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I'm starting my pumpkin indoors, and plan to transplant it outside once it's a bit warmer. What size pot would be ideal for this. I was thinking 5-10 gallons.

5/2/2023 5:42:31 PM

Elk County, PA

How long you plan on holding it?

One thing to understand is the larger the pot the harder it is to get them out undisturbed and requires some innovation.

5/2/2023 6:53:31 PM

Roseville CA

Cut the pot in half and use pieces of duct tape close it. When transplanting remove the duct tape. Pot pops right out.

5/2/2023 8:01:09 PM

Lodi, California

1 gallon is pretty versatile, some people start in cups, but you'll want to get it in the ground before the first true leaf even really starts to develop. Others start in larger pots, but as Bravo said those are unwieldy. Best to get your roots growing in the soil as soon as possible, in my opinion. If it's not possible, you might have to go with a bigger pot

5/2/2023 8:50:35 PM

New Castle, Indiana

If I had a redo on my starts this year I would probably use half gallon cow pots. Way easier to transplant since you COULD just put the pot in the ground. I probably would still shed the pot because I don't know how quickly they break down, and I want the roots to spread right away.

Others will do what Sankalp said, but I like the cow pot thing myself.

5/2/2023 10:16:34 PM

Lodi, California

Steve Peeling peat pots does more damage than just turning a plastic pot upside down and slipping it out, in my opinion. In my experience, peat pots do not break down easily in the soil, and provide a substantial barrier to root growth

5/2/2023 10:55:06 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I've done 5 gallon before and broke lots of roots transplanting. I like what others above have said.

1 gallon then into the dirt has always worked best for me.

5/2/2023 11:08:16 PM

Colorado

Id recommend some 3 gallon plastic grow bags(white outside and black inside). Use promix for your potting mix.premoisten the promix and pack it tightly(compress it) into the the grow bags.You get a 5 leaf stage seedling in 20ish days.You can feel when you have some big roots on the outside of the root ball. Let the root ball get dry when you transplant.Cut the bag down the sides and plant.

5/2/2023 11:16:03 PM

Lodi, California

Grow bags are an interesting method, I got some when I saw them being used by Pete Caspers. I didn't use them this year, but it's something I'd like to try

5/2/2023 11:38:50 PM

Grittyville, WA

1 gallon nominal size is useful to get plants to their first true leaf, I wouldnt go any smaller than that, bigger sizes require a bit of cleverness maybe a 5 gallon peat pot, and tear the sides off, once its set in the planting hole?? I did aomething akin to this with paper grocery sacks and it worked more or less.

5/3/2023 12:26:14 AM

Grittyville, WA

*something

5/3/2023 12:26:47 AM

Elk County, PA

It's been 1 gallon every year except this year, I went nuts and tried a 1.5 gallon. Same experience all around and might have gained me a day or two. Wouldn't risk any bigger personally.

5/3/2023 7:35:39 AM

Ohio.. The Good Part

Cut and taped 5 gallon buckets. The plant barely knows it was transplanted

5/3/2023 7:21:58 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

I went from a 16 ounce Solo cup to 3 gallon grow pots this year for the first time. I used scissors to gently cut the sides. Transplanting was easy and I didn’t lose any roots. Super happy with this and will do it again next year.

5/4/2023 10:04:10 AM

Whidbey Island

How to transplant from pots with minimal to no damage: Take the plastic pot (you choose the size, I use 1 -2 gallons) and cut off the base. Flip it upside down. Take plastic kitchen wrap in two or three layers and cover the larger side with the plastic and duct tape into position. The pot is now wider at the base than at the top. Fill with potting soil, plant your seed. Once the new plant is big enough, carry to the patch (holding the bottom with your hand to prevent soil and plant from falling through.) Place the entire pot into the hole. With a knife, gently slit the plastic around the base for about 90 percent of the circumference. Gently pull the pot up and it will pull the plastic with it leaving the undisturbed plant/soil in the hole. Easy. No tearing at the roots, no flipping the plant upside down, no running the risk of vine damage. I've been doing this for years and haven't had any root, root ball or vine damage in that entire time.

5/4/2023 9:57:52 PM

Kutztown, PA

I used gal. pots last year. Split one down each site, inserted into the other. Then pulled the insert out with the plant in it when it was time to put them outside. It was a little sloppy getting it all out intact. This year I went with pots half that size and planted outside sooner.

5/5/2023 1:59:17 PM