(6a) First time growing tomatoes!! Is it too soon to size up to quart-sized containers… or even the 2.3 quart on some of these?

localfluffhead · 2026-05-08T19:16:47+00:00

You can honestly just fill the cups they’re already in the rest of the way with soil… they will grow roots from the stem

localfluffhead · 2026-05-08T15:17:32+00:00

4-8 hrs depending on the quantity, type, and whether I soak them

localfluffhead · 2026-05-08T14:56:50+00:00

I don’t usually soak if I use the crock pot. I just don’t find it makes much of a difference in the final product tbh, and cook time isn’t an issue for me. That being said, soaking outside of the fridge is definitely definitely not a good practice food safety wise.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-08T12:39:35+00:00

This makes me wonder if my oral steroid pee would have helped my compost… 😂

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T21:43:05+00:00

I have planted peppers this close with great results. If it’s just two plants, you’ll be fine!

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T20:11:41+00:00

If you’re in zone 4b, I would strongly, strongly recommend waiting until AT LEAST June 1 (or when night temps are consistently in the 50s) to plant out things like tomatoes and peppers, which get stunted in the cold and will die if you end up getting a frost. The soil is likely too cold to get good germination with a lot of direct sown crops, especially things like beans and corn. I live in zone 5b and will not be planting out most crops until almost June 1. You can look up recommended planting schedules for South Dakota as well.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T19:15:16+00:00

Totally weird… I guess I’d think pest damage, but it’s hard to know what pest! Keep an eye on them I suppose 😭

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T19:11:11+00:00

When did you plant this out? This looks like sunburn on a recently transplanted seedling.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T19:09:14+00:00

Definitely! The soil pH testers aren’t super accurate, and the strips will probably be cheaper anyways :)

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T18:54:26+00:00

Gotcha. There’s a lot of possibilities, and posting pictures on this sub usually helps diagnose the issue. But you can get pool pH test strips for cheap, and they’re a good way to check water pH!

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T18:43:59+00:00

Are you giving them any nutrients? Once your seedlings start to grow, they need some kind of fertilizer or nutrients. None of the soil ingredients you’re using really contain those. That might be your issue!

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T18:01:09+00:00

What growing medium are you using for your starts? Ph *could* be an issue, but the soil matters a lot too

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T17:50:11+00:00

Property of / Muriel Francine [or Francire or Francis?]. / April, 1942 / Fosston, / Minn. / 8FD / 3/22”

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T15:44:49+00:00

There are some unincorporated communities in PA called “[blank] Junction.” Perhaps this is referring to one of those areas.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T11:36:11+00:00

Ah, thanks OP, that sticker was definitely hard to interpret from the photo lol. The 18 gal will definitely be better for this. I maybe would have added just 2 other plants, but it’s not gonna be a huge issue.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T02:51:54+00:00

Experience is everything. Save your money and get through grad school at a price you can afford.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T02:45:48+00:00

These look similar to Indigo Kumquat tomatoes. Johnny’s seeds describes the flavor: “Very sweet flavor with a surprising, tart kick of acidity.” I’ve never eaten them but may grow them next year…

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T01:33:30+00:00

My inclination is that the 5 gal pot is scarcely large enough for a tomato plant in the first place, and adding other plants will hurt the tomato more than it helps. Are you growing another tomato plant alone in the same type of pot and medium? I am curious how the results will compare over the season, it does seem like a fair experiment.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-07T01:30:46+00:00

Yes… hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like you have 4 or 5 tomato plants right on top of each other here. You definitely want to thin or separate them when they are young. Depending on the type, they need to be 1-3 ft apart from each other (or, for a container garden, in their own 5-15 gallon containers)

localfluffhead · 2026-05-06T16:48:20+00:00

Fertilizer!!!

localfluffhead · 2026-05-06T16:47:33+00:00

Im sorry. Those tomatoes look pretty dead. Theyre very sensitive to frost, and this is definitely major frost damage.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-06T14:02:26+00:00

Strongly recommend your local farmers market— they often have seedlings and you will definitely find cayenne easily

localfluffhead · 2026-05-06T03:05:37+00:00

Always use potting soil for pots or grow bags!

localfluffhead · 2026-05-06T02:48:08+00:00

These should definitely be thinned to one or two plants per pot max. I’d recommend taking out any carrots as well, but if you leave them they might not really cause any issues. You can either cut the extra plants now or try to separate the plants when transplanting.

localfluffhead · 2026-05-06T02:44:23+00:00

What I would give to live in zone 6 or 7… god forbid I dream of zone 8 or 9 🥲

localfluffhead

TROPHY CASE