I buy square pots from Chula Orchids. They have a light 3.5 inch pot for 10 cents in 500 quantities. I buy the heavier ones because I reuse them.

I like the 2.25 square x 3 1/4 deep rose pots.

Zeuspaul

Here is a link that might be useful: Chula Orchids

Its hard to say. On one hand there are the cheap people who don't understand or don't think the benefits of the larger pots are worthwwile and will compare everyting to the inexpensive six pack in the stores. Then there are the people who want specific varieties and are willing to pay a bit extra no matter how they are potted. Thirdly there are the people who will pay much more for something in a much larger pot because they think it is much better than it really is. I doubt that the latter plant many tomatoes. Personally I would like a minimum of a 3" pot but wouldn't be overly excited about paying much more for a larger pot.

I use alot of 3" square inserts from 18 cell flats. I have to ask the local nursery manager for them. They use them for strawberries but do not have them for sale out front. The big problem with these is that you have to cut them apart. The next size down has 4 packs and would work if you didn't want to sell single plants

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/Traditional-Inserts-Hobby-Pack/productinfo/CN-IKNHP/

These are a bit more expensive but sturdier

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/TLC-Black-Form-Pots/productinfo/CN-SQV/

The whole selection is here
http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/Containers-and-Flats/departments/1027/

Re Chulas

I ordered from Harry/Chulas when they were still in San Diego and was very happy with the prices, service and supplies. I'm glad to see they are back in business.

yes

Check Novosel.com They usually have the best prices.

I probably wouldn't buy it because it usually means it would be an older, lager transplant than I prefer. But I have a few customers who INSIST that the only plants they are interested in are at least a gallon pot that already has blooms and even fruit on it.

Can't change their minds no matter what - even when they tell you later that it either died after they planted it or didn't produce much. ;)

Dave

If you are going to keep your seedling in temporary pots for a long time
then perhaps it make sense to select the ones with bigger volume.
As a home gardener we do noy keep our sedlimgs in the pots too long.
Unless some start them in January and plant the following May.grin!

Victor
Try Chris or Junior at OCFS I bought 500 3.5 " for $.07 each
Dennis

No, I wouldn't pay more for a plant in a deep pot any more than I would anything above about a 3 inch pot, so I agree with spicedham on that.

Tomato plants adapt better to transplanting when they don't have a huge initial fibrous root system which is fragile and often breaks apart, which is why I and others prefer transplanting plants to the outside that are in the 5-9 inch tall range.

For many years I grew my plants to transplant size in the greenhouses of a commercial farmer friend and Charlie would start some plants for retail sale that were in gallon containers, and often were filled with buds/blossoms and sometime small fruits. I'd laugh, and he would too, but he's the one who took the money to the bank. He did it b'c some of the nurseries he wholesaled to asked him to do it. And when he was asked to do 6-paks with corn, beets, spinach and what not I laughed even harder. But look, many folks just starting out with gardening are unsure of themselves and don't want to direct seed themselves, and I understand that, and in time they come around as well. ( smile)

Carolyn

I need some clarification of what you mean by a 3 inch pot. Inflation has hit nursery pots, like a five gallon pot is really 3.75 gallons, and a 4.5 inch square pot is really 4 inches at its widest part, and a 4 inch square pot is really 3.25 inches wide, so how wide is the "3 inch" pot you are all talking about preferring.
Also, maybe I should have rephrased my question. Are you saying if two people were selling the same variety of tomato, and one was in a 3 inch pot and the other in a deep 4.5 inch pot and they were the same price you would take the plant in the small pot?
We live in a world where big is perceived to be better, maybe that's why Home Depot and Lowes are now concentrating on Bonnie plants in 5 inch round peat pots which probably contain as much soil as a four inch square pot, especially considering they don't fill them up to the top like I do.
BTW, I found a place just 12 miles from my home that sells the McConkey TSD4 4 inch deep pot, which is the same exact one the Fullerton Arboretum uses in its 40,000 plant monster tomato and pepper sale, for 4.6 cents each in case quantities of 1375 pots, which is a about one fourth the price per pot of the online sellers recommended in this thread.

Yes, I'm saying that I would definitely take the smaller plant in a smaller pot over a larger plant in a larger pot, regardless if it's a deep one or not.

My knowledge of pot sizes is not as good as yours and many more in theis thread b'c I never sold plants commercially, oops, yes, I did for two seasons, so what I know as a three inch pot is from the ones my farmer friend used and they were 3 X 3 X 3 inches when I knew those pots. LOL

Almost all the commercial sales that I know of re heirlooms, I mean locally grown, are in plastic 6-paks, 2 inch cells, and one can do a mixed pack or whatever, BUT always labelling the individual plants as to variety.

It's true that many think that bigger is better, but I and almost all of my many tomato friends whom I've known for many years, as well as my several commercial friends are not ones who believe that b'c we know that to take a large plant from a large container to transplant it that the fibrous root system is fragile and breaks apart anyway. And it's long been known that smaller transplants adapt to outside conditions better than do larger ones.

California may be an aberration. I've been there twice and seen lots of aberrations,one of them being the state tomato variety, which is Early Girl. LOL

Carolyn

OK, I will put some of my plants in small 3.25 inch pots just in case someone shows up who only wants small plants in small pots, just so much more profit for me if they actually sell, cheaper pots, less potting soil, three weeks less time tending to the plants. But I am guessing if I charged the same for the big and small pots the first to go will be the big plants in big pots. After all no one brags about how small their plants are or how small their tomatoes are, the bragging rights go with the big plants and big tomatoes.

the bragging rights go with the big plants and big tomatoes

Depends on how well transplant-educated they are. ;) Sadly many just don't understand that bigger is not always better.

Established plants in the garden? Sure the big guy gets the gold - unless he is all nitrogen fluff and no fruit. But when buying seedling transplants, the big muscle bound guy "should" be seen as all brawn and few brains and bypassed for the cute geek with the Harvard degree in health and productivity.

Dave

No, especially if I lived in a semi-arid climate. I would use deep hole planting and allow roots to develop along the stem. If you have a long root ball, you can't do that so well.

Well, let me tell you my results of my tomato sale. I sold 75 plants so far, and all my large plants are gone except for a few cherry tomato plants. Still have dozens of plants that I started weeks later that are only three to five inches high measured from the top of the pot. Conclusion, from a marketing point of view big plants sell before small plants.
BTW, I called the Fullerton Arboretum and I guess they got a late start or the cold weather slowed them down, because from what the person I talked to said most of their plants will be two and a half to four and a half inches tall, just the kind some of you prefer.

most of their plants will be two and a half to four and a half inches tall, just the kind some of you prefer
*****

Not what I'd prefer, by a long shot. LOL

If I were to buy seedlings that had to go out in a week or so and I knew they were already hardened off, I want 6-9 inch plants, maybe up to a foot,but that's the limit.

I don't want some big monster plant and I sure as heck don't want to spend money for a 2-3 inch seedling, which it still is, and have to care for it until it reaches transplant size and then a week hardening it off, etc.

Sheesh, it's a good thing I'm not buying plants from you or the Arboretum, b'c I'm beginning to sound like your organic guy. LOL

Carolyn

Carolyn, most of my plant sales this week were plants six to 12 inches high, measured from top of pot to top of plant. Now you say that's what you would want. Did you think I was talking about 18 to 24 inch high plants? And my plants are completely hardened off, I already posted that I put them outside on my patio the day they sprout weather permitting, although I do take them back inside most nights.
But some people will buy those three inch high plants, but I wouldn't either.

I would prefer a larger plant in a larger pot, but only because with the growing conditions in my area larger seedlings grow into larger plants and produce more fruit than their younger, smaller counterparts before the end of the season...regardless of what others here might try to tell you. In cali, I would want to have seedlings that are the right size for the climate, which is presumably exactly what carolyn said, 6-9 inches and hardened, and i would want them at the ideal planting time. No such luxury up here unfortunately, unless we want to sacrifice production.

California may be an aberration. I've been there twice and seen lots of aberrations,one of them being the state tomato variety, which is Early Girl. LOL

Have you ever tasted a "dirty girl" tomato? It's a dry farmed Early Girl. They're very good.

Scott in CA

Have you ever tasted a "dirty girl" tomato? It's a dry farmed Early Girl. They're very good

*****

Scott, the first time I even knew that some folks dry farmed tomatoes in CA was when I was a guest of Hortus Nursery in Pasadena several years ago and one of the local experts gave a talk on dry farming of tomatoes.

But I haven't been in CA when fruits are ripe. On that same visit I was able to have dinner with about 8 folks I knew from posting in the tomato forum at AOL at the time and the talk was all about tomatoes. But these were folks who grew only OP varieties.

I have tasted Early Girl not dry farmed but I have to tell you that here in the East Early Girl just doesn't have a good reputation.( smile)

Withholding water from tomatoes, melons and the like ceretainly does help raise the sugar level, no doubt about it. And those of you who live in areas where rainfall is sparse can do it but in most other parts of the country water from the sky just "happens". LOL

Carolyn

Just look for 1801 DEEP "Sheet Pots." They are similar to inserts but stronger & ribbed, and are pre-scored and snap or tear apart. Eighteen fit a tray. The deep version is around 3.5" deep.

Well, based upon responses I got I decided not to go with an extra deep pot and instead will use the McConkey JMCTS4 which is a square pot 4 inches wide at the top and 3.5 inches deep. I chose the white color even though its costs slightly more for two reasons, you can write the name of the variety right on the pot with a sharpie and it really stands out, plus the white color will keep the plant roots from overheating when left out in the sun on a hot day. I found out the factory was just 10.1 miles from my house, and I was able to buy a case of 880 pots wholesale for only $51.18, which come to only 5.82 cents each, or about 6.4 cents each including sales tax. Most online sellers don't even offer white color, and charge about $100 for 500 pots which comes to about 20 cents each, plus you still have to pay for shipping. At the factory they also sell over-runs of special orders, they had some hot pink and fluorescent lime green pots for a dime each I was tempted to buy to see if they attracted customers.
BTW, from a purely sales viewpoint, big plants sell first. Whenever I give my customers their choice of any plant of a particular variety they want they always go for the biggest plant, even if they have to move other plants out of the way to get to it.