Carry on or Compost?

[Florence Fennel]

Me again about the blasted tomatoes. The leaves have unfurled (you remember friends they had curled up) as with your good advice I maintained the temperature and watering (from the bottom) of my Gardener's Delight and sunk them into larger (5") pots. They are now about 12" tall and the stems are painfully thin. Will they recover if I sink them again, or am I better off composting them and buying plants - again! I am slightly mollified because my Garden Pearls are just that, really healthy and coming on a treat.

[shirlthegirl43]

If I remember rightly they thicken up a bit as they grow. Just bung em a bit deeper if you can.

[teakdesk]

my Gardener's Delight... are now about 12" tall and the stems are painfully thin.

I am slightly mollified because my Garden Pearls are just that, really healthy and coming on a treat.

Gardeners Delight are a cordon type of tomato. They grow taller and start with thinner vines. Pinch out the side shoots.

Garden Pearls are a bush tomato and do not grow as high - they have a thicker stem when small. Leave the side shoots - the fruit will be on them.

They both sound to be fine plants !!

[Florence Fennel]

Thanks both, I'll persevere potting them on and see what happens. I really don't know what I'd do without this support - well I do, they'd have been in the compost bin long ago!

[SarzWix]

I've got some called Tamina that are a bit spindly too. I just keep putting them deeper into the next pot, they'll be fine in the end

Are you growing them indoors? They'll be able to go out soon, another couple of weeks or so. If you have a very sheltered area outside (not windy), they might benefit from being put outside in the day, they'll get a bit more light. Are you out at work in the day? If yes, then maybe start at the weekend (if the weather's nice) so you can keep an eye on them and bring them back in if they look like they're getting battered...

[Florence Fennel]

Thanks Sarz, they are inside upstairs. I'm at work, but I get home about 3.30 each day, so if it's fine and dry I'll start putting them out for an hour and longer at weekends. I'm going to pot on again as well, but I might sacrifice a few, because I have got far, far too many. I'm dependent on the encouragement from everybody, because I have never yet succeeded with tomatoes from seed. I have learned a few lessons already this season that I could have done with last year. If only I had found this site sooner, hindsight is a wonderful thing.