How to plant seedlings in the garden

Moving young plants from pots into the garden, gently, so they keep growing without a setback.

How to do it

Harden them off first, over about a week.
Wait until after your last frost for tender plants like tomatoes, peppers and basil.
Plant on a cloudy day or in the evening so they don't wilt in the sun.
Water the plants in their pots an hour before.
Dig a hole as deep as the pot and a little wider.
Tip the plant out while holding it by the leaves or the root ball — never pull it by the stem. Gently loosen roots that circle the pot.
Set it in at the same depth it grew in the pot, fill in around it and press the soil down gently.
Water well, and keep the soil damp for the first week.

Tomatoes are the exception to the depth rule: bury them up to their first leaves. They grow roots along the buried stem and get sturdier.

Based on standard guidance from U.S. university extension services, including Cornell, the University of Minnesota and Oregon State.