How to Transplant a Tomato Plant While Budding

Till or dig up an area of your garden that receives at least six hours of direct sun. Amend the soil with 3 inches of compost to lighten and improve the soil’s drainage.

Examine the tomato plant and remove all the buds or flowers that are on the plant. Also, snip off the lower branches and/or leaves of the tomato plant. Instead of the energy going into the fruit, it will go into the roots so the plant is established.

Dig a hole with a hand trowel and plant the tomato deep. You can bury the tomato plant deeper than where it had been growing, because roots form along the buried stem, making it sturdier and better able to survive.

Water the soil well. Add a layer of straw, hay or mulch around the plants to help retain moisture. Provide at least 1 inch of water every week. If the weather has been over 80 degrees and/or the wind has been blowing, you may need to water more frequently.

Inspect the tomato plants for any stems that are touching the ground. Prune these stems away to keep the plant from catching a soil-borne disease. Remove any leaves that are yellow or dry.

Add a layer of mulch around the plants to help the soil retain moisture and prevent weeds from growing.

Add a fertilizer high in nitrogen around the tomato plants. When the buds reset on, feed them with a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen, but higher in phosphorus and potassium. Follow the label directions on the fertilizer label for proper amounts and times.