Part II: Up-potting soil blocks

Oh well....I started my cukes inside and thought they would transplant OK. I though I had purchased some last year and didn't think I started them from seed. Will have to find my notes on what I did last year but off hand I remebered I started my SFG late and had cucumbers last year and don't believe I had time to start them from seed.

quiltbea, I did my solo cups as you suggested and they are great! So easy to take care of and water that way
We save all the little plastic tupperware type containers that lunch meat comes in and they've been perfect for keeping the cups in and watering. Little 4 packs fit perfectly in them as well

@Rooster.....I'm glad you are trying them. Just water from the bottom and you won't over-water them.

I up-pot most of the later-started tomatoes going to the community garden into air-pruning Solo cups because I don't have enough 2-litre soda bottles nor space under only 3 lights, and they have done fine being transplanted smaller into the garden. I can bring those to the community garden greenhouse to finish their growth before planting. Don't worry about them being smaller, because they'll eventually catch up with their bretheren that are larger as you'll see below. Once they are in the ground and on their own, Mother Nature does wonders.

The slit cups also give up their plants very easily when it comes to removing them to transplant. You just cut down 2 sides of the cup and slide them into your hand with an intact root system.



Above: Smaller tomatoes being transplanted by volunteer into community garden for Food Pantry.



The same tomatoes 2 weeks later along the stringed line.



The tomatoes a month later on the right on strings between the green poles. It proves that tomatoes transplanted even quite small, will catch up and produce an abundant crop.

RoOsTeR wrote:quiltbea, I did my solo cups as you suggested and they are great! So easy to take care of and water that way
We save all the little plastic tupperware type containers that lunch meat comes in and they've been perfect for keeping the cups in and watering. Little 4 packs fit perfectly in them as well

Here some pics of my tomato plants, also in Solo cups, and now moved out to the unheated garage to harden off for a week or so. Should be the last frost by next weekend but may wait till the middle to the middle of the second week of May.

FLOYD! WOW! Looking GREAT! No longer a Rookie!!! Thanks for the photos.

camprn wrote:FLOYD! WOW! Looking GREAT! No longer a Rookie!!! Thanks for the photos.

Thanks for the compliments on my tomatoes as they are growing on schedule. Unfortunately some of my plants are WAY off. My bsail is a sad example as it is just getting it's second pair of leaves and have noticed the same plants at local nurseries and they are WAY ahead of mine.

Will plant them earlier next year as well as other plants. I did make a spread sheet with all the dates I started all my seeds but the only thing I got right this year are the tomatoes.

It's a learning process............

Floyd, your plants do look great! I don't know if I would worry to much about the basil. Mine was pretty slow starting too, but after some heat and nice sunlight, it really took off.
The winter herb garden was donated to my mother's back deck and still growin strong! I needed the space to plant my tomatoes

Floyd, it's unfair to yourself to compare your plants to those of commercial growers. You are having great success. Rooster is right, the basil will take off, I mean REALLY TAKE OFF once it gets in the garden after Memorial Day, you probably not know what to do with it all! (blenderize it and freeze it in ice cube trays!)

Thanks Camp

I moved the rest of my seedlings; peppers, basil, chives, oregano, cucumbers to solo cups and see how that goes. Once again the block maker would have made things a LOT easier.

However it is very rewarding to see seeds grow into plants and soon to the garden were the fun begins!!!



Will send some pictures tomorrow...

And the followup thread.

Happy almost