Up-Planting Young Peppers

O

obchili

Hi there again.  As a first year grower, I am learning something every day.  The most important was the lying I had done to myself.  This was in saying to myself I will grow 5-10 peppers this year.  Well, now I am at around 80.  And this is where the problems begin.  I started my first 10-15 in Solo cups, but they are the first planted in early January.  My second seed start was done in small trays and the plants have now sprouted and are approximately 1" tall.  I was just shopping and bought 9 oz cups for an upgrade from the tray.  Is that ok to do, or do I need the larger 15 oz cups?  I went this route as it will allow me to put all of my plants in my greenhouse indoors.  If it makes a difference, I plan on planting these plants at the end of May, and introducing them to the great outdoors in approximately 1 month from now (around Easter). 
 
So, I would just like to know if this would be an alright practice? 
 
And one final question.  Is there a good way, or right or wrong way to get these sprouts out of the trays, and when would be a good time (or at what height of plant) to do so?  Thank you.
 
You could replant them at an inch tall. Would I? No. The reason for this is that the plants are very fragile at this stage, and the slightest mistake would cause them to break. They wouldn't be shocked too badly or anything, but unless you're really careful I wouldn't attempt it. Don't touch the plants themselves, or move them by anything other than the roots and leaves.
 
Here is a picture of said peppers.  Thank you.
And for those of you that may be able to pick this out from the picture alone, the plants along the 6 o'clock line in the bottom left tray are not peppers, but rather pumpkin on a stick.
photo2.jpg
 
Wait to transplant until the plants have 3-4 sets of true leaves.  Transplant into larger 18 oz. Solo cups unless you want the roots crowded since you won't plant out until the end of May.
 
Use a flatter spoon to remove the seedlings.  Like cruzzfish said, try not to touch the plants while transplanting.
 
Harden off the seedlings slowly - start with an hour the first day and add an hour each successive day.
 
Keep the plants in the shade for the first week while starting to harden them off.
 
catherinew said:
Wait to transplant until the plants have 3-4 sets of true leaves.  Transplant into larger 18 oz. Solo cups unless you want the roots crowded since you won't plant out until the end of May.
 
Use a flatter spoon to remove the seedlings.  Like cruzzfish said, try not to touch the plants while transplanting.
 
Click to expand...
I used the kind of tweezers that the Swiss Army knife comes with to dig them out carefully. Why is my name in bold? 
 
Transplant as late and as few times as your lit grow area will allow.  In other words use the largest containers you have space for.
 
I know some people swear by using small trays, but personally I find them nothing but an unnecessary extra step.  My plants go from solo cup sized containers to their final home in pots or the ground outside.  If I wanted to transplant I could start a small # of weeks earlier indoors, but it seems a bit like a waste to me because my ultimate limitation each year is not how big each plant gets but rather available sunlight... you can always grow a few more plants if you have the space with good light to do so, and yet it's still a hobby you can any way you like that works out for you.  It would be pretty boring if all we had was one method that everyone memorized.
 
Thank you.  It is a little late this year to use all Solo cups as room is limited by me planting things in variety of containers (Solo cups, food containers, flower pots of various size and shapes) to start which leaves me with only two shelves to use left.  So, it looks like I will just use the 9 oz. cups this year.  I will most definitely pre-plan this indoor growing thing for next year.  I just never expected it to become as involved as it has.  I do really enjoy it, as it is a new challenge.
 
You're gonna need some huge pots later in the year. I'd say 7-10 gallon. I have a 20 gallon one, but the pepper is sharing a pot with a sensitivity plant as well.
 
Hey there cruzzfish.  I think that is awesome of what you said your peppers are sharing a pot with.  Similar, BUT my peppers are sharing a greenhouse with my sensitivity plant!  Great minds think alike?
Anyways, thank you for the mention of the huge pots, but my peppers will be getting a new in ground / above ground home as soon as this whits s%#t disappears, if it ever disappears!  Thanks again.
 
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