Transplanting Delay = Stunted Tomatoes, Or?
Raresight Farms
Posts: 1
Hello! I am doing container gardening. I planted my tomato seeds 9 weeks ago in small starter cups (1cup volume exactly). They are all heirlooms and took about 1-2 weeks to germinate, depending on the variety. Started indoors, went outside into partial shade once the first true leaves came in. Now, I was planning on transplanting them to larger pots once they got about 3in high. However, there was an unexpected delay (health issues) and they STILL have not been transplanted. I expect to plant them within a week. However, I am concerned about stunting. They are now between 6 and 10 inches high (the cherry varieties of course being smallest, and Emerald Evergreen is in the lead by a full inch), but have noticeably slowed in growth over the last month.
So, my question is... Once I transplant them into large containers, will they continue to be smaller than average? Have I permanently stunted their potential in both size and production? Or will they make up for lost time and shoot up once I transplant them?
I intended to train them up lines, 1-2 main stalks from each plant, trimming away suckers as they grow and adding support clips as needed. We are testing this method of growing this year and I am concerned that I may have substantially skewed the seasons production numbers with this delay.
Posts
I'm guessing as you've moved them outside, you're not in UK?
Plants want to grow. It's what they do. A matter of a few days at this time of year is nothing. They'll catch up.
They are probably stunted due to exhaustion of nutrients in the compost. Transplant them into fresh compost, burying them up to the first leaves. They will soon catch up
Think they're around San Diego Hosta
I agree with you - the tomatoes will grow just fine
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Tomatoes seem pretty forgiving. I've treated mine horribly in the past and they still come into their own in due time!
As above, they will be fine in decent growing conditions. Don't be tempted to try to help them catch up via feeding them. Toms thrive on controlled neglect.
Agree - they'll soon catch up.
Growing them up strings is excellent. But you said one or two stems. Assuming they're cordon varieties, they're best kept to one. Take off all the sideshoots every couple of days, and twine the string round the main sten at the same time. Bush varieties, of course, keep all their shoots.
Small tomatoes don't grow on smaller plants (with a few exceptions). You just get a lot of them on a normal-sized plant.
Ive been thinking the same thing, ive got around 30 - 40 tomato plants of 4 different varieties growing in my front room. They are all growing so quick ie..15inchs tall and are all still in smallish cups. I havant got the room to repot them while in my flat and I do not want to plant them out yet as the threat of frost isn't over. Just one of those things I suppose. I was saying to my fiancé only the other day that we wont be able to see the TV soon if the Toms grow anymore
If fed too early they grow masses of leaves and cropping is reduced, steveb.
Toms, from their earliest days, are best left to their own devices as much as possible. They're tough critters, very tough, and will always respond best when treated that way. Tom plants producing fruit are only doing what nature dictates - seeking to reproduce themselves before they expire. Overfeed and overwater them and you bloat them with nutrition and moisture, conditions not conducive to forcing them to reproduce themselves.