How much earlier should I set out container plants.

[lowlylowlycook]

So one excuse I'm using for making a couple EarthTainers is that it should give me a chance to set out my early tomatoes earlier and get a bit of a jump on the season. If there is an early frost or just a spell of cold weather, I can just move the containers to the garage.

But what I don't know is just how much earlier should I start the seeds for the container tomatoes than I would for the garden plants?

I'm also considering the Incutainer idea. Has anyone but Raybo tried it?

[tam91]

Not directly pertaining to containers, but I used those wall-o-water type things on some tomatoes this spring, and they got going really early. On nights when it was going to be quite cold, I stuck a soda bottle full of hot water inside with them too (sort of put them to bed with a hot water bottle haha). I had tomatoes really early this year.

[rnewste]

llc,

To give you a visual frame of reference, here is my in-ground bed on a June 19:



Contrast that with the same location, but in EarthTainers on the same date a few years later:



Not only am I able to get a 4 week jump on planting in the warmer EarthTainer potting mix vs. the colder in-ground bed, but the low angle of the Sun warms up the sides of the EarthTainers to really boost plant growth.

BTW, as you indicate you may be building some of these soon, hold off any fabrication of the current EarthTainer Construction Guide, as I am working on a new EarthTainer III "Convertible" Guide that significantly improves the cage system and storage.



You heard it here first......

Raybo

[lowlylowlycook]

Don't worry, I've already hit up gurneys for some pea fence.

[rnewste]

Originally Posted by lowlylowlycook

Don't worry, I've already hit up gurneys for some pea fence.

Did you take advantage of the $25.00 off a $50.00 order?

http://gurneys.com/pea-fence/p/12826/

Brings the per EarthTainer dual cage system in at $17.50 (delivered, no Tax). What a deal....

Raybo

[lowlylowlycook]

Yep. You linked to it earlier.

Thanks!

[Gardenrube]

I grew some plants in 10 gallon nursery tubs last year with seedlings all starting at the same time. Of particular note was Azoychka...the plant in the tub bore fruit, albeit few, about 2 weeks earlier than the plant in the ground. They were planted the same day. The container plant I moved in and out on cooler nights while the ground plant only had a wall-o-water.

[Worth1]

I have to cut in here and say something.
How can you compare container plants to plants grown in garden soil.
The soil is different.
The only way you can compare is to take about 20 plants of the same variety and soil of the same type and plant half of the plants in containers.
Then plant the other half with the same kind of soil in the garden.

The reason I say this is I have and the results are just the opposite of you guys.
My garden plants were bigger and better every time.

To answer the first question in the thread here we go.

I think you should start the seeds at the same time.

Here I start seeds on the last week of December and plant out on the first week of March. (Thats about the last time you will see a frost down here.)
Some are left in reserve for any killing frost.

For the life of me I dont understand why many folks here think that a little cold weather will hurt tomato plants.
If it doesn't frost or freeze it will just make them tougher and this is the way many commercial growers do it.

My seeds are started in a room that gets to 65 or less at night and they sprout just fine.

45 at night is no problem I feel it is better to protect them from strong winds as this will do more damage than a little cold weather.

Worth