What size to transplant into garden?

Leastbay · March 28, 2015

This is a burpee steakhouse which I grew from seed. Its been outside for about a week or two in another pot and its about 3 inches. Is it more beneficial to put it in the ground now or to leave it in the pot.

Worth1 · March 28, 2015

I would leave them outside in the pots until they are about 12 to 15 inches tall and then transplant them in the garden.

Sometimes if not many times plants grow better in a container at that size than in the soil.
This is why many of us do what they call potting up.
One person here that sells tomatoes skipped that step and went up a size from where he normally goes.
The result was smaller tomato plants to sell than he normally had.
Another reason is they are small and less protected in the garden than they would be in the container.

Some of the containers look a little low on soil though.
Worth

linzelu100 · March 28, 2015

As long as the temps are right for planting in your area- go ahead and plant it. I can't see anything beneficial from being in a little pot- but only if the temps are right. No use rushing if the temps are wrong; you'll get a stressed plant in that case. Stressed plants don't make a lot of tomatoes.

You should look up wintersown, I think it's a .org. You can see that some people start there tomatoes outside by seed, bypassing your transplanting stage altogether.

Gardeneer · March 28, 2015

I prefer 8' plus. Most of mine are about 10" that I am hardening off right now. Sure, 6" size will work too but they will take a little longer to catch up.
But the ones in Leastbay's picture seem to be too small to me.

Salsacharley · March 28, 2015

Gee Whiz! Leastbay's plants are the size I transfer from seeding cells to 4" pots. I don't plant them out until they are at least 12" or more.

b54red · March 28, 2015

You'll be better off if you wait and let them grow a bit more. I too prefer plants around 8 to 10 inches but have never had a problem with much taller plants. This year mine will be closer to 12 to 14 inches because I delayed planting because of the cool spell and rain storms we just had. I am very glad I waited. Although the temps only got down to about 40 the wind was high enough to have destroyed some smaller tomatoes. It broke some of my foot tall broccoli plants.

Bill

March 28, 2015	#3
linzelu100 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 447	As long as the temps are right for planting in your area- go ahead and plant it. I can't see anything beneficial from being in a little pot- but only if the temps are right. No use rushing if the temps are wrong; you'll get a stressed plant in that case. Stressed plants don't make a lot of tomatoes. You should look up wintersown, I think it's a .org. You can see that some people start there tomatoes outside by seed, bypassing your transplanting stage altogether. __________________ Lindsey

March 28, 2015	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I would leave them outside in the pots until they are about 12 to 15 inches tall and then transplant them in the garden. Sometimes if not many times plants grow better in a container at that size than in the soil. This is why many of us do what they call potting up. One person here that sells tomatoes skipped that step and went up a size from where he normally goes. The result was smaller tomato plants to sell than he normally had. Another reason is they are small and less protected in the garden than they would be in the container. Some of the containers look a little low on soil though. Worth

March 28, 2015	#4
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,916	I prefer 8' plus. Most of mine are about 10" that I am hardening off right now. Sure, 6" size will work too but they will take a little longer to catch up. But the ones in Leastbay's picture seem to be too small to me.

March 28, 2015	#5
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	Gee Whiz! Leastbay's plants are the size I transfer from seeding cells to 4" pots. I don't plant them out until they are at least 12" or more.

March 28, 2015	#6
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	You'll be better off if you wait and let them grow a bit more. I too prefer plants around 8 to 10 inches but have never had a problem with much taller plants. This year mine will be closer to 12 to 14 inches because I delayed planting because of the cool spell and rain storms we just had. I am very glad I waited. Although the temps only got down to about 40 the wind was high enough to have destroyed some smaller tomatoes. It broke some of my foot tall broccoli plants. Bill