Potting up transplants

 These are previous years pics - I haven't even planted this years basil yet. In the pic above, the bottom tray is a 'slot' tray. This is what I start the majority of my seeds in. These trays are for plants that grow a main stem and need to be re-potted before being planted out. Some of my crops like 'statice' plants, grow from a soil level crown system and do not need re-potting. So those can be grown directly into a plug tray or 6 pack. Here we are looking at basil. The slot tray plants are likely 3 weeks old, and ready to go into 6 packs. The pic below shows how it looks when it is picked out of the slot tray. Roots of plants can be entangled, so we carefully pull them apart. Handle them quickly, roots begin to dry out in 20 seconds.  Depending on the size container they are now going into, the stem may be bent, or the plant just sunk deep enough to make the new soil level just below the leaves. Then they are grown on another 2-4 weeks before being planted out. The basils transplanted into 6 packs - shown on the top of the above pic.

Other plants that would be handled this way - tomato, pepper, eggplant, broccoli, annual herbs and many flowering annuals like zinnia, snaps, baby's breath etc.

When should I transplant into 6 packs (or similar?)

• when you need to water trays more than once a day
• when plants are becoming root bound, a solid mass of roots (not good!)
• when they are big enough to handle easily

What size should I replant into?

• 4 or 6 pack is best
• 3"-4" square, if plants are large

Why not into a large pot?

• re-pot in graduated increments: 6 pack then to a 8" pot
• transplants tend to stay to wet and rot - think wet soil amount vs. tiny plant

What about vine crops like melon & cukes?

• these types do NOT like having their roots handled
• grow in peat pots (if you must!)
• BEST seeded directly in the ground - all the extra work trying to grow them seldom pays off

What can I use in place of a slot tray?
You only need about 1 inch of potting mix - so nothing too deep. Even a clam shell container you get a sandwich in, an egg carton, a plant flat - if webbed on the bottom, line with newspaper. Besure you have good drainage, and that your containers are not left sitting in water

What kind of soil mix should I use?
Always use a 'soiless' mix to start seeds in and to transplant with. NEVER use garden soil. Garden soil should stay in the garden.

I welcome your questions: use the comment box.