Tomato separation anxiety...

Weedless_ on Wed Jun 02, 2010 7:55 am

Ok, so I am new to the gardening, sort of. My very first two squares were supposed to be tomatoes. I planted them at 6 am, which is way early for me, and apparently I planted both (seeds) in the same square Smile

. I was patiently waiting for the sprouts to see what's going on, and now it's fairly obvious that both tomato varieties ended up together, and the other square is empty. Doh!
So at which point can I safely divide them and plant in separate squares? Do I wait until they are stronger? How tall do they need to be? Also what's the proper technique for separating them to inflict the least damage?
Appreciate your tips.

pattipan on Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:04 am

The time is now if you want to separate them. If the roots get too established they will be too entangled to separate easily. I would use a pencil, chopstick, popsicle stick or even a spoon and lift all the little seedlings -- roots and all -- and then gently separate them. Then plant them a.s.a.p. in their own squares with the seed leaves at soil level. Water lightly and daily (more if it's really hot) until they are established and growing new leaves. Refer to Mel's new book, pages 122-127.

By the way...are you sure those are tomato seedlings? The leaves look very rounded for tomatoes. If they are tomatoes, I'm curious to know what type?

Patti

Weedless_ on Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:17 am

Yeah, I had a scary thought that those could be cucumbers mixed with tomatoes, also based on baby leaves shape. Smile

. But the cucumbers came out in a different square. I also planted two cucumbers per square, so if I did plant them on top, they wouldn't be in the center.
Whew Smile

. Thanks for your suggestion, I'll separate them tonight.

The large ones are supposed to be a Russian heirloom "Moskvich", and the little ones are "Debarao", which are small tomatoes. I got them at Johnny's Seeds website.

Weedless_ on Wed Jun 02, 2010 11:25 am

Ok, I think you were right about those not being tomatoes, and my gut feeling was correct as well.
I found a faint little sprout of tomato in the bed #2 just now.
So those round ones ARE cucumbers, which will explain why they didn't show up in #4. That makes sense that I forgot where tomatoes went and planted the cucumber on top (incorrectly, mind you, because I was supposed to plant two per square, and did 1 in the center instead). Labels came later, and that's what killed me Smile

.
Anyway, I'll be separating the cukes tonight and planting them into their own cozy apartment. What doofus!

Chopper on Wed Jun 02, 2010 11:38 am

No more planting while sleep walking!

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