cup size root bound question

jhouse · May 17, 2019

Hi all,

I just found out the week I was going to plant my seedlings -- Memorial Day -- looks like an entire week of thunderstorms for the Ohio valley. Apparently some big fronts may move across the US that week.

I'm only planting a few in my garden, and giving away most of my 50 seedlings, which are potted in cups (4" diameter at the top), under LED and fluorescent lights.

They range from quite small to 6" tall at this point, and I'm getting them outside for several hours in sun/shade.

Just wondering what you more experienced folk think about them getting root bound in these cups, whether I should repot again? Will they make it until after these darn storms? Plus not sure my indoor lighting will cover that many when they're larger.

Thanks for any thoughts!

Jan H.

oakley · May 17, 2019

If your nighttime temps are averaging above 45º they will be fine outside and best under
protection during storms. Mine have been out for a couple weeks and moved under an outdoor
table when forecast windy/thunderstorms. Just no room inside for the bigger plants.
The leggy are in transparent tote crates. Easy to move around.
Mine survived some 38º ish nights. I'm just fed up with babysitting at this point.

jhouse · May 17, 2019

That would solve my lighting problem. I can continue to harden off, I started day before yesterday, so maybe by next week I can have them outside all day and move into the garage at night.

I could pot them up one size, as I'm giving a lot of them to friends, would hate to have them plant them only to go thru a week of T storms with new plants in the ground. Of course I suppose repotting them and hardening off at the same time might stress them. . .doggone weather!

taboule · May 17, 2019

Mine have been in the ground for a 1-2 weeks now, with many nights around 38F. They're toughing it out and still growing.

toms-7may19.jpg

xellos99 · May 17, 2019

They will be fine but it may stunt their growth depending if they have reached their limit in the pots.

I remember I bought tomato plants that had been in a very small pots for about a month too long but once I potted them in to very large pots there was very fast growth.

zipcode · May 17, 2019

4 inch pots sounds pretty good. They can still stay in.

jhouse · May 18, 2019

Thanks all appreciate the input!

AlittleSalt · May 18, 2019

jhouse, there is one sure way of finding out if they need to be potted up. Take one plant and it looks like Styrofoam cups, so carefully remove the plant and mix intact. If there are a lot of roots on the outer surface where the cup was - pot them up. If not, put it back in another cup of the same size.

I am not more experienced. With gardening, it's a never-ending experience of learning and adapting. (My 2 cents) I think giving away plants that are already hardened off is a good idea. Some might not know how to harden off plants.

brownrexx · May 18, 2019

I would definitely get them living outside full time ASAP. I have a front porch with a roof that is perfect for this purpose. Do you have a covered location somewhere? If not, some people put them in something like a wagon and wheel them into a garage or shed when necessary.

We are also getting too much rain so I covered my in-ground plants with baskets during last weeks 2-day storm and they are all growing. The colored baskets are from the Dollar Tree and I like them because they have open sides for air flow but keep the pounding rain off of my plants.

jhouse · May 18, 2019

Great ideas there! I really did want to give the plants away already hardened off, to give them the best possible chance. the inexpensive baskets are very cool!

ContainerTed · May 18, 2019

Jhouse, several years ago, I was about to have a hard freeze on the plants I had set out only 5 days before. I didn't feel like I could dig them up, so looking at my "ONE ROW" at that time, an idea hit me. I had a 15' X 30' tarp. I set up a clothesline over them and put the tarp over that. It made a nice tent. I closed off the ends and then placed two 100 watt light bulbs inside. The temp went down to 25F. But that little bit of heat from two light bulbs kept the frost away from the plants.

It occurred to me that you could use a good tarp to protect your seedlings and still keep them outside. You would have to attend to them a bit more, but you have to decide if they're worth it. I always put high value on the work I do, so my decision wouldn't be difficult at all. In fact, I would probably do the work just to save them, and be happy I had a newly learned tool that I could use in the future. A tarp set up like a simple tent can also break up torrential rain and small hail. Even a cover of rabbit cage wire (1/4") can hold off small hail.

Hope I've inspired some inovative thinking on the subject. I know that my tent scenario is for small numbers of plants, but early in the season it can easily apply to "Trays full of seedlings" if you're trying to harden them off.

Take care.

jhouse · May 18, 2019

That's great information Ted!

I'm only planting 7 or 8 and giving the rest away, so that would certainly work. I will be planting pretty far apart and "checkerboarding" but multiple tarp-age would do the trick.

Wow. . .this will make me sound like a ditz. . .which I probably am. . .I did a hoop house a few years back for hot peppers and still have the pvc & fabric. i can just create a temporary hoophouse over the babies. I can't believe I didn't think of that. Thanks ContainerTed!

ContainerTed · May 18, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhouse

That's great information Ted!

I'm only planting 7 or 8 and giving the rest away, so that would certainly work. I will be planting pretty far apart and "checkerboarding" but multiple tarp-age would do the trick.

Wow. . .this will make me sound like a ditz. . .which I probably am. . .I did a hoop house a few years back for hot peppers and still have the pvc & fabric. i can just create a temporary hoophouse over the babies. I can't believe I didn't think of that. Thanks ContainerTed!

That's why I made the comment about "innovative thinking". Glad I could point you in another direction away from the frustration and inspire you to use the tools you already have.

Good luck on your new ideas.

Worth1 · May 18, 2019

I have used IR/infrared lights AKA brooder lights before to keep plants from freezing.
IR light is the red light spectrum that produces heat.
Used them on baby chicks too because it doesn't effect them from sleeping like white light does.
Hence the name brooder light.

jhouse · May 18, 2019

It's amazing what we'll do for our "babies". I considered printing out directions for planting and suggesting some protection from storms, for the ones I give away. I've got a few friends lined up for the seedlings, and thought I'd take the rest to church for whoever would like a few, for the rest. It's one of the reasons I'm concerned for whatever storm deal is supposed to come through -- my sister in North Carolina -- a much better gardener than I am -- tipped me off to the weather. Her area should be protected somewhat, but she thought Ohio might get hammered, for an entire week. I sure hope that changes.

May 17, 2019	#1
jhouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: sw ohio Posts: 153	cup size root bound question Hi all, I just found out the week I was going to plant my seedlings -- Memorial Day -- looks like an entire week of thunderstorms for the Ohio valley. Apparently some big fronts may move across the US that week. I'm only planting a few in my garden, and giving away most of my 50 seedlings, which are potted in cups (4" diameter at the top), under LED and fluorescent lights. They range from quite small to 6" tall at this point, and I'm getting them outside for several hours in sun/shade. Just wondering what you more experienced folk think about them getting root bound in these cups, whether I should repot again? Will they make it until after these darn storms? Plus not sure my indoor lighting will cover that many when they're larger. Thanks for any thoughts! Jan H. Last edited by jhouse; May 17, 2019 at 02:01 PM.

May 18, 2019	#11
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Jhouse, several years ago, I was about to have a hard freeze on the plants I had set out only 5 days before. I didn't feel like I could dig them up, so looking at my "ONE ROW" at that time, an idea hit me. I had a 15' X 30' tarp. I set up a clothesline over them and put the tarp over that. It made a nice tent. I closed off the ends and then placed two 100 watt light bulbs inside. The temp went down to 25F. But that little bit of heat from two light bulbs kept the frost away from the plants. It occurred to me that you could use a good tarp to protect your seedlings and still keep them outside. You would have to attend to them a bit more, but you have to decide if they're worth it. I always put high value on the work I do, so my decision wouldn't be difficult at all. In fact, I would probably do the work just to save them, and be happy I had a newly learned tool that I could use in the future. A tarp set up like a simple tent can also break up torrential rain and small hail. Even a cover of rabbit cage wire (1/4") can hold off small hail. Hope I've inspired some inovative thinking on the subject. I know that my tent scenario is for small numbers of plants, but early in the season it can easily apply to "Trays full of seedlings" if you're trying to harden them off. Take care. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

May 17, 2019	#2
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	If your nighttime temps are averaging above 45º they will be fine outside and best under protection during storms. Mine have been out for a couple weeks and moved under an outdoor table when forecast windy/thunderstorms. Just no room inside for the bigger plants. The leggy are in transparent tote crates. Easy to move around. Mine survived some 38º ish nights. I'm just fed up with babysitting at this point.

May 17, 2019	#4
taboule Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: MA Posts: 903	Mine have been in the ground for a 1-2 weeks now, with many nights around 38F. They're toughing it out and still growing. toms-7may19.jpg

May 17, 2019	#5
xellos99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: wales uk Posts: 236	They will be fine but it may stunt their growth depending if they have reached their limit in the pots. I remember I bought tomato plants that had been in a very small pots for about a month too long but once I potted them in to very large pots there was very fast growth.

May 17, 2019	#6
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	4 inch pots sounds pretty good. They can still stay in.

May 18, 2019	#8
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	jhouse, there is one sure way of finding out if they need to be potted up. Take one plant and it looks like Styrofoam cups, so carefully remove the plant and mix intact. If there are a lot of roots on the outer surface where the cup was - pot them up. If not, put it back in another cup of the same size. I am not more experienced. With gardening, it's a never-ending experience of learning and adapting. (My 2 cents) I think giving away plants that are already hardened off is a good idea. Some might not know how to harden off plants.

May 18, 2019	#14
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I have used IR/infrared lights AKA brooder lights before to keep plants from freezing. IR light is the red light spectrum that produces heat. Used them on baby chicks too because it doesn't effect them from sleeping like white light does. Hence the name brooder light.