Garden - tomato seedlings too big?

[Nelson]

I know there are a few gardeners on here so hoping for some insight.

This is my first year starting tomatoes from seed. I think I may have started them too early. I'm still a few weeks away from putting them in the beds and I'm worried that they are too big. Thoughts???

 

[DBoon]

Well, I hope you really like tomatos - that's a lot of plants.

These are sized to go in the ground now...but if you have another five weeks, I would try to find some half gallon pots to repot them in.

 

[Nelson]

lol, i know. I wasn't sure how successful I was going to be so, I planted extra. I have about 6 or 7 varieties in there as well - again, just testing them out to see which we like best. Most will be canned...

I'm thinking i'm only 2-3 weeks away from getting them in the ground. Soil temps around here are already in the mid-50s. I plan on planting them deep as well. I thought about milk jugs but I don't have space for that under the lights and we don't have any good windows that get a good amount of sun.

At this point, I will have to let them go and hope for the best!

 

[Mellery]

Great job, Nelson! Over the years, I have learned plants are so incredibly forgiving, flexible and malleable, you'll be fine waiting out the 2-3 weeks IMHO

BTW I love tomatoes, I envy you right now.

 

[Nelson]

Thanks! I'm hoping you're right and I think you are. I learned my lesson - I don't need to start the seeds until the start of April! Kept reading 8 weeks but I think 6 would have been just fine.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It's been a rough spring. I just saw the first asparagus spear poke through and my rhubarb I'd only a couple inches high. I'm usually harvesting both full scale in early may.

I also try to get my garden in by now. This morning it is below freezing.

I'd search for some bigger pots and start stressing the stalks so they thicken up and don't blow over in a heavy wind.

 

[semipro]

You have so many. Could you plant some now and take the chance of a freeze? If they don't freeze then you have a head start on early tomatoes. If they do freeze you have plenty of spares.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Don't forget to bury them deep. Tomatoes will root from the stalk so you can get a killer root base.

 

[Ambient]

Don't forget to bury them deep. Tomatoes will root from the stalk so you can get a killer root base.

Tomatoes will establish a "killer root base" but only if your soil will sustain the roots. The soil structure will dictate how deep you can plant them. If you go too deep they will actually suffocate for the lack of oxygen, too much water and the inability to take in available nutrients.

After the seedlings are about five inches we transplant them into larger pots usually 3 inch pots, then five and then some get 8 inch. Each time I transplant, I'll pick off all but the top three real leaves, (the first two are just to help in the germination process, you'll notice they become wilted and are prone to disease). I'll bury the plant deep into the new container, the stem will now form NEW roots from the buried stem. I also give them a very diluted mix of fish emulsion, 10%, then increase as needed. (organic fertilizers won't tend to burn younger leaves like commercial ones will). Each time you transplant the plant will be stronger and have a larger capacity to take in nutrients and water. Once you transplant this fast growing plant, you need to keep in mind you trained it to like those feedings, continue to feed them AFTER you plant them outside.

Some times weather plays havoc with our intended plantings living so far up north. You'll want to 'harden' them off, transitioning from inside to outside for a week or so. Be prepared if they are really large by this time to plant them on an angle, instead of just deep down in a hole. Laying them down in a trench so that the entire root mass is within the useful nutrient zone, and is warmer, will pay dividends. This is searchable BTW: "Planting tomatoes on an angle". When you plant them on a angle thier profile above the soil is much smaller and you can create a temporary grow tunnel or use five gallon buckets, empty 4 or 5 gal water jugs with the bottom cut out, or stakes and burlap: to protect them over night if it's still a bit too cold out.

Good luck!

 

[Nelson]

Thanks everyone. I actually built 18" high raised beds this year. Our soil is rather heavy (clay) and not very deep so I needed to provide more depth of soil. Just had a nice garden mix soil delivered yesterday and will be filling the beds today. I like the idea of putting a few of the plants out a little earlier and taking a chance on the frost. I have a few to spare.

Thanks again for all the comments/suggestions!

 

[sloeffle]

If you are worried that they will be too big by the time you get them outside. What about building a temporary plastic tunnel out of PVC drain pipe and plastic ? When the weather warms ups, you can just remove the tunnel from where you planted them.

 

[semipro]

Along the same lines I'm giving these a try for the tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant I've already planted a month before the last frost date.

(broken link removed to http://www.wall-o-water.com/)

 

[begreen]

No problem at all. When you are ready to plant in the outdoor bed remove all of the bottom leaves below the top 6-8". Then dig a deep trench about 8" deep so that you can lay down the plant horizontally. Cover with soil all but the last 6-8" of the plant. The buried stem will sprout roots and this will strengthen the plant. The plant will straighten out and grow vertically within a week or so. The increased root mass strengthens the plant allowing it to pick up more nutrients from the soil, be more wind resistant and support a larger plant. I've been planting my tomatoes like this for many years.

 

[Nelson]

The water "shield" looks pretty interesting. Where did you pick those up?

Good to know begreen! I have 18" of good garden soil in the beds. I was thinking just digging down 8-10" and planting them straight up and down. Would leave ~8-10" of plant above ground. I'm thinking this will work. I have read about the trench idea but I'm afraid of breaking the stem!

 

[begreen]

I have never broken a stem. Just don't force it. Maybe try both ways and see if one works better than the other? Look this up, you'll find plenty of examples. Here's one:
http://blog.diynetwork.com/maderemade/how-to/plant-tomatoes-in-trenches-for-better-results/

 

[Nelson]

I like the idea of trying both ways. Will be a good experiment!

I've been using guidance from the Vegetable Gardeners Bible. Great book - is my first season so won't know until fall whether the tips and tricks in the book were beneficial. So far, it's been a great read.

 

[billb3]

+1 on the half gallon pots
you could slow them down by lowering temps like greenhouses do but that also works a little better with younger starts.

I started in early February one year and ended up in 5 gallon pails and lots of fluorescent tube grow lights
Put them out right after Memorial Day and they all sunburned and set them back several weeks- so I highly recommend when you do get them outside to either rig up a shade cloth for a week or keep them in the shade somehow as they transition from artificial light to direct sunlight.

 

[Whitepine2]

No problem at all. When you are ready to plant in the outdoor bed remove all of the bottom leaves below the top 6-8". Then dig a deep trench about 8" deep so that you can lay down the plant horizontally. Cover with soil all but the last 6-8" of the plant. The buried stem will sprout roots and this will strengthen the plant. The plant will straighten out and grow vertically within a week or so. The increased root mass strengthens the plant allowing it to pick up more nutrients from the soil, be more wind resistant and support a larger plant. I've been planting my tomatoes like this for many years.

This is the only way to go with long stems been doing this for 40+ years,you get more root and they
grow faster and hardy.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Don't forget to bury them deep. Tomatoes will root from the stalk so you can get a killer root base.

Yup. Break off the bottom set of leaves and plant them up to the next set is good draining soil. Mulch well after planting- reduces the need for watering, reduces weeds, and regulates soil moisture to prevent blossom end rot.

I plant less every year- I get 10-15# or so off each plant, so lots of sauce making and canning.

 

[johnpma]

healthy looking plants nice job.....I lost all my tomato plants to blight last year which was very discouraging as they were started from seed and look healthy almost all season. Happened quick and uncontrollably

 

[Whitepine2]

healthy looking plants nice job.....I lost all my tomato plants to blight last year which was very discouraging as they were started from seed and look healthy almost all season. Happened quick and uncontrollably

Don't plant in the same place move to different place,don't plant near potatoes as they blight easy.
If it's a damp summer they will tend to blight more and don't water leaves this can cause the blight as well.We sprayed copper sulfate on taters have not used on tomatoes but there might be something
better now I know some don't like to spray and dust but better than watching them wilt,another thing
plant a wilt resistance verity this will help as well.

 

[semipro]

The water "shield" looks pretty interesting. Where did you pick those up?

(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-Pack-Green-Wall-o-Water-Season-Extender-Plant-Frost-Protector-Grow-Tent/200901805989?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D30251%26meid%3Daf674ed45dd74211956b419725f1ed21%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D190804483935&rt=nc)
So far so good.

 

[johnpma]

johnpma said: ↑
healthy looking plants nice job.....I lost all my tomato plants to blight last year which was very discouraging as they were started from seed and look healthy almost all season. Happened quick and uncontrollably
Don't plant in the same place move to different place,don't plant near potatoes as they blight easy.
If it's a damp summer they will tend to blight more and don't water leaves this can cause the blight as well.We sprayed copper sulfate on taters have not used on tomatoes but there might be something
better now I know some don't like to spray and dust but better than watching them wilt,another thing
plant a wilt resistance verity this will help as well.

Good info thanks. We had very wet soil and a lot of rain in June and July with very few hot days. Was going to look into a spray of some sort or a dust if we have another wet summer. However I've already tilled twice and the garden is drying out nicely

 

[semipro]

However I've already tilled twice and the garden is drying out nicely

I used to till -- stopped about 4 years ago. I doubt I'll ever go back. I just keep adding organic matter as mulch and the soil and critters living there are loving it.
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/no-till-gardening.html

I rarely dig without finding many earthworms. Since I decided not tot chop them up with a tiller anymore they have agreed to till for me. And no, halved worms don't grow into two worms.
http://www.livescience.com/38371-two-worms-worm-cut-in-half.html

 

[johnpma]

We till everything under at the end of the season. I'm sure the no till method works over a period of time but in my situation where my soil is rich and dense I like to till the compost into the soil to establish some underground nutrition as well. I'm sure the no till method works though quite well. Just look in the woods on new growth under trees like oaks, and maples that have lost years and years of leaves