New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
|
![]() |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
![]() |
#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Northeast New Jersey
Posts: 731
|
![]()
What do you use to support your seedlings when they are in solo cups? Sometimes they get tall before I can plant them in the ground. I thought about buying chopsticks at a dollar store, but I think they would be too short. Do I have to purchase plant stakes or is there something inexpensive I can substitute? I am thinking maybe 15 inch stakes? Is that too tall for the solo cups? I know they are in the solo cups for just a short time, but sometimes the weather is not on my side….
I thought about these, but I worry about splintering: http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-Plant-St...item3f23b3bc9c Any thoughts? Donna
__________________
DonnaMarieNJ I pay the mortgage, but my cats own the house! |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
|
![]()
Donna think skewer.
You can get 100 12 inch bamboo skewers for about $2.00 at Chinamart. Bamboo has a perfect straight grain so shouldn't break Worth |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 2,052
|
![]()
Wooden skewers are what I've used in the past. But I have learned that if my plants are still in cups when they need support, that means I've waited too long to transplant them, or I let them get too leggy while they were seedlings.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
|
![]()
Ditto on the skewers.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PNW
Posts: 486
|
![]()
Depending on the size of your solo cups, you can 'pot' them up to larger cups. If they are already in large cups, I read somewhere(may have been here in TV)that one person cuts the bottoms out of additional cups, slits them up the side and sets them into the potted cups and adds more soil, so you get more support and more roots will grow.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Northeast New Jersey
Posts: 731
|
![]()
Will bamboo mold in a wet cup?
__________________
DonnaMarieNJ I pay the mortgage, but my cats own the house! |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3
Posts: 3,231
|
![]() Quote:
![]()
__________________
Dee ************** |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: glendora ca
Posts: 2,560
|
![]()
I use bamboo and it never gets moldy. They work perfect.
__________________
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Northeast New Jersey
Posts: 731
|
![]()
thank you everyone!
__________________
DonnaMarieNJ I pay the mortgage, but my cats own the house! |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
|
![]()
I use the bamboo skewers here in S Florida and some do mold(black).I will take the skewers and soak them in Thompsons water seal then dry in sun.They last for at least two or three seasons.Also I will use the plastic bread type ties (twisty).Wrap the skewer not to tight,make a circular loop(at seedling end) so as to move(slide up when they grow).When hardening off I was tired of the torrential rains that would glue them to the ground when left unattended.
__________________
KURT |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#11 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
|
![]() Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 2,052
|
![]()
I heard that water sealer is toxic. I don't know if it really is, but I would avoid using it in my roots.
https://olicanoli.wordpress.com/2009...ic-to-animals/ |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
|
![]()
"That's a great idea with the water seal. Those September rains were the worst I ever saw."
The seal keeps water off/out to stop the fungal/bacterial spores and natural degregation of the wood/bamboo.I do this to all my 8ft/7ft/ and under bamboo stakes/poles.The bottom foot of poles are candle dipped in a non leaching asphalt roofing material caus I was tired of the breakoff after each season of the soggy bottoms and the poles would lose one foot/year in length.The tips of poles are dipped to seal the hollow chambers that encourge/harbor growths of crud plus insects.Each years end they all get wiped down with bleach,recoated bundled and ready for the next season.
__________________
KURT |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#14 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
|
![]() Quote:
http://www.paintdocs.com/docs/webPDF...M&prodno=21802
__________________
KURT |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
|
![]()
Practically everything that is a hydrocarbon plastic in your house was toxic in its raw state.
You are exposed to like a million times more toxins pumping gas in your car than you are from a properly dried and cured stick. ![]() Worth . |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|