Using a paper potter means we can transplant our seedlings without first turning them out of their starter homes

The Black Russian tomatoes have been doing so well that we’ve moved them out of the dining room and into the greenhouse. It’s no longer so cold as it was when we planted them, and now that they’ve germinated they can probably stand a slightly lower temperature, anyway.

And with the heater, of course, the greenhouse shouldn’t drop to anything less than they can stand this side of summer.

So we took that as our cue to pot them on, along with the Moneymaker and Golden Sunrise tomatoes that we’ve been growing in the unheated propagator in their little paper pots

We’ve been using the paper potter for a couple of years now to make seedling pots from strips of old newspaper and it’s proved not only a money saver, but a massive time saver, too. Each one holds just enough compost to get the seeds started without using more than we need on the ones that don’t take. And now, when it comes time to pot them on, we can simply transfer the successful seedlings, paper pot and all, into a new 9cm pot filled with compost, and turn out the ones that didn’t work.

Over time the paper pots will biodegrade in the new larger pots and the tomatoes’ roots will push through, and continue pushing though as we transplant them once again in to the full-sized pots that will be the strongest specimens’ homes for the summer. It’s amazing the difference potting on can make. Suddenly our little charges look like they’re half way to becoming fully-grown crop-bearing plants and summer feels one step closer.

Related posts:

1. Transplanting the tomatoes
2. Paper Potter
3. We’ve started planting this year’s seeds