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Thomas wv

Was wondering everyons start time how long they keep them potted. And do they pot up and where from and elevation. Maybe even last frost date. Yes I ask for a lot Reason I ask want to make sure I get a great start I know everyone's will be different just want a idea when to plant inside need a comparson to where I'm growing so I don't get a root bound plant.
Thank you in advance

3/7/2019 1:02:12 AM

Lebanon, Oregon

I like my plants in the ground around the first week of June. The third week in April is when I start mine, about six weeks before. They would get root bound if I started earlier. Your region of where you live should dictate when you put yours in the ground, then you can decide when to start yours.

3/7/2019 1:16:45 AM

Norfolk, UK

I started last year around 10 May, my last frost date is 20 May. If sown direct, tomatoes get a tap root system, if the tap root gets a check from the pot it gets a fiberous root system. I plant mine out double quick - not long after the first true leaves have formed to give it the best possible chance to form solid roots before a mega loom on the first truss. To aid vegetative grow on transplanting, some have a soil cable in ground and i’ll fleece each night to try and keep day / night temperature profile as flat as it can be.

3/7/2019 1:50:00 AM

Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

I´ve allready startet some.
Very few to produce clones of 5.95 and 6.23 Konieczny.
Repotting several times worked good for me in the past.
Last frost is about May 15th and last year Ißve transplanted to the patch June 2nd.
But they had about 20 Liter potts then.

3/7/2019 2:57:40 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

Probably start mine within next couple of weeks.
I pot them up once.
Usually plant out first of May.
Usually about a foot tall when I set them in.

3/7/2019 6:29:39 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

When you start your plants has to do with several things. One of these is your last frost date. You don't want your plants outside when there still is a chance of frost unless you can cover them. The next factor is the soil temperature. You don't want your plants in the ground until the soil is warm enough for them to grow, around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, they just sit there. Also, if you start too soon, your plants will become root bound which will cause a problem later. I also believe that it damages your roots a bit if you have to pot up and particularly the tap root. So, I would say avoid having to pot up. Also keep in mind that if, and you may not believe this, If the mass of the tomato underground is exceeded by the mass of the tomato above ground the tomato thinks it is getting old and needs to make seeds and so moves into a seed making phase and away from a growing a big tomato phase. We want seeds but we want big tomatoes even more. Plants catch up quickly once in the garden and an early start has many more downsides than upsides. Just my thoughts.

3/7/2019 9:49:46 AM

Wixom MI.

My last frost date is around may 20 i start my seeds earliest april 20 to may 1 i try to plant them 3 weeks after i plant my seed. I wont my roots to grow in the garden not in the pot. I haven't seen any advantage to planting them 6" deeper to develope a larger root system. In my experience when planted deeper the upper new roots take over as the main root system and the origilal main roots go dormate and barely grow at all.by growing a larger plant in the pot you eliminate your first option to grow a first truss megabloom because you will never have a root system to supore it. I believe that your largest megabloom that you are likely to get will be on that first truss. Many growers will pick off the first few trusses to grow the biger plant to suport the tomato higher up. For me this is my back up plan if i can't get a keeper on my first truss.

3/7/2019 10:30:32 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Good info Chris. Helpful. I too have stopped planting them deep. Besides, the soil is colder deeper early in the season

3/7/2019 10:56:31 AM

Grittyville, WA

Anna started hers March 21 or 22 last year based on advise from her team. It was cutting it very close. They had to be indoors until half gallon size then under a polycarbonate cover for a few more weeks. She got a first truss 5.01 though.

3/7/2019 2:50:20 PM

Grittyville, WA

I started mine much later. Only a few of mine got ripe. And not as good eating compared to hers so 'as early as possible' is the route I want to go. Plus we know Dan is an early bird. He does his plants early.

3/7/2019 2:55:25 PM

Western Massachusetts

Early May

3/7/2019 3:17:26 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

If you want a larger root system, trenchplant.

3/8/2019 4:20:44 PM

On a cliff in the desert

Tomatoes are the last thing I germinate. I want to make sure I have everything else in the ground. Last year I germinated everything around May 27. This I hope things go much smoother after learning from last year's problems so I can start them earlier.

3/8/2019 5:40:33 PM

Tinykinville

I start anytime now soon as i get set up they will go in and plant out about june 1. Udo lol I see you are not messin around awesome!

3/18/2019 2:59:56 AM