Growing Tomatoes for first time

[applestar]

Ok. This blue one is described as attractive to leafminers but I'm not sure if that includes the tomato leafminers.

Hydrofarm HGSLTLT 5-Count Sticky Thrip Leafminer Trap (Pack of 5)
by Hydrofarm Link: https://amzn.com/B000I6JUBQ

I remember I was looking into Tuta absoluta a couple of years ago when I had an outbreak in my Winter Indoor Tomatoes -- I think I was reading translations of Central America and Brazilian articles -- describing sticky traps baited with pheromone attractants specific to Tuta absoluta. At the time, I couldn't find a reasonably priced source in the U.S.

[Peter1142]

If you Google "potting up tomatoes", you will find tons of articles and pictures.

On mature plants the leaf miners aren't that big a deal... but you've got tiny seedlings. Applestar definitely knows more about this than me.

[TareqPhoto]

Thanks!

I will just keep watching the few tomatoes seedlings that are growing slowly and try to water it regularly and give it much sun to be better growing, I just feel all the pots are small and they will not grow good enough, if I transplant it when they grown bigger a bit in pots it may cause more problems as the roots are longer, while if I can transplant it while it is still not much big and the roots aren't that much long then it may work fine, right?

So what I have to do when my garden become ready, should I transplant the tomatoes seedlings that are already grown even not much or I should plant new seeds and forget about those potted/containers tomatoes seedlings?

[TareqPhoto]

Ok, the tomatoes in pots sounds they are keep growing, I thought I will see them die quickly or they don't grow anymore for long time before they grow again, but looking at them today I feel they are keep growing, and what make me just partially happy is that they give nice leaves, and to my surprise, 3 pots and 3 almost different seedlings of tomatoes, two so very similar leaves but the other one is a bit different than both, later I will take photos and post here to show you what I mean.

My only worry is, how long it will take those seedlings to grow fine and flower at least? and will those posts can handle the tomatoes seedlings until they can give flowers at least? I don't want to make risk by transplanting them to the ground, I may damage/kill the plant from roots as the soil isn't going holding together around the roots, so what will be the possibilities if I exposed the roots by mistake when transplanting that it will keep growing?

I really can't wait to prepare my garden, after seeing some plants growing as I never expect them to grow or even germinate within 2-3 months now I feel I want to plant in the ground permanently so I don't have to disturb the plants and watch them grow high or healthy enough, next year I will try to make sure I focus on making things right so I don't have more mistakes or failure, I think once I get the seedlings to grow up high enough or healthy enough then I will not look back and just enjoy getting the results out of those plants later in the future, and tomatoes sure will be one of them in top of m list, I am thinking about dishes I like to eat that including tomatoes and salsas or sauces.

[applestar]

Unlike some other plants -- cucumbers for example -- tomato plants are one of the easiest to transplant. Even if you damage the roots somewhat and set them back a bit, they can grow new roots from anywhere on their stems.

Here's an extreme example of tomato seedlings rootbound in their small containers before planting in the ground:

Subject: Recycled containers for seed starting and uppotting

One more update photos of the tall plastic cups and sod bottles with vertical slits.

It's possible for them to get completely root bound

...rest of the plant...


In the following photos, I'm holding the rootball upside down.

I think the roots do tend to grow down rather than around:

...rest of the plant...


In this photo, you can clearly see where the slits were. They do seem to have affected the direction of root development:


With the cut off soda bottles, the roots grow down following the contour of the bottle. Reminds me of the specialty star shaped cell trays and pots:

[TareqPhoto]

I see, good to know, I will try to transplant it quick from pot to the ground directly and add soil around the roots, all these just to make sure that the plant don't feel much of changes when transplanted, and the seedlings aren't that big yet so maybe the roots aren't those so big as well, in all cases I am in front of two choices or decisions, either I leave the seedlings in the pots and forget about transplanting, or just transplant them normally and it will be good hope so.

[TareqPhoto]

Here is a pot where I planted seeds from tomatoes bought from the market, not sure about what type, doesn't matter what it will give, I accept it, and it is the faster grown seedlings I can see out of all other tomatoes seedlings, and it is not alone in the pot, this is really strange.

[TareqPhoto]

And here is a pot where I transplanted one seedlings from a container of S.Marzano 2 type that I mentioned before, I wanted one seedlings to be individual so I transplanted this into this pot, not sure how it is grown so far, I will wait and see

[TareqPhoto]

Here is a white pot that I mentioned before that it is not purchased by me, but it is mine now because the man left it for me.

What making me to worry about it is that I just noticed there are very small seedlings started to grow near by the main one, I don't remember I planted more than one seed, and I am not sure if those small plants are of tomatoes because the pot was all the time far from the ground on a stand holder, so what I should do here? suggest/advise me please.

[TareqPhoto]

Here is a container where I planted Campbell 33 seeds, I see this is the only seedling that keep growing, I am not sure if I should transplant this to another pot as I did before or keep it in this container, the container isn't that much deep but it is wide and there are another seeds planted but I think only another seedlings grown but stopped or died so I can remove that another one, also it is just a test seeds.

So from all above pics to me I can see differences in the leaves, I am sure they are all tomatoes, you have doubt about it? also should each type of tomatoes have similar leaves but different at the end?

What do you think with all those so far? you can compare those last photos with the ones I posted in the beginning and see how it is going on so far, 3 types of tomatoes so far, and I may add the forth in the future not sure which, but was thinking about mini small or cherry-like one, I don't want too many varieties as I said and only I want the red ones clean round ones, actually I should only go with one type but wanted to see different types, who knows I may like other types too but definitely not non-red/orange one as I tried one that is nearly green matured and it wasn't tasted so good, and yellow or whatever color will give us a bad idea that it isn't a tomato, so I will stick with known red/orange one only.

[rainbowgardener]

It is better to fill your containers all the way to the top . Fill them up, water it so the soil settles, then fill it again , Your little seedlings are in the shadow of the pot edges.

[TareqPhoto]

It is better to fill your containers all the way to the top . Fill them up, water it so the soil settles, then fill it again , Your little seedlings are in the shadow of the pot edges.

If I fill it then it will bury the seedlings, that may kill it, so I was thinking to wait until it grow little bit more so the leaves are high enough above the soil surface even after I fill it.

How I can fill it without damaging the main plant? I may fill the edges or around the plant itself, but then it is pointless, I should have more soil just right under the plant itself to make it higher, but this means I have to dig the plant again and re-fill and re-plant it again, I am not sure if the plant is already fine after it is transplanted already, same with another pot that has 2 or 3 seedlings and it is not filled to the top or high enough, one plant is grown great faster than all other seedlings, I am not sure if I try to take it out to fill then getting back will not damage it or the other next to it seedlings, I hope I got your point correct.

[TareqPhoto]

And about that seedling in the container, I am still not sure if I should keep there or transplant it to another pot as I did before, and this time if you suggest me to transplant it then I will make sure to fill the pot all way to the top.