Transplanting

Well the leek and herb souffle was fantastic. There really is nothing like eating fresh food out of the garden, even if what you're eating has just weathered a cold and damp winter! The last few days I've been laboring over the transplanting of tomatoes from the small germinating trays we've had under lights and into larger containers. Transplanting to larger containers (as opposed to directly into the garden) mostly applies to heat-loving species (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers), which will usually outgrow the container you sprouted them in, but are still too fragile to be planted outside. In the Pacific Northwest this means they should not be planted outside until May or possibly later in the case of eggplants or peppers.

You'll want to transplant after the seedling has developed at least 2 sets of 'true' leaves. These are the leaves that are produced after the first leaves, known as cotyledon leaves.

Now here's an opportunity to put 'sustainability' and 'green' ideas into use. Instead of going to the store and buying pots (which are more than likely made in China anyway), start to collect empty plastic containers that would otherwise be recycled or thrown away. Recycling is better than sending waste to the landfill, but it still requires energy (mostly fossil fuels) in order to reprocess it into a new product. Reusing bottles reduces even further the amount of wasted energy.

I use empty Gatorade bottles (32 oz size, about the equivalent of a 4" pot), Vitamin Water bottles (20 oz size), 2 liter soda bottles, and whatever else I can get my hands on (yogurt containers, other various juice bottles, etc.) Special thanks go to my roommates for their particular beverage addictions. The lids of some yogurt containers can also be used as trays to place under the salvaged containers to collect drained water.

Raw materials

First rinse the bottles out. Then cut the top of the bottle off using a sharp knife. Be careful, as this is the most dangerous step of the process. Poke the knife through, taking care the blade doesn't slip, and cut in a straight line. Or you can use scissors if you're not comfortable using a knife.


If you have one handy, use an electric drill with an 1/8" drill bit to drill a series of holes in the bottom of the container. This will allow excess water to drain, which will prevent the soil from remaining too damp and possibly causing the roots to rot. If you don't have a drill, you can carefully use the sharp tip of a knife to bore out the holes, or else try pounding holes using a nail and hammer.

Once the holes are drilled/cut the 'pot' is ready to fill with soil (I use a mix of compost and perlite, of a ratio of about half and half). Now you're ready to transplant!

The finished product

When transplanting it is of utmost importance to disturb the roots as little as possible. Try loosening the soil in the container by gently squeezing the outside. Turn the container upside down, with a finger on either side of the plant's stem, and squeeze the container to persuade the plant to slide out. Have patience with this step, it could be the difference between the plant not even realizing it's been moved and shocking it and causing it to halt growth for several days until it can recover.


Have the larger container you'll be transplanting the seedling into filled with your soil mix and make a depression in the soil where you will insert the plant. Gently place the roots into the depression, taking care to keep the root tips pointed down to the bottom of the depression. The root tips are the most delicate part of the root system, as they are the actively growing portion that is readily seeking out space and nutrients. Pat down the soil around the stem, then water the plant with luke-warm water. Place the plant back under lights or in a sunny windowsill.

The windowsill in my room. This window works well because it is a southern exposure (gets most light during the day) and is on the second floor (is not shadowed by the condos next door). If you're growing more than one variety of tomato, as we are, be sure to label the containers to help keep track of what's what.