The joy of transplanting

dokutaaguriin · January 25, 2012

Things at work have been rather crazy this semester.
Nothing more relaxing than transplanting 300+ tomatoes!
Jeff

Tania · January 26, 2012

Wow, Jeff, you are way ahead of me! I only started about 15% of my tomatoes by now.

Not too early???

**nctomatoman** · January 26, 2012

If I were to rank the activities - seeding is quite a lot of work, esp. finding all of the seeds and keeping the records....observing the germination is a favorite part....transplanting is actually rather therapeutic and I enjoy it. Filling the pots with planting mix not so fun - lugging the big bags from the box store in and out of the truck, filling the wheelbarrow, moving the filled pots and growbags into position - a great aerobic workout!....then of course watching them grow is great. Not terribly fond of staking and tying. The best comes last - picking and eating!

tgplp · January 26, 2012

Gosh, I still haven't started any seeds! I'm waiting til february at least. That's not too late, is it?

I do love transplanting, however! I like seeing the plants healthy roots before I put it into the pot. It's one of the only times you see the other half of the plant...

Taryn

huntoften · January 26, 2012

I agree...seeding is tedious...deciding on a list, dusty pro-mix makes me sneeze, labeling and recording cells...boring!

Transplanting is therapy. I-pod cranked up, sweet smell of compost, dirt under my fingernails, separating those tough little beauties, the slight scent of the tomato plant we all love, tray after tray after tray of seedlings filling the greenhouse shelves. Progress!

sirtanon · January 26, 2012

I must agree with Craig - transplanting my tomato seedlings is incredibly therapeutic. I find it helps ground me after a particularly busy and stressful day at work, and slows down an otherwise frantic pace.

Heck, I find almost all of it calming and peaceful, even the seeding part. Then again, I don't seed thousands of seeds and hundreds of varieties.. at least not yet.

I guess it's just the change - Since I work with computers and tech stuff all day, doing the plant/garden stuff helps bring me back to nature

kath · January 26, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirtanon

I must agree with Craig - transplanting my tomato seedlings is incredibly therapeutic.
Heck, I find almost all of it calming and peaceful, even the seeding part.

Me, too...the only things I don't find joyful and/or therapeutic are removing diseased leaves, picking bugs and having to wait until the plants are in the shade to spray at the end of a long, hot day.

chiefbeaz · January 26, 2012

This post is for tgplp.

I sow my seeds mid February hoping to get them in the ground around April 15. Planting your seeds in Western Washington any sooner than February would seem real early to me.

Tania · January 26, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgplp

Gosh, I still haven't started any seeds! I'm waiting til february at least. That's not too late, is it?

I do love transplanting, however! I like seeing the plants healthy roots before I put it into the pot. It's one of the only times you see the other half of the plant...

Taryn

Taryn,
The best time for starting seeds in PNW is from mid-February to mid-March. If you do not have cold frame to protect seedlings in March/April, I'd suggest to start in early March.

Tania

salix · January 26, 2012

My schedule is so easy: seed - April 1, pot on - May 1, transplant - June 1. So easy - and so late!

dokutaaguriin · January 26, 2012

These seedlings are for Seedy Saturday event in late March; and, unfortunately, not for my own crop. I will start my main season crop early April.

Jeff

tgplp · January 27, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tania

Taryn,
The best time for starting seeds in PNW is from mid-February to mid-March. If you do not have cold frame to protect seedlings in March/April, I'd suggest to start in early March.

Tania

Thanks Tatiana and thanks Chiefbeaz! I have a hoophouse and also a normal garden bed... so should I start my hoophouse tomatoes in february and other tomatoes in march?

I'm probably devoting my hoophouse to the Dwarf Project, so I hope us northerners get our seeds soon! Any news on when that'll be?

Taryn

Keiththibodeaux · January 27, 2012

My seedlings are on their true leaf development now. This weekend will be transplanting weekend.

tgplp · January 27, 2012

I'm so jealous of you guys! Wish I could start my tomatoes seeds.

Its so hard to be patient sometimes...

Taryn

Keiththibodeaux · January 27, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgplp

I'm so jealous of you guys! Wish I could start my tomatoes seeds.

Its so hard to be patient sometimes...

Taryn

Oh don't worry, when the heat comes, we'll be plenty jealous of you.

January 26, 2012	#2
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	Wow, Jeff, you are way ahead of me! I only started about 15% of my tomatoes by now. Not too early??? __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

January 26, 2012	#3
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	If I were to rank the activities - seeding is quite a lot of work, esp. finding all of the seeds and keeping the records....observing the germination is a favorite part....transplanting is actually rather therapeutic and I enjoy it. Filling the pots with planting mix not so fun - lugging the big bags from the box store in and out of the truck, filling the wheelbarrow, moving the filled pots and growbags into position - a great aerobic workout!....then of course watching them grow is great. Not terribly fond of staking and tying. The best comes last - picking and eating! __________________ Craig

January 26, 2012	#5
huntoften Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas CIty Posts: 560	I agree...seeding is tedious...deciding on a list, dusty pro-mix makes me sneeze, labeling and recording cells...boring! Transplanting is therapy. I-pod cranked up, sweet smell of compost, dirt under my fingernails, separating those tough little beauties, the slight scent of the tomato plant we all love, tray after tray after tray of seedlings filling the greenhouse shelves. Progress! __________________ Kansas City, Missouri Zone 5b/6a

January 26, 2012	#6
sirtanon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ (zone 9b) Posts: 796	I must agree with Craig - transplanting my tomato seedlings is incredibly therapeutic. I find it helps ground me after a particularly busy and stressful day at work, and slows down an otherwise frantic pace. Heck, I find almost all of it calming and peaceful, even the seeding part. Then again, I don't seed thousands of seeds and hundreds of varieties.. at least not yet. I guess it's just the change - Since I work with computers and tech stuff all day, doing the plant/garden stuff helps bring me back to nature __________________ I could sail by on the winds of silence, and maybe they won't notice... but this time I think it would be better if I swim..

January 26, 2012	#8
chiefbeaz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Middle, TN Posts: 271	This post is for tgplp. I sow my seeds mid February hoping to get them in the ground around April 15. Planting your seeds in Western Washington any sooner than February would seem real early to me. Last edited by chiefbeaz; January 26, 2012 at 11:21 AM. Reason: information change

January 26, 2012	#4
tgplp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Pacific North West, zone 8a Posts: 510	Gosh, I still haven't started any seeds! I'm waiting til february at least. That's not too late, is it? I do love transplanting, however! I like seeing the plants healthy roots before I put it into the pot. It's one of the only times you see the other half of the plant... Taryn

January 26, 2012	#10
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	My schedule is so easy: seed - April 1, pot on - May 1, transplant - June 1. So easy - and so late!

January 26, 2012	#11
dokutaaguriin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alberta, Canada Z3a Posts: 905	These seedlings are for Seedy Saturday event in late March; and, unfortunately, not for my own crop. I will start my main season crop early April. Jeff

January 27, 2012	#13
Keiththibodeaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 587	My seedlings are on their true leaf development now. This weekend will be transplanting weekend.