Confusion re potting on?!

[NattieG]

Hello again!

Been reading various threads and just as i thought I'd got my head around potting all my veggies on, I read a thread that puts a spanner in the works for me! Regarding tomatoes - mine are quite far behind and still in 3" pots (!!!), but I presumed, as they look a little root bound and are getting bigger quickly, that they were ready for their next size. But then I read a thread saying that to help them produce flowers, keeping them in a small pot is beneficial. Baring in mind they are still in teeny tiny three-inchers, should I re-pot, or not ?!

Which brings me on to another question about pots (cor blimey - I feel like that's all I'm ever asking about on here! I'm going potty). Our corgettes and cucs are currently in 5 and 6" pots and really ready to move on too - would you recommend another pot size before their final homes in their respective 12-14" and 10" pots? As it's our first year at all this - purchasing all these pots is costing a fortune. Would it be risky to just skip them straight on to their last pots, in the name of saving some money?!

[Cutecumber]

I pot my tomatoes up twice, from cells to 3" and then from 3" to 5" or 6", depending on what I've got to hand. Because I start them in March (and you can happily do them earlier) they are indoors a long time before I plant them outside - there's no way I can keep them fed and watered for that long in 3 inch pots. The large beef tomatoes were three foot tall when they went out this year.

Now, you're a bit later, so you could put them outside now without fear of frost - you don't have that problem to worry about. If you can't be bothered to pot them up again, I think I'd just get them in their final place. So, perhaps you should re-pot again, ideally, but I don't think I'd worry - especially if you don't already have some medium size pots and it is getting on in the growing season.

[Cutecumber]

Sorry, you asked about cucumbers and courgettes.

Get them straight into their final pots. They are greedy and the more space and food you can give them, the better. I do pot mine up if there is no immediate space. They don't much like to be restricted, though.

[queen of the cobs]

Definitely put them in their last pots - they'll grow really quickly now, so will soon fill them up.

[NattieG]

thanks very much for the expert advice! So we're good to go to the final pots with the corgettes and cucs, great! xxx

What about those poor little toms in their 3" pots? Pot on to medium pots to give them room, or keep them contained to make them flower? Or go hell for leather and stick 'em in their final pots?!!! xxx

[Cutecumber]

perhaps you should re-pot again, ideally, but I don't think I'd worry - especially if you don't already have some medium size pots and it is getting on in the growing season.

Just get 'em in!

[NattieG]

Cheers Cute, missed that the first time!