New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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April 8, 2009 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN
Posts: 967
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First re-pot what size for true leaves
Just curious how large the first set of true leaves are when you re-pot, i.e. pin head, corn kernal, dime, nickel, quarter...
I have some I could probably re-pot but I have some that just came up in the last 2-3 days so they will need another week probably and I want to re-pot all of them at once. I am going from a 72 cell flat to two 32 cell flats and will go to two 18 cell flats if needed. Craig |
April 8, 2009 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Kansas CIty
Posts: 560
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Personally...as soon as I get around to it. I've potted them up when the true leaves were barely visible, I've potted them up when the true leaves were large and on their second and third sets. They are a bit more fragile the smaller the leaves, but can handle it. I have probably 98-99% success rates when potting up...the ones that don't make it are usually due to my clumsy hands. Pot them up!
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Kansas City, Missouri Zone 5b/6a |
April 8, 2009 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3
Posts: 3,231
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I leave them as long as I can, which is as long as they look healthy and growing normally. The bigger the pots, the more trays, lights, and effort it takes to move them and water them, and carry them in and out as weather permits. I use dilute fertilizer if I think they are outgrowing the starter mix nutrients. Normally they have at least the second set of true leaves, although if I have some that look extra stringy, I mighty do them sooner. No set in stone time table.
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April 9, 2009 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mid-Ohio
Posts: 848
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I transplant when the seedlings start to shade each other/overlap. This is often at around the dime-leaf size when I plant several seeds per pot.
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April 9, 2009 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 1,818
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I transplant at about dime or corn kernel size. When they start drying out too quick is what I go by more than anything. And of course, if the roots are growing out of the cell packs, I transplant.
Since I plant to individual containers, I can pop one out as it needs to be transplanted. If I was doing a set up like you are, I'd probably want to do it all in one shot, too.
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Barbee |
April 9, 2009 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b
Posts: 1,439
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Since I start mine with about 5-8 per cell in a 72 cell tray, they can get crowded pretty quick. Depending on when I have time, I pot them up 2-3 weeks after sowing individually to 48 cell trays. That would be between pinhead and corn kernel size.
In another 4-5 weeks, they'll be potted up further into 16 or 20 oz. Solo cups until transplanting into the garden the last week of May. From seed starting to plantout is about 9 weeks. I know that is a long time, but in my mountain climate I've found it makes a big difference in earliness compared to 6-7 week old transplants. |
April 9, 2009 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: zone 7 Ola, Arkansas
Posts: 21
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barkeater
About how tall are they when you plant them out? |
April 9, 2009 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN
Posts: 967
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Thanks for all the replys I think I might wait until next weekend and re-pot them at that time.
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April 9, 2009 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b
Posts: 1,439
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debbie,
Not counting the pot, they are probably about 12-14' tall. The hope is for my early varieties, Bloody Butcher and Moskvich to have flowers, but most important, that the roots have filled the pot of all of them. |
April 9, 2009 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: zone 7 Ola, Arkansas
Posts: 21
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Thanks so much for your quick reply barkeater, It's been 20 years since I've tried to plant a garden,and I was a newb back then too lol. I'll introduce myself and what all I'm growing when I can figure out what form to put it in.
Debbie |
April 9, 2009 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b
Posts: 1,439
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When do you plant out debbie? Are you anywhere near where my brother and his family moved to a few years ago? It's a town near Conway called Enola.
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April 9, 2009 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: zone 7 Ola, Arkansas
Posts: 21
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I think our last frost is suppose to be around the 21st of April. I hope some of what I have started are ready to go in the ground by then. I'm about 50 miles west of Conway in a little town named Ola. I just recently bought this place that had 2 garden spots, one fenced in and one not. I've kinda got a late start with everything but hope to get something out of it this year.
Debbie |
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