when you pot up winter sown tomatoes to next size pot, what size pot and what plant medium do you use?

I use saved pots from bedding plants that I've bought. I go to a 3in. or 4in. pot and if I have an extra deep one I would use that. Regular potting mix is what I use.

Don't forget if your seedlings are 3in. tall or so you can bury the stem up to the first set of leaves. Those little hairs on the stem will make lots more roots!

I always use 3" pots, too - until I run out of them; lately I've been buying disposable plastic drinking glasses and drilling drainage holes in the bottoms to use, especially for the plants that I give away. (And definitely bury the seedlings deeper than they were growing, they grow much sturdier that way).

I also use the disposable 20 oz. plastic cups from Walmart. They work very well for me, and allow for a nice long root system. And they fit nicely into a plastic storage bin with lid for protection from freezing weather.

thanks yall...I had such good luck last year with winter sown tomatoes ,but i did not think ahead to step two. I appreciate every ones information and i will be ready now Nell

My daughter had the idea to cut out a step on her tomato planting/transplanting last year. She used 16 oz. plastic cups with holes melted in the bottom (hot nail on a camp stove). She planted her seeds in 1 1/2 inches or so of soil at the bottom of the cup and filled as they grew. It worked great.

That is a great idea Daisy. Thanks, I will use that this year.

That is a great idea!

It's a wonderful idea and would also be a lot better for not disturbing the roots of the seedlings.

I may need to pot mine up a second time if the weather doesn't hurry up and warm up! Was hoping we could plant all these out last week, but now we're expecting two nights with lows into the 40's again this week.

Elaine, find some 'wall o' water' walls or hot caps. You only need to buy them once. If the temps get low only at night, cardboard boxes and buckets work great.

If I were planting them here at my house, I can totally cover them. I have a big frost cloth tent on a roller that I deploy for the cold nights here. I have lots of tropical divas that I protect through our winters here.

But these transplants are for the local school garden, so I'm only there once a week. The teacher can cover for a night during the week, but the coldest nights will be Friday and Saturday, unfortunately. Highs only in the 60's through the weekend and the school is not open to anyone over the weekends.

It's nice weather for gardening, but too cold for these babies.