Pricking out toms

[reddyreddy]

Basic question here but, can you sow toms direct into 3 inch pots or biodegradable pots? Why do you need to sow into seed trays then prick out? I have only sown lettuces in my seed trays, do I need to prick out or can they go straight in the garden when they have a few leaves?

[reddyreddy]

[Mowhay]

I have always sown my toms into pots individually, they are the plastic cups from the water machine in the office with a hole in the bottom, I worked on the principle that the least disturbance to the roots was best.

[Tee Gee]

can you sow toms direct into 3 inch pots or biodegradable pots?

Basically there is no reason why not other than potential waste!

Lets assume you get say 80% germination success this means you have wasted 20% compost & 20% bidegradeble pots.

Plus the fact you initially take up less space and it is usually easier to keep the sowing container warm than say numerous pots.

Then the main thing (in my opinion) you are sowing into the wrong type of compost e.g. Potting compost as opposed to seed compost.

So in the end the decision is your, personally I wouldn't.

Will be interested to seeif any of the others have a different opinion.

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's just convenience. If I plant one variety per pot initially, I use less compost at this stage, and I can get them all into one tray, which goes conveniently on the windowsill. I pot them up when I put them in the mini-greenhouse.

[tim_n]

tomatoes grow perfectly well in human waste down at the sewage works, so the difference between potting compost and seed compost is negligible if you ask me.

As for transplanting/pricking etc whatever works well for you I guess.

Last year I grew tomatoes in toilet rolls - it worked wonderfully.  Just make sure you sink the tomatoes nice and deep into the compost (up to the first real leaves, inc stem) if you do this as the stem will form roots.

Anyway you chose is fine, tomatoes grow like potatoes.

[reddyreddy]

Fab, no more seed trays for me, I wouldn't waste the compost from pots where the seed didn;t germinate I would use it in my hanging baskets! What about the lettuces I have already sown in trays, do they need pricking out or can I leave them until they're a bit bigger then put straight into garden?

[Trevor_D]

Like Robert & Tee Gee, I sow mine one variety per pot, which goes into the propagator, then onto the greenhouse sand-bench when they germinate. They don't always give 100% germination, so it's economical of space & compost.

I've just started pricking them out into 3" pots; later. I'll take the best and pot them on to 5" pots; the rest go on the swap table.

One other advantage is that each time you pot them on, you plant them a bit deeper - so that the lower leaves just touch the soil - which makes for a sturdier plant and stops them going leggy. And if the weather's a bit iffy when you should be planting them out, you can hold them for a week or more without any problems.

I've sown 20 varieties, with between 8 and 12 of each - that's a lot of space to start off with!

[Mowhay]

I think it's up to you but I know that you can put them straight into the garden but you need to "puddle them in" with loads of water when planting out. I only grow a few tomatoes for my GH so only want two or three of each type and I always plant one more seed than I need ... just in case.

[tim]

I wholly agree with TG.

Do it whichever way suits you, but the sensible, professional way is bit by bit.

[davyw1]

I use seed trays for the following reasons.
I use two types of compost Seed compost for planting the seeds and then transplanted into  into potting compost after germination.
I can plant numouroue verieties in one tray.
The soil is shallow so therefor warms up quicker.
They dont take up as much space.

[Eristic]

As with Tee Gee it is primarily a space and efficiency issue. if like me you have literally hundreds of different seeds on the go the less space that is wasted the better.

I sow all my seeds in the standard 3.5" pots. with tomatoes, I would sow about 20 seeds in the pot then transplant either to individual pots or a seed box. That way all the growing space has plants actively growing in it.

If on the other hand you only want a few tom plants, sowing 2-3 seeds in each pot then nipping out all but the best one may be a better option.

There is no official rule here. Do what is easiest.

[reddyreddy]

Fantastic advice from everyone, many thanks!!