Project Tomato - Transplanted!

It had been about a month since I sowed the seeds and  I finally got one seedling that is tall enough to transplant, about six inches.


The Candidates

The first to sprout is the tallest and I do not know why some of the leaves are yellowing. Maybe because it had been raining and there was too much water.

I was just wandering if I were to let the seedlings grow in a open top box, would I get taller seedlings? Maybe will try the next round.

Next is to prepare the container, more holes were punched slightly above the bottom to allow for better drainage. Thanks to a member of Garden Stew suggestion, I was able to decide quickly where I wanted the extra drain holes. Those holes at the bottom were already there so I'll have to live with it.


Drain holes

Since the tomatoes are indeterminate, I would have to prepare some kind of support for the plant as it grow taller. I have some 8 feet aluminum poles and I decided to use them.


The container

Next the media which was the most difficult thing to obtain. Difficult in the sense that I had never bought them before and I have no idea what is good and what is just not good. Wish I can just dig up some earth and just use it. Anyway a decision had to be made and I bought two different brands from two different places.


The media

From left to right, first is home made compost, Epsom salt, organic soil, pelletised chicken dung, and very old soil. The mix is about six liter of compost, six liter of organic soil, six liter of very old soil, six tablespoon of chicken dung and one tablespoon Epsom salt around the roots.


Organic soil

The organic soil smell like coconut husk, brownish in colour, had lots of clay balls, some unchopped coconut husk and some burnt things inside.


Very Old soil

The very old soil also had some clumps of coconut husk, large pieces of charcoal, looks like it is burned, very dark in colour and no distinct smell.


The potting soil

Anyway I broke as much of the clumps as I can, mix in the compost and chicken dung. Mix the mixture real well and put it in the container.


Lay down planting style.

I planted the tomato seedling the same way it was done by one of the members of Garden Stew posting "Tommie Time". 

Now to prepare the seedling.


Ready to go.

All unauthorized growth were removed and the yellowing leaves on the tomato was removed too before planting it in its new home.


in the long hole

A tablespoon of Epsom salt was spread all over the root area before covering it with earth. I did not add a tube at the root area because it is not in a green house.


Final

Finally I had to cut another leave away and prop the plant up slightly with a wire rest.


All ready

A few days later number 2 was transplanted and yesterday the final plant number 3 was transplanted. I was told that it was not necessary to prop the plant up after transplanting because they can recover by themselves. Yes by the next day, the part that was not buried in the ground was upright again. They are all in their new home and the difficult part is just starting. Number 1 and 3 are heirloom and 2 is the lone hybrid. They all look healthy.