Transplanting from small pots

[Teufelhunden86]

How long is too long for seedlings to remain in small pots? How do I recognize if seedlings are or are not worth transplanting... Will they grow? Do they stunt/stop?

 

[Chuck]

How long is too long for seedlings to remain in small pots? How do I recognize if seedlings are or are not worth transplanting... Will they grow? Do they stunt/stop?

What kind of seedlings? Tomatoes, peppers, what? If you keep toms and peps in a small container they will get root bound and leggy. If this happens you can still either transplant into a bigger pot or put them in the ground. They will still produce but maybe not quite as much. If they are super tall, skinny and loosing leaves I would get new plants. The growth will slow down when root bound but when you put them in the ground they will start full speed again.

 

[Teufelhunden86]

Ok this was helpful. Definitely tomatoes and peppers as well as broccoli, greens and others. I was mostly concerned about tomatoes and peppers. Most are not too leggy but I didn't know if there were any strong signs that they wont grow after transplant. Temps are finally going up and rain finally slowing down.

 

[Peace perfect peace]

I did do a blog last week ref why seedlings dont do so well if planted in seed compost and not re-potted as soon as the common leaves are fully grown (the two bottom leaves on the stem)
The reason your plant is leggy is due to it not having enough food in a good medium compost and enough room for "Just that plant to grow" and not in compitition with more plants for the same space/ food etc

If you re-pot as soon as the common leaves are strong and fully open your giving the plant time to grow a good stem and roots,
But the comost must have all the plant needs to grow healthy/strong

 

[Chuck]

I did do a blog last week ref why seedlings dont do so well if planted in seed compost and not re-potted as soon as the common leaves are fully grown (the two bottom leaves on the stem)
The reason your plant is leggy is due to it not having enough food in a good medium compost and enough room for "Just that plant to grow" and not in compitition with more plants for the same space/ food etc

If you re-pot as soon as the common leaves are strong and fully open your giving the plant time to grow a good stem and roots,
But the comost must have all the plant needs to grow healthy/strong

Legginess is due more to lack of light than any nutrition problem. Young seedlings don't need any extra nutrition. The seed itself gives plenty of nutrition until the first set of true leaves form at which time one can begin LIGHTLY fertilizing if desired.

 

[Teufelhunden86]

Thanks. I'd bet it's from being jumpy on the start and a lack of light. I have healthy plants and more coming. Just curious if some are worth it. I think I'll try them all

 

[Chuck]

Thanks. I'd bet it's from being jumpy on the start and a lack of light. I have healthy plants and more coming. Just curious if some are worth it. I think I'll try them all

I lost many of my good transplanted plants due to a late freeze and I replaced them with VERY leggy transplants that I had left over after planting. As of now they all have fruit and are basically the same size with only slightly less foliage than the surviving transplants. In my soil I had to plant them deep but you can plant them on their side too if your climate permits.

 

[headfullofbees]

If you used seed compost, you need to pot on in two weeks or feed, with multipurpose compost, the nutrients usually last at least 4 weeks.
If you're potting on soon anyway, I wouldn't bother feeding now.

 

[TomatoNut]

Yes, you should plant leggy tomatoes deep. I try to when mine get leggy.