Potting up theory - why in stages? How does a large pot stress a plant?

[Russel Sprout]

Ha ha!

"Water(y) butts" made my eyes bleed!

[DWSmith]

This was over 50 years ago but my dad sort of specialized in tomatoes. Typically raised 10 dozen or more tomato plants in the backyard garden. Regularly had beefsteak tomatoes well over 2 pounds that when sliced were much larger than the slice of bread used for sandwiches. Other types of tomatoes were also a beauty to behold.

Used lots of rabbit manure from underneath the hutches straight onto the soil (no need for rotting). Also used a lot of leaves from the forest floor.

Anyway, he'd start tomato seeds in egg cartons on the window sill and from there go directly into the garden soil. No problems there.

I have a picture somewhere of him using a step ladder to pick tomatoes. He did it as a joke but the plants were often well over 6' tall.

I've always thought that the fewer re-plantings meant fewer periods of shock. Also, I'm guessing the amplitude of moisture fluctuations are, on average, much smaller in a cared for garden than in a small pot.

But of course whatever works for you.