SP>>  to transplant early tomatoes into progressively larger containers if
 CG>> Why can't one just set the seedlings in a large tub and make
BL>>Due to the force of gravity, water naturally goes to the
BL>> bottom of the pot, and young plants do not have root
BL>>systems that long yet...
 CG> ... Frequent watering should help. It seems to me (no expert) that
 CG> this might be a case for shallow-waterings as the plants develop.
Actually, it is a case for using the right size pot for the plant
being grown.  Without going into a whole *chapter* of indoor
gardening, it is never in the plant's best interest to put more
(wet) soil at it's feet than it can comfortably live in.  In fact, few
plants want  too much *room* at their feet.  I mean, when you
were a kid you didn't buy size 12 shoes ecause you expected
to reach that size, did you, Chris?    (or worse yet, your pants,
sized ... ummm ...sorry,  just kidding...     :)
Too much soil at a plant's feet encourages inadequate(under-)
watering, too *much* watering, uneven watering, sour soil,
root-rot,  formation of nasty gases in the wet soil,  and often,
dead plants... (I won't go on, as I am getting depressed ... just
kidding...    :)    The only time I can think of, that I would plant
into a too-big container is when the plant is going into it's best
season and going to be doing it's optimum growth of the year.
Seedlings are another matter, as they normally don't stay in a
container for very long, but are transplanted...  (blah, blah,
blah...   :)
cheers,
WL Sakowski
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