2nd transplanting of tomato plants...

This year, I started my seeds a month earlier...the first of February. I transplanted the small plants from the seed pellets into larger pots about a month ago, and they really took off...with the help of a little tomato plant food. So yesterday, we did a 2nd transplanting into bigger pots because the plants we're starting to get a little root bound. So here they are this morning, after coming out of their "transplant shock." They look really nice, except I'm running out of room on my counter. Another thing I did differently this year is to keep two plants inn each pot...they support each other and grown straight without having to add sticks to keep them straight. I will let them grow in these pots until after Memorial Day, and then plant them in the garden with Walls of Water. I'll put them outside on the patio and let them "harden off" for about a week before planting them. Last year, we planted them a few weeks earlier and didn't have as much success, so this year we decided to wait until the end of May again. It just gets too cold at night still. 

 If you look really closely, you can also see four pepper plants in the back that are doing very nicely also.

Starting seeds indoors

In colder climates like ours here in Colorado, it is a great thing to start your seeds indoors a few months before you can actually plant them outside. Last year I started tomato plants in March, but decided I needed to plant them a month earlier this year. I found this terrific little adjustable grow light at Phelan Gardens Nursery here in the Springs, and the little plants are doing quite well. This year, I planted 3 varieties of tomatoes, 2 varieties of bell peppers, cucumbers, squash, and some herbs. When I transplant them to my garden around the beginning of May, I will put "walls of water" around them to protect them from the frost and cold weather at night. So here is the process of starting your seeds indoors:

1. Purchase peat moss pellets and put them in seedling trays; add warm water until they expand to about triple in size. 
2. Gently pull apart top netting on each pellet and plant 2-3 seeds in each one, following directions on back of seed package.
3. Cover tray and put in dark warm area until seeds have sprouted...a few days to a week. I put mine over a heater vent to keep them warm.
4. After seeds have sprouted, take off the cover and put them under the grow light. Water when peat moss gets dry. It will usually turns a lighter brown when it starts to dry out.
5. After the plants begin to put on the "true" leaves and have grown several inches in height, thin out your plants and leave only one or two of the strongest plants in each pellet. 
6. When plants get too large for the pellet, transplant them to larger pots with a good starter soil. Keep under grow light until plants have grown large enough to transplant into garden. 
7. When you are ready to transplant the plants to the garden, put them outside in a sheltered area for a few days to get them hardy enough to transplant.
8. Don't forget to put the "walls of water" around the tender plants after you have planted them in the garden.