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| My tomatoes will likely not be transplanted outside for 1-2 weeks depending on the weather. I have started slowly hardening them off. Today I noticed that the roots are starting to pop out the bottom. They are currently in 3 inch peat pots. (I now know not to use peat pots :)) Should I pot up this weekend before transplanting them in a week or two? Thanks! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Yes! In 2 weeks they will fill the new pots with roots under the right conditions! I moved some of my stragglers to bigger pots a week ago and they are growing like crazy! They are almost root-bound already! |
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| Yes, pot up now into plastic pots, let them go a day out of the sun and with plenty of water, stick them back under the lights the next day and then depending on the weather start hardening them off next week. You don't want to pot up and then immediately put them outside to harden off, too much stress. Strip the cots and maybe the lower pair of leaves and pot deep, then when you transplant pot to that level or deeper. Edit - sorry, should have said when you transplant (I'm assuming into the ground) "set" them deeper, not "pot" them deeper. |
This post was edited by ajsmama on Fri, May 2, 14 at 17:41
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| Thanks for the advice! I will get plastic pots and strip down the lower leaves and pot deep. I will definitely hold on the hardening off to decrease their stress. |
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| Some people do like to pot tomatoes several times, so you can take advantage of that method also. Otherwise, if you think 2 weeks is the max you are waiting, then you can consider if you'll like to wait or not, probably taking into account your growing season. In my area, we can grow well into November, so I can be a little more lax about when it gets moved out of its peat pot. I say this because I've had plenty of starts with encircling roots or roots poking out (that came from the store this way) and it continued to do well after transplant.
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| Another vote for potting up. A good time to get them out of the peat pots at the same time. Dave |
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- Posted by ncrealestateguy 7b (finerhomesofcharlotte@gmail.com) on Fri, May 2, 14 at 20:48
| Why do people advise not growing in peat pots? |
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- Posted by bmoser z6PA (b2m2@moserproduce.com) on Fri, May 2, 14 at 21:56
| This is a tough call but if I was going to transplant into soil in 2 weeks I would just stick it out and your plants will be fine. Normally I would also recommend potting up but a few roots popping out through a peat pot tell me very little. Take a utility knife and rip down the sides of the peat pot and examine the root ball. If it isn't a mass of roots you can easily wait the 2 weeks for remaining plants. Another way to tell root status is the need for water- do plants need daily water to keep from wilting? When I pot-up the existing root mass is placed within a inch of the bottom so within two weeks more roots will be emerging from below the larger pot. That alone doesn't mean much. I dislike trying to plant a potted plant only to have all of the loose media fall off the root ball. You gain nothing when that occurs. Realestateguy, peat pots get a bad rap b/c some types don't degrade quickly enough to allow good root expansion and in some cases even allow roots to dry out. By cutting as I mentioned earlier when transplanting and also breaking down the tops to avoid exposed pot above soil surface they work fine. I still use them on occasion for melon transplants where mishandling or exposing roots to drying may cause transplant failure. I much prefer a peat pot to the salvaged red solo cups or other recycling attempts that seldom allow adequate drainage. |
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| I would not. Especially if it is more likely to planted out in about a week. You pots looks quite big and deep enough for the size of your plant and its root will not fill it in 1 to 2 weeks. You can just take one out and see for yourself. |
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- Posted by cold_weather_is_evil Tucson 9a/b desert (My Page) on Fri, May 2, 14 at 23:59
| >> Why do people advise not growing in peat pots? Ignorance. Tomatoes are root growing machines and no peat pot will stop that. |
This post was edited by cold_weather_is_evil on Sat, May 3, 14 at 0:00
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| I think you are a bit off base by stating the that opinions of many experienced gardeners are ignorant. |
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- Posted by ncrealestateguy 7b (finerhomesofcharlotte@gmail.com) on Sun, May 4, 14 at 8:55
| I have been growing my tomatoes and peppers in peat pots for a long time. Come Winter,when I pull up the dead plants, there is not peat pot to be found. I do make sure that none of the top is exposed to the air to prevent wicking, and I do have soaker hose irrigation that keeps the soil moist all the time. I have tomato roots coming out of the 4.5" pot at around 4 weeks or so. This may be another wive's tale like the one that says you can not water when the sun is out w/o burning the plant. |
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| I don't have a problem with peat pots. I just don't like spending money on unnecessary stuff! I re-use plastic starter pots, then move them to re-used solo cups. Then re-use larger pots that I have saved for many years if I need to. I start a lot of plants so it gets kinda pricey! I have bought them before, many, many years ago and they weren't a problem for me. But I would let them get pretty dry and snip them off before transplanting. They probably wouldn't have been a problem, but my Dad was my mentor and that's what he did! |
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| If peat pots work well for you, fine. But that doesn't make them ideal in any way, much less for all. And it doesn't make anyone who dislikes them "ignorant". It only makes the person who would post such a comment sound ignorant. If you are really interested in learning about all the problems many growers have had with using them just type 'peat pots' in the forum search. Then look on the web at photo ops like FB, UTube, personal blogs about them. You will find lots of photos of stunted plants, comparative growth of same plant in plastic vs. a peat pot, intact pots pulled up at season's end, large of intact pots tilled up the following spring, root bound plants, over-watered plants, moldy pots, examples of they wicking issues associated with them, etc. All that information is readily available to all. Use what you wish and what works for you. But labeling all of us opposed to them "ignorant" and pithy comments like "it's just an old wives tale" reflects on you, not us. Dave |
Here is a link that might be useful: Pages of info on problems with peat pots
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| I just set 12 Cherokee Purple plants that were very nice. I started the seed in those 18 to the flat plastic square cups from Wal-Mart. I would say they are 3x3x3 cups. After germination about Apr10 I put them under shop lights with cool white bulbs in my basement which was approx. 60-65 degrees. Brought them upstairs and outside day before yesterday. They spent all day in moderate sunshine yesterday and 3 hrs today 65-75 degrees. Maybe not hardened well but 30% chance of rain here next two days and then two hot days. Hoping for the best but its still 10 days till ALFD. These plants were under 2ft bulbs several yrs old. The other two flats under new 4ft bulbs were noticeably blockier and bushier. I do think potting up is the best way but I've had good success with this method also. Maybe 4" cups rather than 3". |
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| I have come to think that growing in peat pots requires special conditions, like a greenhouse with sprinklers system, high humidity and GOOD air circulation system. It is no an accident that growers like BONNIE grow an sell everything in peat pots. About RE potting: |
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| I ended up up potting this weekend because after talking to many experienced gardeners in the area, I will likely wait another 3 weeks to transplant out. They had nice large root balls in the peat pots so hopefully they will do ok. I potted them deeper as well. Thanks for all the advice! |
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