Answer:
The general rule of thumb is that when a seedling has three to four true leaves, it's large enough to plant out in the garden (after it has been hardened off). When you plant a seed, the first leaves to emerge are the cotyledons. These leaves will look different from leaves that will grow later.
15-18 leaves
In greenhouse production (at least in Ontario, Canada) it is common to allow each plant to hold 15-18 leaves which supports 5-6 fruit clusters. This gives a 3:1 ratio of leaves to fruit cluster. A single plant can be grown for 9 months and can reach 50 ft in length.
Explanation:
Hope it helps
