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Old March 10, 2013   #1
alandavis
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Default BIG tomato transplants

I started some really early tomatoes (hybrids, hierlooms, determinants, in-determinants). My plan was to get them in the high tunnel early in March but because of some cold nights lately I have delayed planting. I have bumped them up to gallon nursery pots and some (cherry in-determinants) are blooming in the greenhouse. Most all of them are at least 18" to 20" tall.

My question: Can a tomato transplant get so BIG that it could hurt production? Considering they are not root bound.
Thanks,
Alan
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Old March 10, 2013   #2
goodwin
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They will do just fine. That's about where mine are and I'll set them out in the tunnels next weekend.
Last year I planted some that had been in 5 gallon buckets and were really huge. That was in June and they continued to grow and produce.
You might want to set them a bit deeper, is all. Good luck with the weather - let us know how things go.

Lee
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Old March 10, 2013   #3
Stvrob
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That happened to me too. I wanted to try grafting and left an extra amount of time, and ended up with huge plant cause I left myself too much time. In a few cases the stem had been brutalized by the wind (OK I admit, some had actually broken). I guess thats part of Hardening Off
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Old March 10, 2013   #4
checkerkitty
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I'm in the same boat. I moved some of my largest transplants into large pots to hold off on planting a little while longer. Our weather is all over the place and I have some major work to do this week so I can plant out by next weekend.
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Old March 10, 2013   #5
gggeek
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Only thing I have heard of is if they start flowering in the pot that you want to pinch off those flowers. Don't let it flower until it gets into the ground otherwise it may retard growth of the overall plant.
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Old March 10, 2013   #6
Durgan
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I have found nothing inhibits production, providied the pot for the root is large enough, a gallon plus. No buds are removed and any tomatoes present when transplanting are left to mature. Below is the size of the plants when planted in 2012.


http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YGHIH 14 May 2012 Tomatoes Planted in Outdoor Garden
All my tomato plants were placed in the outdoor garden. Weather forecast for the immediate future signifies warm weather, with no immanent danger of frost. Thirty six plants were placed outdoors. Thirty two are in the main garden area and three small fruit red currant type along the deck, plus one Lemon Boy was separated for testing as to productivity. The cultivars were planted so the top of the plant was at ground level. The lower leaves were removed so not to touch the ground. Support is by ropes tied to an overhead structure. There were insufficient individual supports, do I jury rigged a rebar support structure. Each tomato is free with no support obstructions. No suckers will be removed and additional rope support will be added as deemed appropriate as the season progresses.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XZHCV 16 September 2012 . 214 pounds of tomatoes picked 2,5,9,16 September
A total of 513 pounds of tomatoes was picked from about 32 plants over the season.Average 16 pounds per plant. There are probably another 100 or so pounds remaining if the weather holds with no frost.This is my best year ever for tomatoes.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BBHDE 2 September 2012 Tomato picked Twelve pounds. Total to date 311 pounds.
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Old March 11, 2013   #7
alandavis
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Thanks, everyone for the information. This is just what I was hoping for. Gonna start planting them in the high tunnel later this week. We have lows in the low to mid 30s the next couple of nights then we're warming up.
Thanks again!
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Old March 11, 2013   #8
Fusion_power
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The key element is the growth phase the plant is in at the time of transplanting. If at any stage from seed to transplanting, the plant becomes seriously root bound, it will transition from juvenile growth phase to reproductive phase. Once it transitions, you can't make it reverse though you can mitigate the effects.

A plant that has transitioned to reproduction will not devote as much energy to growth and root expansion. The impact of the transition can be reduced by removing both blossoms and fruit from the plant. This will force the plant to grow in order to produce more flowers. The result will be production that is close to what the plant would have done prior to transiton to reproduction.

It is best to avoid this entire set of circumstances. A tomato growers mantra should be Small But Healthy!

DarJones
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