Starting Seeds Outdoors

• Plant tomato seeds outdoors after the last possible threat of frost in the spring. Contact local garden groups or your county extension service for average dates of the last frost date. Even planting after this point poses some risk from late season cold snaps. Be prepared to cover the plants if cold weather is forecast.
  
  

Starting Seeds Indoors

• Start seeds indoors about six weeks prior to the last likely frost date. This should produce plants about 5 inches tall when it's time to plant outdoors. Prior to planting outdoors it is vital to "harden" the plants for a period of time. Place the plants outdoors, in the sun but out of the wind, for an hour or two each day for a week or more. Bring the plants indoors overnight or if the temperature are cold. This process gradually prepares the plant for the shock of being placed outdoors.
  
  

Purchasing Plants

• Tomato plants purchased from nurseries or other outlets are another option. Look for plants that appear healthy and do not have excessive stem height. Plant the entire pot if it is made of peat or other organic material. Remove any other type of pot or container prior to planting. Tomatoes form roots along any portion of the stem that is buried. Plant the tomato deep enough so only the top three sets of leaves are exposed.
  
  

Extending the Growing Season

• Various equipment is used to extend the growing season for tomatoes by providing protection against cold weather. This allows the starting of plants earlier in the year thereby producing earlier produce. The common mechanisms provide clear or translucent covers over the plant held in place with supports. These allow the sun to shine on the plant and rain to penetrate but hold in enough ground warmth to prevent plant damage at moderate temperatures to 26 degrees Fahrenheit. In essence, these are almost miniature greenhouses constructed on a single plant scale.