Tomatoes go in the ground fast with Winter Sowing!

Wintersown tomatoes are hardy to cool temperatures and can go into the ground and start root development soon after germination. They do not need to develop a full set of true leaves before transplanting. Clear open-topped hotcaps, made from recycled water bottles will protect young seedlings from most insect, animal and bird attacks. Remove the bottle when the seedling has grown so large that the leaves begin to touch the bottle wall.
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Throw away the bottle cap. You won't need it. Sun heated air will be able to rapidly vent away from inside the bottle. The bottle is placed over the seedling.
Throw away the bottle cap.
Cut off the end with scissors.
Muscari seen through bottle opening. Wintersown Bench Garden
Muscari seen through the bottle.
Focus on the Bench Garden.
This garden soil has been amended by turning in aged compost and fresh grass clippings.

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A wheelbarrow load of mixed organic matter contains partially rotted fallen leaves, coarsely chopped fresh leaves and stems pruned from overgrown perennials and lawn clippings.
Improving your Soil
A bed is amended before planting.
Use the bottle end to press ring into the soil where the tomato is to grow. Stick your fingertip into the center of the hole to make an indentation for transplanting the seedling.
Indented bottle ring and center transplanting hole.
Ready for a tomato seedling.
Gently scoop your fingers deeply under the seedling to lift soil and roots from the germination flat. Gently lift the seedlings from the soil to minimalize root damage.
Scoop deep under the roots.
Lift gently to prevent tearing roots.
Tomato seedling with healthy, well developed roots. Transplanted tomato seedling has soil gently mounded and firmed around its stem.
The bottle is placed over the seedling. The transplanted seedling is centered and firmed into the ground where it can grow in a protective environment.
The bottle goes over.
The seedling is centered.
The seedling is safe from most critter, bird and insect damage inside the open bottle. Remember to never cap the bottle or it will trap sun-heated air! A wintersown tomato seedling begins to grow inside the protective environment of an open-topped water hotcap.
The seedling is protected.
Ready to grow!
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