I've got 3 or 4 tomato plants in about a 1 quart pot. They're doing
absolutely great! 14 tomatoes currently growing, 3 more have been
pulled and eaten already, and some flowering buds which might turn
out another 6 or 7 tomatoes..

I'm in Tampa, FL and the tomatoes were started outdoors and then
I moved them indoors and then they got too big (both for being indoors
and for the pot (in December)). I moved them outside and that's where
they've been ever since. They have been in a shaded area since January
and the vines are at least three feet in three different directions. One vine
is growing straight up right at the moment. The temps hit 45 or 40 at the
lowest.

I don't have any intention of trying to take them out of the pot now.
The pot is about 6 or 7 inches across the top in diameter, 5 inches
across the bottom, about 6 or 7 inches high and is made of clay. I
placed it inside of a plastic pot bottom (like a large bowl) and I fill that
up everyday and pretty much that has been taking care of it. It is being
bottom fed through the clay pot and maybe the hole in the bottom of
the pot.

I had started to dig a hole for replanting but the way it is
now, and they are doing quite well, where some other tomato plants
have died (in the ground). The temps are too high for them and have
been too high for about a month now. They are kept in the shade for
under a tree and they get a little direct sun in the evening after 5pm
when the temps have died down. The temps started hitting 70 last
month during the day. One or two days this month, they hit 80.

One thing I've found out is that composted soil is great for tomatoes
and seemingly everything else! The only exception though seems to be
corn which seems to only need sand, alot of sunshine, and frequent
watering, but perhaps it doesn't need as much if the soil is composted
because water seems to run straight through sand.

All I can comment about is that if you only have 1 tomato plant in that
1 quart pot, and if that 1 quart pot is clay, and the soil is good soil, then
I, myself would leave it in the pot based upon my current experience.
I'd put it in a plastic bowl maybe 8 inches across and 1.5 inches deep
(if it's in a clay pot) and fill the bowl up with water every morning.

I lost 4 or 5 tomatoes last year trying to get them going in direct sun and
sand last year. Too hot hear in Florida for tomatoes in direct sun.

Hope this helps.

--
Jim Carlock
Please post replies to newsgroup.

"Linda" wrote:
"Suze" wrote:
Quoting Linda:

Can I repot tomatoes a third time? They've already gone from the flat,
to
an 8 oz. container, now in a 16 oz. container. They're already about a
foot
tall

Sure you can. Be sure to plant deep into the new pot as more roots will
form along any part of the stem that is buried.

but can't go outside to harden off for about 3 weeks. I don't want to
kill them. Thanks!

Unless you live somewhere that the daytime temps are still regularly in
the 30's - very low 40's, I'd recommend that you get those plants
outside and put them in your garage/shed at night if necessary. It'll
be much better than attempting to carry them under lights. Caveat:
once you start the hardening off process, it's best not to put the
plants back under lights.

After germination, I keep tomato seedlings under lights for the first
couple or three weeks max, then out they go (after a hardening off
period). In general, if it's forecasted to drop below 41 - 42 degrees
or so, I put them in the garage for the night.

What zone are you in?


Hi -

I'm right on the line of Zones 6-7 (Maryland). Our temps right now are
averaging 60's during the day and 40's at night. We do have a couple of
nights coming up where it will only be in the upper 30's and daytime in the
lower 50's. Can I still put them out now or wait until this little cold
front passes? I have soooo many people telling me "it's too soon, you'll
kill them". But I remember planting the garden last year the last week in
April. I did have to cover them a few nights when it hit the low 30's just
in case of frost.

I just hate it when people say "you can't plant the garden until after
Mother's Day". Where did that idea come from anyway?

Thanks for your help!

Linda