvest.
A tomato harvest in summer and early fall is one of the joys of gardening for many. Tasty, ripe tomatoes are delicious raw and cooked, and with so many varieties to choose from, you can enjoy everything from tiny, sweet grapes to big slicers if you know what you’re doing.
Growing tomatoes isn’t difficult, but getting healthy plants and a good harvest depends a lot on what you do early in the growing season. April is a critical time for tomatoes to establish strong roots, grow strong stems, and transition to the outdoor environment. Patience pays with tomatoes, so take time now to do these critical April tasks and reap the benefits later.
1. Nurture Your Seedlings
In most growing zones, you will have started tomato seeds indoors before April. If you're in a colder zone, like 3 or 4, you might just be starting seeds in early April, but they should be taking off with steady growth by the end of the month.
Article continues belowDon’t make the mistake of being totally hands-off with your seedlings. They need care and nurturing now during this crucial growth period to ensure they develop strong stems and roots. First, make sure the soil stays consistently moist but not soggy. While still small, you can cover seedlings with plastic wrap to keep more moisture in.
Sunlight is also critical for strong growth. Make sure your seedlings get at least 12 hours of light per day. Even more is better. If using a window, rotate seed trays for even light distribution. The best way to get your indoor tomato seedlings enough light is to position them directly under a grow light, like this one from Amazon.
Brush your fingers lightly over the seedlings a few times a day. This mimics wind, which, when grown outdoors, helps seedlings develop stronger stems. Alternatively, you can place a gentle oscillating fan near the seedlings throughout the day.
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2. Pot Up and Feed Larger Seedlings
Another important step in growing tomato seedlings into healthy plants is transitioning them into pots. Keeping them crowded in small seedling trays can lead to plants becoming rootbound, resulting in thin, weak root growth that won’t support plants well later.
Once you see the first set of true leaves and the seedlings are sturdy enough to be handled carefully, move them to larger accommodations. Use one small pot per plant to give them room to grow and to avoid the overcrowding that can lead to poor airflow and fungal infections.
This is also a good time to start fertilizing tomatoes. Use a balanced (10-10-10 is good) fertilizer like this one from Amazon, diluted to half strength, every two to three weeks.
3. Start Hardening Off
Tomatoes are hot-weather plants. They thrive in summer but struggle in the cooler shoulder seasons. Your growing zone and the year’s weather determine when you’ll transplant seedlings outdoors. Only if you live in zone 7 or warmer are you likely to be able to transplant in April. Soil temperatures need to be at least 60 F (15.5 C).
If the time is approaching, you can start hardening off your small tomato plants before making the final transplant. Hardening off is the process of gradually exposing plants to outdoor conditions, so they're not shocked and then damaged when moved out full-time.
Place your small pots of tomato plants in a protected area outdoors with dappled shade for a couple of days (bringing them back inside at night). Over the next few days, increase the amount of time they spend in direct sunlight outdoors by an hour or two. Finally, leave them outside all day in the sun for a few days and overnight if the temperatures are above 50 F (10 C).
4. Prepare the Soil
When it’s warm enough outside and the plants have been hardened off, they’re ready for transplanting, but is the soil? Take time to get the soil right, either in beds or large containers, to give your plants the best start in the great outdoors.
First, if you’re not certain about the temperature, check it. The soil needs to be at least 60 degrees. It is possible to warm cold soil. If air temperatures feel right but the soil is still cool, place black sheeting over it for a few days. The soil under it will absorb heat from the sun and warm faster.
If planting tomatoes in beds, dig down deep and mix some compost into the soil to improve drainage and add nutrients. If you’re growing tomatoes in containers, get your mix or ready-made potting soil prepared and ready for planting.
5. Transplant (If It's Warm Enough!)
When the time is right, and you’ve done all the preparatory work, you can transplant your tomatoes from their small pots to their permanent outdoor locations. Tomatoes can be planted deep. Dig deep holes for tomato plants and bury them up to the first set of leaves on the stem. Tomato plants grow extra roots from the stem, so this will stimulate more roots to help feed and stabilize the plants. If they're extra leggy, try trench planting.
Tomato plants should be spaced two to three feet (0.6 to 0.9 m) apart for good airflow. Provide some type of support for the vines, either stakes or tomato cages. Finally, add some mulch to the soil to help keep moisture in the soil and to prevent dirt from splashing onto leaves during rain or when watering.
April is a time of patient effort when it comes to growing tomatoes. Take time now to do the work, and you’ll be pleased with the results come August.
