Get them out of those pots and into the ground, pronto.

Tomatoes can handle the transplant, yank it out and plant it in the soil properly. Leaving the in the plant in the pot will limit the growth and yield of the plant.

I had one do the same. Just pulled it out, bringing as much root as I could manage. A few weeks later, it is the same size as my other plants and looks just as healthy. Just get them into the soil asap and they'll be fine.

I would say: take a sharp knife or appropriate other tool to cut the plastic pot out and then build a dirt mound around it. Let those roots grow more. After that if you loose that dirt mound no big deal. If you damage some of the roots while taking the plastic thing off, no big deal. You were going to do that any way if you pulled it out. So you would not be any worse off.

I was going to suggest the same thing ju1234 said. Great minds....

No big deal. It happens.

In fact sometimes I intentionally plant smaller pots about an inch deep, just in case life gets in the way of my garden hobby. This way the little plant has a chance. If you had left the tomatoes on a table, they most likely would have dried out and died. So your golden. :)

This will set them back bit, but better than dead plants. Right ?

I would sick my spade down next to the pot and lift the whole business up. Then you have a better view and can decide if it looks more promising to just cut off everything under the pot, or cut the pot off in slices. I would want to pinch off the fruit and flowers, so the plant can get itself adjusted to being roughed up and get busy growing new roots and leaves.

At my place, we call this " The insert your last name here hardiness test". If a plant can survive at least a month in a 4 inch pot here, it is worthy of living in my garden. A year is better. ;)

ETA : Be sure to water the transplants in deeply and be sure they're not getting blasted by hot sun the first couple days. You can set something ( folding chair, cardboard box, open umbrella etc.) near then to add shade if need be.

This post was edited by plaidbird on Wed, Jun 25, 14 at 1:43

If you pull the pot off of the ground the plant will survive as well. I pull the tangled parts of the roots off of root bound plants when I plant them, as well as roughing up the side roots as well. I tried the being gentle with the same variety one year. While the ones I was gentle with looked better for the first week. The others passed it up in growth in the next few weeks. Just cut a couple of inches of lower branches. Then plant it a little deeper.

Then keep it watered properly. It will be fine.

Depending on when you planted out, probably your plants roots are still bound in the container. I would get a spade/shovel and take it out. Then cut the plastic pot onto piece, remove the plant and replant with least disturbance as possible. before replanting, prepare the hole, mix in potting soil, compost, fertilizer. Water it real good after planting to the point of flooding, to get the air pockets out.

This post was edited by seysonn on Fri, Jun 27, 14 at 0:28