467 - Planting Day: Tomatoes – when to plant and exactly what to do step by step
4/14/202643 min
Struggling to know when to plant tomatoes without risking frost?
Wondering how deep to plant or what actually matters on planting day?
In this episode, you'll learn a step-by-step tomato planting process so you can start strong and grow a healthy harvest.
Tomato planting day can feel exciting… and a little uncertain. In this episode, I walk you through exactly how I decide when it's safe to plant, how I prep my planting holes, and what I do right after planting to give my tomatoes the best start possible.
Free Download: Tomato Diseases Guide
Quickly identify common tomato problems and learn what to do next so you can protect your harvest.
👉 http://journeywithjill.net/lazy-gardeners-guide
Key Takeaways
- How to decide the right time to plant tomatoes
- What nighttime temperatures really matter
- How deep to plant tomatoes for stronger roots
- How spacing impacts airflow and disease
- What (if anything) to add to the planting hole
Resource Links
- Tomato Diseases Guide (free): http://journeywithjill.net/lazy-gardeners-guide
- Friday Emails (newsletter): https://journeywithjill.net/gardensignup
- Recommended Brands & Products: https://journeywithjill.net/recommended-brands-and-products/
- Complete Garden Planner: https://shop.journeywithjill.net/
Sponsor for This Episode
Cozy Earth
Premium bedding and loungewear designed for comfort and better sleep. Use code JILL for a special discount. 👉 http://cozyearth.com
Garden in Minutes
An easy-to-install garden irrigation system that saves time and ensures consistent watering. Use code Jill for 7% off.
👉 http://journeywithjill.net/gardeninminutes
Disclaimer
Gardening advice shared in this podcast is based on my own experience in Zone 8a (Arkansas) and from the feedback I receive from others in different gardening contexts. Your results may differ depending on your location, climate, and growing conditions. Always check your local extension service or trusted resources for region-specific guidance.
Some links mentioned may be affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJill McSheehy· Host0:00
Welcome to our series on planting day. Today, we're gonna be talking about tomatoes, and my vision for these episodes is that you can take your earbuds out to your garden and listen to these episodes as you're getting ready to plant a crop, or you can listen to them ahead of time and make sure you have everything ready to go beforehand. But today, we're gonna be talking about one of gardeners' favorite things to plant, and that is tomatoes. So let's say today is tomato planting day. You've got your transplants, your bed is ready, and you're excited. This is the moment that you've been waiting for since you started those seeds under grow lights, or you picked up transplants from the nursery. But maybe the questions are creeping in. Is it actually warm enough yet? How deep do I plant this thing? How far apart, and do I need to add anything in the planting hole, like maybe you see listed online? All these things you need to do, does it really matter? I, like you, have felt this mix of excitement and uncertainty, and if this is how you're feeling, this episode is for you. I am walking you through my complete process for planting tomatoes, how I decide if the timing is actually right, how I prep the planting hole ahead of time, to exactly what I do the moment that the plant goes into the ground, and then what I set up right after planting to give it the best possible start. But this year, I'm gonna share with you something that made