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Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

I am not going to be able to get my seedlings into the ground until Monday or Tuesday because we won't have our soil delivered until then. But, my seedlings already have leaves that are quite large. I probably should have planted them days ago.

What I'm wondering is if it would be more harmful to transplant the seedlings into bigger pots, or should I just wait the extra days and endure a bit of pot binding. Which is worse? Transplanting the seedlings twice (once into a bigger pot and then into the ground) or letting them stay in the pot for a bit longer than they should?

5/14/2005 6:19:30 PM

Puyallup, WA

If it was me....two days, do not transplant. Five days, I'd transplant for sure. You did not mention the size of the container that they are now in, nor did you state the age of the plants. When there is doubt as to when one can get them in the ground, it is wise to start them in containers of at least one gallon in size.

5/14/2005 10:10:41 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

They are in half-gallon (2 litre) containers and were started almost two weeks ago.

5/14/2005 11:21:28 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Just keep them in the same container for the extra two or three days. If they have been in a 2l pot for two weeks they are already root bound and the extra time won't matter much.
For me, 2l pots are good to keep the seeding in them for 3 or 4 days, 3.5 to 4l pots to keep them in a week. Longer than a week requires the really big 15 to 20l containers from the nursery. At least that's what I do.

Martin

5/15/2005 4:36:45 AM