repotting tomatos

i have my tomatoes in small 3" pots, they are now about 2" tall with there 2nd set of leaves. should i be thinking of re potting them. i have some plastic beakers the same
diameter but about 5" tall could i transfer them to these .or i have some 6" pots
although not enough, what would you suggest.

thank you.

 

Hi,

The general signs of the need for repotting, is that they dry out very quickly or that you can see lots of roots at the base of the pot.

If they are just 2" tall, I would think they will be ok in their existing 3" pots for a while yet.

When they need repotting would go for a standard 4.5 or 5" pot if you can find some.
A 5" beaker the same diameter as the 3" pot would not be our choice.

Putting young plants into too large a pot too soon and they risk getting too cold and/or wet which will stunt their growth or worse.

 

At 2" tall they're still small seedlings and a 3" dia pot should be ample. I would leave them until they look something like this before thinking of potting on, and then I'd be nipping off the seed leaves and planting deeper, almost to the underside of their first true leaves.

Only put the minimum amount of compost in the bottom of the new pot to get the plant at the right level as additional roots will grow from the buried stem and you'll get a more vigorous plant.

 

Agree with the others. When you think they are ready and you can see some indication of root at the base - usually trying to escape through the drainage holes! - I tip them out to have a look. Important not to disturb them in this process, which is probably much easier explained with a video, but I'll try in words.

Put hand over the top of the pot, middle fingers apart either side of the plant. So some fingers on each side of the plant, and palm of the hand in contact with top of the pot

Tip pot and plant upside down (don't smash the top on something as you turn-it-turtle!), such that when the plant falls out of the pot it will only go 1/2" before landing in palm of hand. If the rootball doesn't immediately come out of the pot then knock the edge of the pot (where it isn't covered by hand) downward onto the top of a table/similar such that the rootball falls into palm of hand.

Gently lift the pot. If there aren't any obvious signs of roots put the pot back, turn right way up, a sharp tap on table top/similar to resettle the contents. Basically you are doing it too early.

If the rootball has roots, and thus won't immediately fall to bits and spoil your day!, lift the pot of, examine the roots, and then gently replace the pot and turn back upright (as above).

If there are a reasonable number of roots growing down the inside of the pot, and maybe "around" a bit, that's fine - and getting to the point of needing to be potted on. Well done, timing was spot-on

If there are masses of roots visible, going round and round the pot, its too late already. Get on with it