Before the tomato plants can be transplanted successfully to the garden, they need to develop strong root and top growth. To be sure their seedlings have a good root system, many gardeners prefer to transplant them a second time before setting them out in the garden. Wait until seedlings are six to 10 inches tall. A good rule of thumb is to transplant when the height of your seedling is three times the diameter of its pot. Plant the seedlings a little deeper than they were in the original pots, again not removing any green leaves.
Many gardeners have a problem with leggy seedlings.
If your seedlings are leggy, go back over the growing steps to see how you can improve conditions for your plants. Transplanting leggy seedlings deeply helps them to root along their stems, thus reducing the problem, but the best solution is to give your young plants proper growing conditions in the first place. Copyright 2000, National Gardening Association. All rights reserved. Click here to receive up to four Free estimates from prescreened and insured contractors.