Video: How to Transplant Tomato and Pepper Seedlings into Cups

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This is about the time to transplant your tomato and pepper seedlings into cups. The vegetable seedlings  can continue to grow in the cups and begin the process of acclimating to the outdoors. A process typically called 'hardening off'.  In short your seedlings don't have sun-screen yet because they have been indoors. Over a 5-7 day period you should slowly expose them to the sun and elements. Start with an hour or so of morning sunlight and build up daily. You have to do this or the sun will burn the leaves.

The videos show you the whole process but I wanted to highlight the main points:

• The root-balls should be medium moist. Not dry and not soaking wet. Nicely damp. If the root-ball is too wet the weighted starting mix will tear the roots. If it is too dry, the roots tend to be more brittle and break. Think Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

• Make a hole in the center of the planting cup and make sure you let the roots extend downward as much as you can. You don't want the roots to pile up in a wad in the middle of the cup.

• Bottom water. Make sure you label the cups and put a hole in the bottom. You should water your new transplants from the bottom for the first week. After that... let the rain come down.

Transplanting Tomatoes Seedlings into Cups Transplanting Pepper Seedlings into Cups