[axcheck]

I am growing Beefsteak Tomatoes for the very first time this year. :o I have about twelve seedlings now about 2" tall. Can anyone tell me the next step for transplanting and "staking"? I am a real beginner any help will be appreciated. I live in Florida.
Thank you!

Dawn[COLOR]

[JWAV9]

I would think 4" pots after they get 6" or so... you can buy tomato stakes at WalMart, HomeDepot, etc. The plant feeds up through the stakes as it grows due to the needed support. Eventually, larger planters will be needed... you could just tranplant into larger pots/ planters... get pesticide for bugs... Neem oil is more natural choice, marigolds assist in resisting bugs, then there are the chemical pesticides. You could add some organic table scraps to the soil or chemical fertilizers. Good luck.

[imafan26]

Whenever you transplant either into a larger pot or to the ground, tomatoes like to be buried deep. Take off the lower leaves and plant the lower part of the stem below soil level. Make sure to keep the seedlings fed. Tomatoes are heavy feeders. Seedlings in pots often get purplish looking leaves and stems from insufficient phosphorus. It will improve after fertilization, but any fruit or vegetable seedling must keep growing or they will be stunted and never amount too much.