Transplanting Tomato and Pepper Starts

My tomato and pepper plants are getting too long and leggy for the starter cells so I decided to transplant them into a solo cup. You could use any type of container but I find that these cups are the perfect size for these transplants. From the cup I will transplant into my raised bed garden in the beginning of May.

I punched some holes in the bottom for drainage and added my soil mix of 1 part compost, 1 part peat moss, 1 part vermiculite.

When transplanting tomatoes, I am burying them deeper into the cup and filling the soil up to the  leaves. As they grow I will add more soil mix. This will make the root system stronger. The pepper plants will be transplanted the same way.

Don't forget to mark your cups with name of the plant. Very frustrating to try and remember what type of tomato or pepper you transplanted. Also, I am setting the cups on a tray to catch the excess water and making it easier to move into the sun. Starting tomorrow I will be placing the tray into the direct sun for an hour or two and gradually building up to a full day of sun.

I will still be placing the trays on the rope lights at night for warmth. So far so good....time will tell whether or not the transplants were successful.

Starting seeds is a great way to grow a variety of plants that you may not be able to get at a nursery.
Happy Gardening!