I see no need in potting up or putting multipule fancy hole in them. I don't even put holes in them until I set them out in the sun/rain. Then I just poke them with whatever ususally my knife so technically its a slit not a hole. LOL But that's just me.

I raise over 300 plants each year and transplant from seed starting tray to 10-12 oz cups and that's it. Haven't got time to baby them like most of you seem to have.

When March 1 rolls around I plant out in the garden. Usually my plants are 18" tall by then. Yes, the cup is packed with roots.

My raised beds are around a foot to 15" above ground. I use a post hole digger to dig to grade and set the plant which leaves around 4 to 6" exposed above the bed. My plants begin growing like wild fire. We get 45 inches of rain a year and some downpours are up to 10" in a few hours.

This is what works for me. Take it for what its worth.

By the way my plants are now 2.5 to 3 ft above the raised beds and loaded with fruit. I'll be harvesting the first of May through June. How about you?

Well I've got to get back to my sandwich and work.

See ya!
Michael

Not to hijack the thread, but I'm using Styrofoam cups this year (16 oz) and was wondering what others use to tote them in and out when hardening them off.

I'll have to carry them up and down stairs, so I can definitely see myself dropping a few without something to keep them packed together.

Go to walmart and buy a kitty litter pan. They are strong enough to handle the weight of cup with plants and soil. They are cheap enough that if you donot need them after your plantout just throw it away.

Hunter, you might also consider one of those totes with the handle in the middle intended for carting cleaning supplies around. Those are usually in the $2-3 range. Or if you have a big, old-fashioned turkey roaster, you can fit several dozen 16 ounce cups in each half. Those are around $10 or so at Walmart BTW.

Flats from a garden center or nursery work just fine. A lot of folks just buy a few small 4 packs of flowers which leaves the flats /trays. Ask if you can have a few of the extras? If customers don't ask for them, often they just get tossed in the trash.

[quote=Deer Park;54306]I see no need in potting up or putting multipule fancy hole in them. I don't even put holes in them until I set them out in the sun/rain. Then I just poke them with whatever ususally my knife so technically its a slit not a hole. LOL But that's just me.

I raise over 300 plants each year and transplant from seed starting tray to 10-12 oz cups and that's it......Usually my plants are 18" tall by then. Yes, the cup is packed with roots.[/quote]
Michael, I am always interested in your growing techniques. I am a member of your unofficial fan club. And I haven't even seen pictures (not for lack of trying or offering to come down and be your unofficial or official photographer :)). Wow...18" plants in 10-12oz cups. I'm guessing they start trying to flower and set fruit and you have to pinch the blossoms off at least once before transplanting?

[quote=Deer Park;54306] My raised beds are around a foot to 15" above ground. I use a post hole digger to dig to grade and set the plant which leaves around 4 to 6" exposed above the bed. My plants begin growing like wild fire. We get 45 inches of rain a year and some downpours are up to 10" in a few hours.[/quote]
I know the rain all too well. I'm curious if you add anything to the hole?

[quote=Deer Park;54306]By the way my plants are now 2.5 to 3 ft above the raised beds and loaded with fruit. I'll be harvesting the first of May through June. How about you?[/quote]
I did not get my plants out until March 10th because of the freezes we were having at night. It actually got to 32.

My plants are all about 2 - 2.5 ft tall and setting fruit. I have some good fruitset on some varieties, but not all. New Big Dwarf, Brad's Black Heart, Paul Robeson, Brandy Boy, 1 Cherokee Green, Gary O'Sena, and Tom's Yellow Wonder are each loaded up with blossoms, but I don't see anything set yet except 2 BB's. I've been diligently buzzing each blossom with an electric toothbrush. More status in the Houston Progress Report. ;)

[quote=Deer Park;54306]See ya!
Michael[/quote]
Hoping to see you you-know-where. :)

According to Carolyn's book (and my experience so far this year) a 2" cell (32 per tray) can support a 6" to 9" seedling ready for the garden. This is after 6 to 8 weeks of growing. A 16 oz. cup should support a much larger plant than that. I have a 15" plant in my garage in a 4" pot and it is doing fine so far.

hunter, I use a cheap plastic storage box from kmart. I have also used a kitty litter box but the one I have has a bottom that is slightly raised (1/2in) in the middle. I guess it so that- well- I don't think I have to explain. Anyway, if the bottom is not flat the stryofoam seedlings topple over when moving them around- Just soemthing to consider

Feldon- The whole point of the exercise is to get my long season tomatoes earlier. I have not even started the seedlings to my cherry or paste yet because I did not want to bother with all the effort. But My BW and EF have to get into the ground by early may if I am going to get fruit in August. Hence the need for larger transplant pots.

Last year my plants in 20oz styrofoams were all root bound in two-three weeks. I must be doing something wrong. Maybe too much ferterlizer? I don't think a foot long plant can live in a 20oz cup and not be hurting. Not from what I have seen.

hunter, I use a cheap plastic storage box from kmart. I have also used a kitty litter box, but the one I have has a bottom that is slightly raised (1/2in) in the middle. I guess it so that- well- I don't think I have to explain. Anyway, if the bottom is not flat the stryofoam cups topple over when moving them around- Just something to consider

Feldon- The whole point of the exercise is to get my long season tomatoes earlier. I have not even started the seedlings to my cherry or paste yet because I did not want to bother with all the effort. But My BW and EF have to get into the ground by early may if I am going to get fruit in August. Hence the need for larger transplant pots.

Last year my plants in 20oz styrofoams were all root bound in two-three weeks after transplant. I must be doing something wrong. Maybe too much ferterlizer? I don't think a foot long plant can live in a 20oz cup and not be hurting. Not from what I have seen.

I have bought 6 packs of tomatoes and peppers and when I planted them out they were extremely root bound and they did just fine. From what DeerPark says, planting plants with a large root ball hasn't hurt his plants at all. If you are still worried, 2 liter soda bottles cut in half would be good cheap container and they are always easy to find. It is my understanding that you don't need to fertilize very much or maybe not at all before planting out. Maybe just a weak solution of liquid kelp or fish emulsion. I've never fertilized mine before I plant out. Good Luck!

Tyff

I potted up over a dozen plants into 1/2 ~ 2 gallon pots when they got to the 12-16" stage.

[URL="http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/photos/v/memberphotos/morgan/spring2007/CIMG1868-seedlings22.jpg.html"] [IMG]http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/photos/d/3028-2/CIMG1868-seedlings22.jpg[/IMG]
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[quote=where_with_all;54464]
Last year my plants in 20oz styrofoams were all root bound in two-three weeks after transplant. I must be doing something wrong. Maybe too much ferterlizer? I don't think a foot long plant can live in a 20oz cup and not be hurting. Not from what I have seen.[/quote]

Personally, I'd say that if your plants were ALREADY rootbound after being in the 20-oz cups only 2-3 weeks, you were doing something RIGHT. Root growth of that magnitude to me says that the plant is growing well and doing what it needs to establish itself.

Don't worry about it having that many roots.. it's just trying to improve its chances at getting nutrients as fast as possible. When you transplant, just water it well before you take it out of the cup, and then spread the roots out by hand. More roots = Faster growth after transplant.

Thanks for the great ideas everyone!

Feldon,

Yes, I do put something in the bottom of my hole.

I put a mixture of the following: crushed egg shells saved throughout the year, lime, ironite, epson salt, composted manure and 12-24-12 fertilizer then a layer of year old leaves and then I set my plant. I continue to place leaves and grass clipping on top of the ground all year round. I don't do anything else but water and pick off bugs later on. There, you happy now you drug it out of me. LOL

Michael

Aha! I have the secret recipe of 2 greats, Earl and Michael. ;)

Er, now what? ;) ;)