Tomato Seed Sprouts - What is the Next Step?

[Bobby_123]

Hi.

I planted some tomato seeds about 6 weeks ago and they are growing on quite well but I am unsure of the next step.

I think I may have made a mistake early on by sewing a whole packet of seeds into a 6" pot. I now have about 20-30 stems sprouting out of a very small container. I was wondering should I just pick the strongest, biggest one and focus on that or leave it as it is for now. Also when should I use plant feeder?

Your help would be appreciated!

[JayPoc]

Hmm. I assume you're planning on planting in some tomatoes in the ground some where once they get bigger? (a six inch pot is too small for even 1 tomato for more than the first few weeks)

How many do you need for the ground? I'd thin your pot down to about 4 plants by snipping off the others. Then in a couple days, carefully transplant each remaining plant into something like a solo cup. Gently dig them out as deep and wide as you can. Then, get them into the ground whenever the threat of frost has passed and they've been hardened off.

[JayPoc]

Also, by "plant feeder", I assume you mean some sort of fertilizer? liquid or granules?

[Bobby_123]

Great stuff thanks! Yeah I mean liquid or granules

[JayPoc]

Great stuff thanks! Yeah I mean liquid or granules

Well, they work differently. Most of the granules would be used by mixing some of the granules in with the soil at planting. The liquids are usually diluted and added every so often when watering. Basically you'll just want to follow package directions with whatever you go with.

[Bobby_123]

Ok. That's great for now. Thanks a lot for your help

[lakngulf]

Ok. That's great for now. Thanks a lot for your help

Post a picture if you can. The seedlings may be large enough that you can gently ease some of them out with a knife or spoon, and plant them in individual small pots.

Mine start off in flats similar to this one.


And are transferred into these pots once the second set of leaves are showing. Many times I have more than one seedling in a compartment, and if all are healthy, I gently separate them and put in larger pots.

[Bobby_123]

I'll get a pic later but they stand about 5/6" already

[applestar]

Next step is to give them a lot if light.

It's not so much their height as what's growing -- at first pair of seed leaves (cotyledons), they are still delicate and only has a single long taproot. Unless their re touching each other, they won't be competing much.

Once they start growing their true leaves, the roots will begin to branch and tangle with each other. Usually, it's better to wait until this point to manipulate them. So any that are growing too close together to root wrestle should be culled to stronger/strongest looking by clipping with nail or embroidery scissors.

If they are about 1/2" apart, they can be separated. I find it easiest to dump the lot (slide the soil and seedlings out by tipping and quick jerk/pull motion while supporting the top of the soil with fingers of other hand) and spread them apart rather than digging them up. But I don't use those cells that are connected -- they drive me crazy (Mostly using soilblocks now).

[Bobby_123]

This is how it looks now

[JayPoc]

Yeah, thats about how I imagined it from your initial post. If somebody dropped that off at my doorstep, I'd proceed as I said in my first reply. I'm not sure you could successfully separate that tangled mess. Whatever you do, when you re-pot them, use a tall container and bury them as deep as you can...right up to within an inch or two of the first sets of leaves.

[lakngulf]

Yeah, thats about how I imagined it from your initial post. If somebody dropped that off at my doorstep, I'd proceed as I said in my first reply. I'm not sure you could successfully separate that tangled mess. Whatever you do, when you re-pot them, use a tall container and bury them as deep as you can...right up to within an inch or two of the first sets of leaves.

I agree. They are definitely ready for another pot, a deep pot. And using the dump out and separate method I think you can save a lot of plants, depending on how many you want.

When I was young my parents would start seed like this, give them plenty of light, and they grew strong. They would only separate them at planting time, putting the strongest/healthiest ones in the garden

[Bobby_123]

I think I'll take your advice and save the 4 strongest and re-pot them in larger pots. Also the plant is attracting a few small flies. Are they harmful? If so, what can I do to deter them?

[applestar]

If you want to keep 4 then SAVE 6.

[Juliuskitty]

This video shows how to separate all those little plants safely and have almost all live. You can give your extras to friends or even sell em for $3 each.this will be a paradigm shift for most I think, and so worth the time to watch. IMHO
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nLbeZEcz3sw