I am going to plant up, probably into 16 oz cups. Should I continue to use the seed starting mix I originally used? I also bought some organic potting soil with a little fertilizer mixed in. Will this work? Or a little of both? The seed mix has fertilizer in it as well, so I wasn't sure if there'd be a problem with two different kinds of fertilizer.

Any help is appreciated!

Kim

I just used my regular potting soil/raised bed mix that I use for all of my beds, and they are all tickled pink ;-)

Use whatever you have on hand,they will be fine and besides they will be in the ground in no time ;-)

Peppers should have lots of space between them ("lots" is relative) ,I space mine at 16" o/c and staggered too... The tomatoes depend on the variety,you remember my Single SunGold tomato from last year (I'll post the pic to remind you ;-)

But it took over this part of the country and they had to send in the National Guard,to rescue small children from its grasp ;-)

Unless it is a Hybrid like SunGold 2' o/c is fine ...

I made this 7' tall circular Trellis with a 3' square chunk of property for my SunGold this year (I learned from my mistake).

The Beast

I cut this thing down 3 times during the season to 8' tall,it just wouldn't stay down...Incredible ;-)

Sleepy, I have heard a lot about trimming the suckers as well. I may try it this year, with my romas. Last year I got a little carried away, and planted 11 tomato plants. I was giving them away to family, co workers, even the baristas at Starbucks. Crazy.

Kim

I grew tomatoes forever and never did this, until a year or two ago. But I definitely am convinced of the benefits now. No more errant branches going every which way, no more giant plants pulling the cage over. They do still grow straight up, though, so eventually I get to the point where I have to lop branches off the top, but at least everything is organized down below. Only thing, I have heard that it is not recommended to do with your determinate varieties, like romas. But if you grow any indeterminates, like the beefsteak, big boy varieties, those are the ones to try it on.

Oh, and my name's Aubrey, btw. I guess I never signed it before like some of you do, and it seems kind of silly everyone else being called a normal name and me being Sleepy. :)

o/c is a building term... it means on/center..
Like for example :

2" x 4" Studs that frame up your wall are 16" o/c ,which means from the center of one stud to the center of another stud is 16"

And Jonhughes, I'm shamed not to know what o/c meant. With my dad being the ultimate handyman, and enduring countless 'This Old House' episodes, I should've know that. haha.

Kim

Susan

Kim

Did you plant them in dry soil?

Just curious.

Keriann~

Is this too fun or what ??????

Do you have room for all these plants ??? Are you freakin' out as to where you are going to plant them in a couple of weeks ???

Woo Hoo ;-)

You go Girl ..... YES ;-)

There are 2 different kinds of tomatoes. Determinate and indeterminate. Indeterminate are vines, and determinate are bushes.

When growing indeterminate or tall vining tomatoes you cut the suckers off to promote top growth. You want the plant to get tall before setting fruit to get maximum production

When growing determinate or bush tomatoes you don't prune. The plant will only get as tall as it was meant to be and if you prune you are throwing away fruit.

I'll bring the jello ;-)

If what you are saying is correct oilpainter, then maybe I shouldn't cut off the suckers, this beast was 12' tall and I cut it down to 8' so I didn't have to use such a tall ladder to harvest, but it grew back three times and I finally gave up. There is no way it could possibly provide more fruit,it had to have at least a million tomatoes on it ;-)
So, is that what trimming off the suckers do,make it taller ??? Oy Vey ;-)

Maybe I should go back and re read sleepy's post...I don't want it taller ! !

and By the Way... I'll keep the jello handy ;-)

What it does is make a more managable plant and bigger fruit. You keep it growing like a vine and when it gets as tall as you want it, then you cut the leader and it stops growing and just sets fruit.

The trouble you had last year is that when you lopped the leader off the suckers took over, so it grew taller. It made it look more like a bush and not a vine.

I mainly posted what I did for newbies, when I saw lopping off suckers. I could just see a new gardener cutting off suckers on bush tomatoes and getting no fruit. I know someone who did just that.

And Keriann, yes, I planted them in dry soil. I watered the plant before transplanting, repotted, and then watered the new container until water came out of the bottom. (Had to poke holes in the bottom by heating a corn sticker on the pilot light). Talk about work! ;)

If you are out at yard sales and you see a soldering iron or wood burning kit or tool snap them up.

I use my son's old woodburning tool to poke holes in my pots. My neighbor uses a soldering iron. Both burn through plastic in seconds leaving nice neat holes

Kim

If it's 2 or 3 weeks to your setting out, frost free date, then go ahead and harden them off. Keep them in the sunroom when it's not possible to set them out. The light may not be ideal, but it won't hurt for a day or 2. If it's sunny, but cool, with a cool wind then rig something to protect them from the wind. You'd be surprised How that will change the temperature for them. Any other time the wind is good, so don't protect them all the time

Hey Kim, I just started giving away all of my extra peppers and Tomatoes ...tis the season.... go girl go ;-)

Kim

Half way through this post, pinching the suckers turned into pruning the suckers.

I have always pinched or snapped my suckers off. Works like a charm. I've never heard of pruning them. I'd have to be more careful so as not to cut another part of the plant. Plus, I'd have to take time to go get the pruners. Just pinch them, it's much faster =:)