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Potting on tomato seedlings

eyeball_kideyeball_kid Posts: 13
in Fruit & veg
Hi all,

I’ve sown some tomato seeds in seedling compost and after they’ve germinated and grown a bit, what compost is best to use for the first potting on? Should they go into seedling compost again or is multi purpose ok?

Many thanks!

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited February 2021
    I do have a lot of imagination 😃 but I use MPC for all stages of growing tomatoes cos it works ... but I do sieve it when at seed sowing stage ... I don't have a large greenhouse for growing on the tomatoes so I use varieties that will ripen in the garden. As I can’t put them outside until the end of May I sow the seeds in mid April 🌱 🍅 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Wow, you're getting a head start on a lot of people. Not going to plant my tomato seeds for a while.
    I always use John Innes No 1 when potting up the seedlings but if you plan on growing them in MPC, then there is no reason why they can't go straight into that. Just watch that they don't get too leggy which can be a problem if they are sown early and don't get enough sunlight. Wooden kebab skewers make good stakes for young tomato plants if they have grown tall and thin.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    any old compost for mine using JA seed to start if I have it, my tomatoes are about 3 inches tall, and late sown, usually done in January, (kitchen window, north facing but they are always happy enough)They will be potted on after 2 "proper" leaves have set, 9 cm pots, conservatory, then greenhouse
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Don’t worry about them getting leggy, when you pot on, drop them right down into the pot and sprinkle the compost around them. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • mrpinkasmrpinkas Posts: 2
    Lyn said:
    Don’t worry about them getting leggy, when you pot on, drop them right down into the pot and sprinkle the compost around them. 
    Thats what  do.  I usually start mine about t4 - 6 weeks prior to when they go outside ( for me about April 1st).  I plant them in regular plain old potting soil in little plant cells at first.  After a few weeks, when they start to have and get a little leggy, then I take them out of the cell, put them in a small, but significantly deeper pit ( maybe 3 or 4 X the depth of the original cells.  Ill fill the rest of the pot up with the same potting soil and cover most of the stem to enhance more root growth.  Shortly after this, as it is getting somewhat warmer, Ill transfer them to my garage, where is sheltered, but this better access to natural light ( as opposed to the plant lights Im using to start them off).  This, for me, is my first step in hardening them off to go outside, as they are now introduced to a cooler area with natural light ( ll open the garage door for periods of time over the next few weeks to allow direct sunlight ).  Finally, ill get them outside n a partly shady area for periods of time to get used to the wind and other elements.  Eventually, into the ground ( or final container ) they go, once again, burying the stem for even more root growth.  I do introduce tomato fertilizer at this point.
  • pclark42pclark42 Posts: 186
    Obviously, everyone on here is chatting about seed grown, last year I grew two varieties from seed, I can't remember the names, one was a small cherry tomato and I planted up 3 very strong plants from the seedlings, the other plants were a medium size maybe Ailsa Craig, both grew really well in fact too fast and too vigorously as I had to have an eye operation, I did my best keeping them fed and watered, however, the fruit from both was very poor indeed, I may have missed pricking out the side shoots a little due to my eye. previous years I have not had the luxury of the polytunnel, and have grown purchased Plants such as Moneymaker from the garden centre, and I made a plastic shelter which often blew down, however, the fruit has always been plentiful, so my dilemma right now is should I grow from seed again (I have some new types too) maybe if I grow a single stem as Charles Dowding does I may get results, your comments please.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I always grow on a main stem, not bush varieties of tomatoes @pclark42
    If you grew outside last year then it might not have been your fault. I found outside much less productive than usual, I put it down to the weather, as those in the greenhouse were as good as ever. I grew Roma, and Alicante , and had a bumper crop inside, but disappointing outside as the sun in July/August was not good enough. 
    I am about to plant my seed this weekend,  but that is because I will be putting them in the greenhouse in April, outside its not till end of May , so that would mean seed planting end of March.
    Which varieties are you planting this year?
  • clarke.bruntclarke.brunt Posts: 215
    I too only grow single-stem tomatoes, mainly small or cherry varieties, as I prefer them. I grow in grow-bags, outdoors, trained up canes (with the cane-support 'frames' that you can get for grow-bags). It's important to be certain whether the particular variety of tomato is a 'bush' (determinate), or 'single-stem' (cordon, indeterminate). The single-stem ones will branch to some extent if allowed, but that defeats the training up canes, so side-shoots are usually removed as soon as spotted. The 'bush' ones will branch repeatedly whatever you do, so unsuitable for growing as a single stem - also more inclined to get all the fruit at the same time.

    @pclark42 mentioned Ailsa Craig and Moneymaker - both definitely 'single-stem' - but do make sure you know the growth habit with other varieties.

    I'll be sowing towards the end of March, for growing outdoors. I normally sow just as many seeds as I require plants, keeping the rest for another year. As I was running out, this year will be seed I collected from the plants last year - they were open-pollinated varieties (Sweet Aperitif, and some of its stable-mates bred by https://www.gourmetgenetics.com/ and sold by most of the usual suppliers). Not a good idea to collect seed from 'F1 hybrid' varieties, as the offspring is unlikely to resemble the parent.

    Mine were fine in 2020, indeed I grew too many (18 plants) - possibly small/cherry varieties are more reliable ripeners than large varieties?
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I must admit that black cherry has been the best to ripen outside for me over the last few years.
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