Here are some good tips for planting your veggies and flowers this weekend:

1. Pick healthy looking plants if buying from the store – avoid wilted, dried out, or root bound seedlings.

2. Harden off your plants before planting! That means, put them where you’re going to plant them (keeping them watered) for up to 2 weeks before planting. That way, they get used to the outdoor weather climate in your landscape.

3. Plant when it is overcast, or in the evening so that the seedlings don’t bake in the sun right after transplanting.

4. Keep seedlings in the shade on the day of planting until you’re ready to plant, and don’t take it out of it’s container until you have dug a hole for it.

5. Never pick up a seedling by the stem! To get the plant out of the container, flip the pot upside down and tap the bottom to release the rootball. If the seedling is root bound, gently loosen some of the roots on the bottom and sides.

6. Plant seedling at about the depth it was in the container, or a bit deeper – with tomatoes, you can actually bury them a few inches deeper as their stems will grow roots and this will ensure a better rooting system.

7. Firm up the soil around the seedling, and give your seedling a drink! We often like to use Super Thrive or Mycorrhiza treatments as they will help lessen transplant shock and help your seedlings to grow!

8. Watch and see your tiny seedlings mature into vegetable bearing parents!