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Old March 11, 2018   #8
Nan_PA_6b
Tomatovillian™
 
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 3,194
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Welcome, Natertom! Where to begin. Below is a bare-bones overview, with questions at the end.

1. if you're having trouble with plants and seeds, forget the seeds and first focus on buying plants. There's less to go wrong.
2. Get your plants. Find out what your last frost date is where you live.
3. When the temperature is above 50, put your plants out in the sun for 1/2 hour one day, 1 hour the next, 2 hours the next day, etc. as best you can. When you have them out for 5 hours a day, they're ready to be outside. See step 5 before putting them out.
4. Anytime your plants start to droop, water them. While they're still in the pot, if the soil feels too dry, water them.
5. Find a spot in your yard that gets 6 or more hours of sun daily. After your last frost date, and after doing step 3, plant your plants there. Plant them 3' apart. Plant them a few inches deeper than they were in the pot, removing some leaves to do so. Water after planting.
6. Water if they droop.
7. Stick a stake in the ground a few inches from the plant. Cut strips of rags or get twine. As the plant grows, tie it to the stake so it grows (somewhat) straight.
8. If something starts eating your plants, get wire fence and surround your plants, to a height of 6'. Make sure fence goes all the way to the ground. This will stop deer, ground hogs, rabbits.

Now, please tell me what normally goes wrong for you with plants bought at the store? Like, at what step are they dying/disappearing/failing to thrive?

Cheers,
Nan
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