Pot up a size, or straight into big 'uns - and a couple of other questions

Hiya FC.

I think the general consensus is to pot on in stages. It might be the case that one more potting on will be all that's needed before planting out. Regarding your Peas and Beans, the choice is yours. I've only grown Peas once, but I did rather well sowing 3 to a 4" pot, and then planting out once they'd been up after a week or so. I always sow my Runners direct as I find they tend to rot if sown under cover...my bad.

Cheers...Freddy

 

I'd pot on rather than moving to bigger pots just now.
The cool weather means a plant could sit in a large pot of wet compost for a very long time.
Smaller pots dry out faster but that is a benefit until we get some sustained warmth.

 

I think Plastic Cup to a 12" pot is a big leap. Its a bit of a judgement call though, as things like Toms grow at a cracking lick, so are more able to cope than things that grow slowly.

But even for high speed things it is never wrong to pot on in stages - except that it requires more of your time of course.

The critical issue, as Pete has said, is that if you put a tiny plant in a large pot there is a lot of water in the compost for it to drink, and it will take it a while mean time the roots will be wetter than the plant wants ... and if it can't easily cope with that then it will succumb.

I normally prick out direct to 9cm pots. This year to save space (more seedlings, everything late) I've gone to 1" modules first. I've had very few losses this year, whereas in a normal 9cm year I do expect some.

 

I always prickout into 1" cell trays (or smaller ones for Petunias then into 1") - then into 9cm square pots once roots have filled cells - saves lots of space, and I agree fewer losses. With the chillies they move from 9cm to 1.5l then to 5 and finally to 10. A lot of faffing about but works for me. Although my toms go from 9cm straight to 10 litre once roots have filled pots.

S