Hello all, need some advice...

When should I transplant my tomato, pepper, and eggplant seedlings to larger containers??? They all are in the same size cell that I started them in, which is 2" by 2". So how long or to what size, height, or the amount of leaves, second, third, fourth, etc. should trigger off to me it's time to step it up, or them to a larger container??? All of my cells are the APS system from GSC, if anyone can relate, and I have the large paper pot(s) for the next step along with plastic cups about 16 to 20 oz. (Thanx to my friend, Herb), right up to hardening off, and transplanting them into my garden. So basically, every single plant can stay how long in it's 2" by 2" prison, and if there is more than one seedling in a cell, when to move he or she(I'm all about equality) to a larger hotel/motel before their next trek??? Thanx again, and have a great weekend, Danny

I'm not familiar with the system you're using, but the greenhouses I worked for usually judged by looking at the rootball and waiting until the cells were filled with roots. Transplanting sooner wasn't needed until then and there was a chance that the rootball could fall apart if it wasn't firm enough. Waiting until a good root ball was formed minimized the amount of damage at transplant. On the other hand, waiting too long would let the plants get root bound, requiring us to break up the root ball, which stalled their growth. The whole idea was to keep the plants growing without delays from damage or stunting.

danny - i usually transfer plants when they get they second set of leaves (believe they are called true leaves) i start them out in those plastic containers that come with the container with the plastic dome made for seed starting. when they get there 2nd set of leaves and are about 4 to 6 inches tall i transfer to a 4 inch container. i usually leave them in the 4 inch until its ready to plant outside. because i don't start my tomato seeds until around april 15 thats usually good enough. because you start so early, you migh need those containers that i sent you.
im sure carolyn has more on this
frank p. s. starting my pepper seeds tonight.

As always, thanx Frank. I committed a gardening cardinal sin, starting my seedlings tooooo early. But like every other humanitarian, it was for the good of Society. Wow, I started way too early, but it's been fun, learning and watching a new form of life emerging on a daily basis. So, not all is lost and bad with the premature start, but a lot is learned... And that is, ahhhhhh, this is great, and it sure beats the hell out of freezing weather in Jersey, smile and be different, ya only live ONCE. Frank, thanx for the containers, I can't wait to use them, and it will be shortly because of my anxiousness. Let the gardening begin.

Danny,

The two inch prisons you talk about are what I grow my plants to transplant size in. LOL

I start all my seed in those 20 row professional seed trays. Then as they reach transplant size, anywhere's from one to two sets of true leaves, they are transplanted to plastic 4 paks, each cell being about 2X 2 inches. Eight 4 paks fit in one standard nursery tray so I have 32 plants/tray.

No more transplanting from that size cell. That's what commercial farmers do and I find it works best for me as well.

In my zone 5 I won't be sowing my tomato seed until maybe late next week.

I no longer grow my own peppers and eggplant but when I did they were treated the same as the tomatoes, except seed was started about 2-3 weeks before the tomato seed.

Carolyn

I probably planted my tomato seeds too early. I try to restrain myself, but when we get a few sunny days I just have to plant seeds!! Last year someone mentioned using seed trays that are formed into trenches??? the full length of the tray, and each is divided in half. Harris Seed Co. carries them. I bought 4 of them, they are called Row Germination Trays, and the four cost $13.50 plus shipping. I'm sure they will last many years. I have had the best luck with them for practically all my seeds.

From there they were transplanted to 4" pots. I plant them as deep as possible right up to the first leaves. Actually the first 2 varieties that I planted the end of Feb. are large enough and sturdy enough to go outside right now. In fact I plan to plant one of the Cherry Gold ones tomorrow and cover with large green plastic hot kaps. It has been just above freezing at night for a few nights and no frost predicted for next week. Donna