Guide
How I’m raising my own tomato seedlings – a short tutorial
by Carolin Teufelberger
Tomato project: pricking out
19.5.2020
Translation: machine translated
I sowed two old tomato varieties a good three weeks ago. Now the young plants are ready for a larger pot. A move with pitfalls.
Moving is exhausting. That's just as true for me as it is for my tomatoes. They have now been growing valiantly in their growing containers for three weeks. As soon as they have taken root properly, they are torn from their familiar surroundings. From their tranquil spot on earth, they head out into the wide world: the tomatoes are placed in a terracotta pot with a diameter of 15 centimetres. In jargon, this transplanting is called pricking out.
The plants get more space
I know that the time has come because my young plants have started to grow their first leaves. They look different enough from the initial cotyledons that even I, as a layman, can recognise the difference. You don't need much material for pricking out: pots with a diameter of at least ten centimetres and a hole so that the water can drain away and prevent waterlogging. A pricking-out stick or a normal soup spoon and nutrient-poor, well-aerated soil.
Remove carefully
I use the back end of the spoon to make a hole in the centre for the young plant. It now needs to be removed from the growing container. I take the spoon and loosen the soil around the tomato. At the same time, I gently shake and pull the fragile plant by hand. Apparently not carefully enough: with a jerk and a sound that sounds like torn roots, the seedling comes loose. Oops! I hope it survives the move. I'm even more cautious with the rest of the plants.
I place the young tomato relatively deep in the hole in the terracotta pot, close it and press the soil down lightly. Then I water the plant. Not too much, the plant must not be overworked. That's why it stays in the shade for two days. Preferably under a roof so that it's nice and warm.
What's next?
So much for the theory, in practice I still have doubts as to whether the tender little plants will actually develop into strong plants. As an old hand in the tomato business, do you have any good tips for me? Then let me know before I kill my plants through negligent behaviour.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
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