New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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September 6, 2011 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9
Posts: 595
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Quick question on potting up...
Is it fine to pot up as soon as true leaves appear on seedlings?
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September 7, 2011 | #2 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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Quote:
I started seeds in one of these this year: http://www.groworganic.com/plantel-tray-192-cell.html With cells 1 inch square by 2.5 inches deep, there is not enough root space to keep seedlings in there any longer than that. They need to be potted up as soon as true leaves appear, because there is not enough root space to keep a larger plant hydrated. I expect that is pretty much true of "plug trays" in general. I suppose one could grow them a little larger than that with some kind of automated watering system that was tuned to the kind of media in the seed-starting mix and the kind of plant, but it is too easy to get busy with something else, miss a day or two when watering manually, and let them get too dry. It seems safer to me to give them enough room to grow as soon as true leaves appear.
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September 7, 2011 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9
Posts: 595
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Hi dice
Good to know.... I started in something very similar, and I think I have left the transplant too long already. Well, looks like a gardening day tomorrow.... Thanks! |
September 8, 2011 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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Yes, small seedlings that dry out may not recover at all, those that do
get a late start to the season, etc. They have so little roots that they can go from just slightly wilted looking to dead as a doornail in one warm day. Potting up gives them space to greatly multiply their roots. A root stimulant like a mild dose of liquified kelp or kelp extract will help them take advantage of that as rapidly as possible. Even mixing some kelp meal into the potting up seedling mix will help, because every time you water they effectively get a light dose of kelp tea.
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September 8, 2011 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9
Posts: 595
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That's great to read, because I do have liquified kelp on hand.
I guess this will not be effective if watered from below, however? Or would the kelp be drawn up with the water? Right now, I have watered all seedlings from below, and will wait until the soil dries off before potting...possibly late afternoon. |
September 8, 2011 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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If you mix some kelp into the water that is drawn up by bottom watering,
the plants still get the benefit of it. edit: Note that you do not need to do that every time that you water the seedlings, 2 week intervals would be plenty. The seedlings will still grow if kept moist even without that. It is only an enhancement to emphasize root growth after potting up from seed-starting cells.
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September 8, 2011 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9
Posts: 595
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Great - thanks, dice!
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December 1, 2011 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: long island
Posts: 327
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Dice,
What is your labeling method for starting seedlings in those cells, and when potting up. Also, what source do you buy your kelp, and other seedling amendments. Online? For some reason the first set of seedlings I started last year all turned yellow, so I tossed them. After a weak solution spray of epsom salt and sterile water did nothing to green them up. I never understood the problem. Thanks Melissa |
December 2, 2011 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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My labelling method for seeds in seed-starting cells is a map on paper.
Graph paper works well. When potting up into 3" pots, I put a label in each 3" pot. Last winter I collected some election signs I found in vacant lots, along streets, etc after the last election, and last spring I cut them up into label-sized strips and used them to label the 3" pots. I use a Sharpie Industrial marker, and it will write right over the top of any screen printer's ink printed on the corex (plastic cardboard) or styrene (thin polystyrene) election signs and still be readable, as long as the screen printer's ink is not black (has to be a different color than the marker). Something like these would work well, too: http://www.earthstarproducts.shoppin...43/4405706.htm (They have larger quantities, too.) Another vendor: http://www.novoselenterprises.com/pr...ant-labels.asp You can probably get those at any store selling garden supplies, but I do not know if that would be cheaper (including shipping). The political signs were free, so ....
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December 2, 2011 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9
Posts: 595
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Free's good...
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December 3, 2011 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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[Kelp]
At the moment I have this stuff: http://www.groworganic.com/maxicrop-...xtract-lb.html (You mix it at 2/3lb (10.7 oz) to 1 gallon of water to make a liquid concentrate, then dilute that at 1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per gallon to use it, depending on how big the plants are, whether you are foliar feeding or soil drenching, what kind of crop, etc. The instructions that come with it are sized for farmers, like "gallons per acre" and "dilute to 1:100" or "quart to 50 gallons" for transplanting, and so on.) I have also used this: http://www.groworganic.com/pvfs-liquid-kelp-gallon.html (1-2 tablespoons per gallon; easy to use, but I did not see why I should pay the shipping on a gallon of mostly water.) And this: http://www.hydroponics.net/i/133676 (Used to be "Algamin Kelp Meal", bought out by Maxicrop. Some growers probably recognize the box, even though the name of the product is changed.) This brand has been recommended for particularly good results: https://www.saltwaterseaweed.com/sto...&product_id=53
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December 3, 2011 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: long island
Posts: 327
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Thank you Dice for the information.
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