How big is too big for transplanting?

[LoriA]

I am in Zone 5b (LFD 5/4). I started seed according to pack instructions (and according to all of my gardening books) - on 3/15 at 7 weeks 2 days before LFD, or about 9 weeks before planting out. Many of the seed packets said start seeds 8-10 weeks before LFD. Seeds germinated in 3-5 days, grew nicely under lights...and now are all too big for my lights. They measure between 18 and 20 inches tall, and a couple have flowers. The don't look very leggy to me. I have them on my kitchen floor in front of the east-facing slider.

Won't these be too mature to wait another month before planting out? What did I do wrong here...I'm confused!!

[Redbaron]

They will do fine. However for optimum results getting them outside in the ground before they started flowering would have been better.

[tam91]

I have no idea - I planted mine around the same time, and they are a few inches tall - not 20 inches! In a month????? I have to wonder what on earth is in the water there!

Seriously, I don't know. Sounds like in a month, they'd be huge. I presume they're in small containers, you would have to fertilize them a little to keep them happy I think (or 10 feet tall for you, I don't know).

[Durgan]

Mine are quite large. I find it doesn't matter how large they are. After a week in the ground they take off. They can get to be a pain to move around though and to keep watered adequately.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XJKBU 16 April 2013 Tomatoes Hardening Off

[Worth1]

How many do you have?
What sized containers.
Can you get bigger containers?
I would say a one gallon container is in order.
Then plant out when there is no more danger of frost.

Worth

[tam91]

Is anyone but me amazed that you can have a 20" plant a month after sowing the seeds?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by tam91

Is anyone but me amazed that you can have a 20" plant a month after sowing the seeds?

I aint gonna go there.

Worth

[lakelady]

Originally Posted by tam91

I have no idea - I planted mine around the same time, and they are a few inches tall - not 20 inches! In a month????? I have to wonder what on earth is in the water there!

Seriously, I don't know. Sounds like in a month, they'd be huge. I presume they're in small containers, you would have to fertilize them a little to keep them happy I think (or 10 feet tall for you, I don't know).

LOL Tam91, I was thinking the same thing, I started mine in shifts around the same time and the tallest is about 6" ! I find some varieties seem to be growing way faster than others though than others, so some are only about 1-2" high.

[Tapout]

5 days germination 26 days left for 20 inches of growth = 1.3inches of growth per day. 100 days from sprout till harvest at 1.3inches per day 130 inches = 10.83 feet

[Marcus1]

I started seeds at the same time and transplanted into 4" pots. My enviromental controller isn't working and my plants were getting way to big and flowering so I topped them about a week ago. Cut them off at either the second or third leaf. Hate having to do that but the side shoots are doing nicely and I train to two stems anyway and in the past have had no problems. The EC has a DIF function that lowers the temp about 5 degrees from night temp for the first 2 hours after sun up. This keeps them from stretching but my wall vent motor went out again and its like 600 bucks to replace. Still have about 3 weeks till plant out and we have about 8" of snow on the ground.

[Stvrob]

When I was a kid I'm pretty sure I killed my goldfish but the next day when I got home from school he was alive and much bigger and had grown one of those fancy tails!

[SharonRossy]

Ok now I'm feeling guilty for not starting mine earlier. I started March 28th. I'm also a zone5b. What have you been feeding those babies? I'm shocked at how tall they are. You need to put them in bigger pots and maybe do what Marcus1 suggested.
Wow!
Sharon

[LoriA]

They are in 4" round pots right now. I measured from the floor for that 20"...I'm guessing normal measurement should be from the top of the dirt though? Measuring from there, the tallest ones are 18". Interestingly, the Tumbler cherry hybrids are the tallest, and they're supposed to be a weeping type for a container. They're the only ones that are flowering. The Brandywines, Black Krims and Independence Day hybrids are about the same height. Romas are about 14", and the Better Bush hybrids are shrimps (but stocky and nice-looking). I'm new here and don't know how to post a photo - if someone could tell me, I could show you! I have 17 total. I do have larger pots - some 1-gal and some a little smaller - 6". And stakes - I haven't staked them yet but I'll put those in today. Having a three-year-old boy running around the house while my tomatoes are on the floor in the kitchen by the slider is a bit nerve-wracking!

I have been fertilizing weekly since the first set of true leaves, with a weak seed starting fertilizer and then with a basic 7-7-7 (I think) liquid, at half strength. I also have tap water with pH of 8.5, so I've been adding some pH down. Maybe that played a role.

Of course, after these got going, I really got the tomato itch and went shopping for some more exotic seeds. So I have several other heirlooms babies that germinated about a week ago (including Chocolate Stripes, Orange Russian 117, Pantano Romanesco, Isis Candy Cherry and Hawaiian Pineapple).

[JamesL]

Lori,
Good for you! And yes, we need pics.
Hit the go advanced button next to the quick reply button and under additional options hit the manage attachments button. Then choose your picture files to attach.

[LoriA]

Got it! Thank you. The ones on the far right of the left tray are independence day and brandywine; the far right of the right tray are brandywine. These are all exactly 5 weeks from starting seed. I will pot up tomorrow. Notice the friggin snow outside?!