I would let it sit in that container for another week or two.
OptimalExperience176
How old are they ?
speppers69
You can wait a bit more if you’re not ready. As long as no roots are coming out the bottom and you’re not seeing any signs of them being root bound you should be just fine for a couple more weeks. But any signs of being root bound, transplant them ASAP.
karstopography
I think they transplanted a little easier, the soil around the roots stays together better, when there’s a bit of or the very beginning of a root ball going on. Obviously, that idea can be taken way too far, but it’s nice when the roots have sufficient coverage and volume to hold the soil together for the transplant. There’s a sweet spot for transplanting I do believe and I would say yours have a week or two of good growth before they get there. Not to say you couldn’t transplant now and they’ll likely do great.
I’d be watching the long term forecasts and plan accordingly. I like to transplant later in the afternoon approaching evening if its extra sunny and warm or try to do the transplant on a somewhat cooler, more cloudy day. I don’t like to time the transplant for the morning of the hottest and sunniest day of the year or the windiest day of the year or right before an unusually cool snap or if it’s going to rain or has just rained 3 inches. There’s always a bit of transplant shock in the best of conditions and with the gentlest of handling so I don’t wish to add to the shock by picking a day that adds additional weather related stress.
I started all my tomato seeds 01/05/2026. I transplanted six tomato plants on 2/16/2026 that were more or less equivalent to yours and less advanced than I might have wanted them to be. I had my reasons for getting these in earlier than normal and they are doing fine. I have six more plants to transplant and those will likely be transplanted this upcoming Saturday or Sunday. Those plants are definitely in what I consider the sweet spot for transplanting. If I wait another week or ten days , they will be getting root bound.
Currently, the ones I haven’t yet transplanted are 9”+/- tall and with nice and thick stems from being exposed to a lot of moving air and relatively cool temperatures. By Saturday or Sunday, they’ll be close to 10” or right at 10”. That’s my target height.
5 Comments
Zone? Last frost date?
I would let it sit in that container for another week or two.
How old are they ?
You can wait a bit more if you’re not ready. As long as no roots are coming out the bottom and you’re not seeing any signs of them being root bound you should be just fine for a couple more weeks. But any signs of being root bound, transplant them ASAP.
I think they transplanted a little easier, the soil around the roots stays together better, when there’s a bit of or the very beginning of a root ball going on. Obviously, that idea can be taken way too far, but it’s nice when the roots have sufficient coverage and volume to hold the soil together for the transplant. There’s a sweet spot for transplanting I do believe and I would say yours have a week or two of good growth before they get there. Not to say you couldn’t transplant now and they’ll likely do great.
I’d be watching the long term forecasts and plan accordingly. I like to transplant later in the afternoon approaching evening if its extra sunny and warm or try to do the transplant on a somewhat cooler, more cloudy day. I don’t like to time the transplant for the morning of the hottest and sunniest day of the year or the windiest day of the year or right before an unusually cool snap or if it’s going to rain or has just rained 3 inches. There’s always a bit of transplant shock in the best of conditions and with the gentlest of handling so I don’t wish to add to the shock by picking a day that adds additional weather related stress.
I started all my tomato seeds 01/05/2026. I transplanted six tomato plants on 2/16/2026 that were more or less equivalent to yours and less advanced than I might have wanted them to be. I had my reasons for getting these in earlier than normal and they are doing fine. I have six more plants to transplant and those will likely be transplanted this upcoming Saturday or Sunday. Those plants are definitely in what I consider the sweet spot for transplanting. If I wait another week or ten days , they will be getting root bound.
Currently, the ones I haven’t yet transplanted are 9”+/- tall and with nice and thick stems from being exposed to a lot of moving air and relatively cool temperatures. By Saturday or Sunday, they’ll be close to 10” or right at 10”. That’s my target height.