There’s warmth in the air, and even though it’s still winter, we may only be a few weeks away from planting our gardens. So, it’s time to hitch up the horse and plow those fields. Actually, I prefer to use a tiller, which is slightly less temperamental. But whatever method you choose, get it done. You need to get the ground broken up and get any winter weeds plowed under.

Also, If you’ve got young tomato plants in peat pellets that have their true leaves, it’s getting close to the time where they need to be moved into pots with some real dirt and a touch of plant food. It’s also a good idea to get them into some real sunlight and outdoor conditions on warm days. Start with as little as 30 minutes and double it every day, avoiding any days with strong wind.

Here are my tomato seedlings that I planted two weeks ago today. I am just beginning to see the real tomato plant leaves popping out above the seed leaves. The black line across the photo is my grow light housing. At this point, the light is about 3 inches above the top of the plant, which gives them good light and a touch of warmth. I only planted one seed per peat pellet this time to make it easier to monitor my germination rate. I have 12 out of 16, so 75% germination. Normally, I would put two seeds in each pellet.

Now is a good time to order your seeds for your 2021 garden! I like to start my tomato plants indoors about 6 weeks before the last frost, so I start them in mid to late February. Ordering now before the rush will also ensure you can find the seeds you want. I also like to plant mine in Jiffy pest pellets, so it’s a good time to pick up some of those too.