Tomatoe transplant question

[MD Steader]

I have some Burpee San Marzanos under lights now and its time to move them from the plugs to regular pots. I didn't get the germination rate I expected, actually it was pretty poor. Less than 1/2 popped. I have about 8 plugs but each has at least two plants. All of them are doing pretty good.

What are the odds that I can separate all of them out while I'm transplantng them into their new larger final pots. I really dont want to pinch any off because they are all healthy and I can basically double the number of plants. Any thoughts or ideas.

[frankva]

Plugs of potting mix? True leaves? Odds are real good.

I mix some weak liquid fertilizer, then dunk the root ball. May have to soak for a couple minutes. Then gently pull apart while dunking.

[MD Steader]

these are jiffy 7 plugs

[beewench]

You could try leaving them together...? I had a couple last year that double germinated, I just left them and the grew up and apart and were just as prolific as the others...just a thought

-=Sarah
www.beewench.blogspot.com

[dtsh]

If I understand you correctly, you have several starts sharing a jiffy pot and you want to separate them? I wouldn't expect any of them to survive, or at least do well after having their roots handled. I've had really good luck rooting cuttings from my tomato plants when I need a few extra. I clip them from the largest plant, dust them with rooting hormones and they usually take off pretty quick. Is that an option for you?

[MD Steader]

Probably, All of these are healthy, several leaves and growing.

[Yvonne]

You can serperate them. Have the soil a little wet. My daughter lets her kids (5&1year old) help seed her pots and might end up with several seeds to a pot. Since she is teaching them to share they bring DG a couple and I've had good luck. Plant them a little deeper than they were and keep moist & warm while more roots develop along the stem.
The last one I did had six plants and all are doing fine.

[Paquebot]

Rinse them until the soil mixture is either just about gone or the seedlings' roots easily become separated with little or no tugging. Even if they end up with virtually bare roots, no problem. Could even trim some roots to shorten them but we won't get into that here. You might set them back a week but you should not lose any.

Martin

[Callieslamb]

I transplant double potted tomatoes all the time - I purposely put at least 2 seeds in each peat pellet. I haven't ever had any trouble with it. I just pull the netting off, get them really wet and gently separate them.

[The Bunny Ranch]

Do they have true leaves?

We take a bucket or a pot and fill it with water and shake the plants in the water until they separate.

I don't transplant until they have their first or second set of true leaves.

[Paquebot]

Since they have true leaves, you've got something to get hold of. Separate and pot up soon before they get too tangled and rootbound.

Ever wonder how those 4-packs and 6-packs in nurseries almost always have just a single plant and no empty cells? They are transplanted at the cotyledon stage. Watched a guy do it one time with a special tweezers. Shake everything loose and lift out each little seedling and put one in each cell. He even did basil with cotyledons barely 1/8th inch across.

Martin

[MD Steader]

I think cotyledon's are illegal in this state :smiley-laughing013:

[The Bunny Ranch]

Lol!!!