transplanting

[Cyn]

Last year, I transplanted my seedlings into individual cups when the true leaves appeared.

My question is this: When do the seedlings REALLY need their own little pot? Can I have my transplants with 4 or 5 to a pot until I put them in the containers? Or, if I need to thin them sooner than 8 weeks, when is optimal?

I ask because I ran out of foam cups last night while transplanting, so I simply thinned the prolific ones from say, 15 seedlings per cup to 7 or so. It takes up a lot less space, so I am wondering if this is a good idea generally, or if I should get to the grocery to get more cups today.

Cyn

[hedwarr]

Cyn, once i begin potting up my seedlings I do one per cup. I did put multiples in a cup once but the roots became intertwined and thinning them afterwards was difficult to do without wrestling the roots apart. I'm still a relative greenhorn when it comes to tom gardening so the more experienced guys around here will be able to give you more educated info. Good luck. ED

[MsCowpea]

Agree with Hedwar, I'm afraid you will need more cups--if I am reading you right you are asking if you can leave 7 seedlings in one cup for eight weeks? You can start lots and lots of seeds in one cup or cell (ala Craig) but then you transplant them to one per cup. Check out the Starting From Seed forum on this site for more information. Good luck!

[Cyn]

I do know that they should be one per pot and that is how i have done them in the past. I suppose this was a "what if" question rather than a stardards of practice question.

If any of you leave several seedlings in a pot, how lon do you wait?
Until they are 2 inches tall?
You NEVER leave several in a pot?
You have unlimited room and can have hundreds of pots with one seedling each?
You don't mind hearing their little screams as you thin them down to one per pot and have to send some of them to the compost bucket?

Cyn

[MsCowpea]

Not everybody seeds heavily like Craig. I use one seed per cell--germination has been excellent (only a few rare exceptions) so I don't even put in two. Then they are transplanted to one per pot. I don't have to take any apart.

You could always try to grow them on in the same pot. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Tomato seedlings, to me are practically indestructible, you could probably rip (gently) those 7 plants apart and plant them and they will still grow (though I think 3 or 4 would be better). I have bought store bought plants that had 2 practically fused together --you can pull them apart but one or the other loses alot of root. It would take a bit for it to catch up.

[Suze]

My question is this: When do the seedlings REALLY need their own little pot? Can I have my transplants with 4 or 5 to a pot until I put them in the containers? Or, if I need to thin them sooner than 8 weeks, when is optimal?

Hi, Cyn--
Could you carry them to transplant like that -- in "theory"? Well, I suppose you could try it, but it wouldn't be something I'd suggest or recommend.

Out of habit more than anything else really, I don't sow seeds in shallow flats or cells like many do -- I sow directly into 4 inch pots (ya know, those pots that are 20 to a standard nursery flat for annual bedding plants). And, how ever many seeds I need for one variety gets sowed into one pot (usually not more than 6-8 or so). I've been known to let them start putting out just the very beginning of the third set of leaves, but that's as far as I'd ever let them go.

I'm in the camp that thinks it's good for the plants to transplant up, and I'll even knock off the bottom third or even 1/2 or so of soilless mix off when I do it (IMO, it's much easier to separate them properly when the mix is a bit dry).

Then the seedlings go into their own individual 4 inch pots.

My feeling is that it is actually good for seedlings to carefully stress them a bit when they are young -- but the closer and closer you get to setting time, they don't take to it nearly as well, and it's actually to their detriment to stress them overly much at that point.

You don't have to rush out right this second, but the next time you are out -- go get more cups. :wink:

Did that answer your questions and concerns?

[Cyn]

yes - that helps a lot. I am sure craig can pot up all those lttle darlings he has - but I am very limited in terms of florescent light space - that is the real problem. so the longer they can stick together, the better chance they have of not ending up in the compost bin.

I have always done as you say - plant up what I need. But this year I was using a lot of seed that is older, so I planted up more thanI needed - good thing too, for example, Earl Of Edgecomb only produced one sprout, and a wimpy one at that. I'll have to get some fresh seeds for the favorites - anyway - thanks for your input.

love the suggestion that i go soon!
C

[Cyn]

Well, I decided to avoid the limited light space and just put them outside in the sunshine - they are doing great, already hardened off, and in a safe place from those pesky deer.

And, the best part...

I sent out an email at work inquiring if anyone wanted to buy tomato seedlings - with a big response for a small non-profit. So I will bring all the extra seedliings up next week and they will have new homes, I won't have to compost them, and I'll get some pocket money to put back into the garden.

The plants seem to be having a growth spurt now, so I need to finish the "one plant to one cup" project ere long.
Cyn

[honu]

Cyn, 1 plant per cup works best for me, because I can almost forget about them (other than watering) for a few weeks till they are ready for final transplant. Then it's just a matter of giving the container some gentle squeezes to pop out the whole thing intact without breaking any roots, then place in the final pot.

I use 1 quart recycled yogurt containers because that size is more forgiving when I forget to water. Also, before transplanting, I put some slow release mild organic fertilizer near the bottom of the container so the roots have to grow some before reaching the fertilizer, pop in the seedling and more planting mix to fill the container, then only have to remember to water them.

[dokutaaguriin]

Originally Posted by honu

Also, before transplanting, I put some slow release mild organic fertilizer near the bottom of the container so the roots have to grow some before reaching the fertilizer, pop in the seedling and more planting mix to fill the container, then only have to remember to water them.

Hi Ann, which brand of slow release organic fertilizer do you use?
Jeff

[travis]

When using styrofoam, plastic, or paper drink cups, yogurt containers, etc., what is the smallest size container ya'll use for final potting up prior to transplanting outdoors?

Basically, I'm lookin' for the smallest holding container practical and healthy for seedlings 6 - 12 inches tall and say no older than 8 weeks from germination.

PV

[chilhuacle]

Originally Posted by Papa Vic

When using styrofoam, plastic, or paper drink cups, yogurt containers, etc., what is the smallest size container ya'll use for final potting up prior to transplanting outdoors?

I start several seeds in a small yogurt container (they keep shrinking and the price keeps rising, I think some are down to 6 oz. ). When they get their first set of true leaves they each go into a 16 ounce cup. They're good there 8 weeks or beyond.

Bruce

http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL326.../132499909.jpg

[honu]

hi jeff, this is the organic slow release that I like. Found it at Lowes, recently went back to get more, but they were all out, replaced by lots of Miracle Grow stuff. That was the only place on this island that I saw it.
http://www.organic-gro.com/1h-464.shtml