Tomato flopping over

[Marb67]

Well, after a few weeks nurturing, new Compost, new pot my Alicante has just flopped over. Of course it can't be damping off (tomatoes don't suffer this) as everything is brand new and all the other Tom's in same pots and same soil are fine so why is it suddenly flopping over?

[rary]

It could simply be too heavy,, repot it sinking the plant up to the first true leaves, this will let the plant make more roots which will help hold it upright, you can remove the seed leaves or simply bury them

[Snoop Puss]

My first guess is it needs to be planted much deeper. Looks to be a thinnish point in the stem where it has flopped over. Take it out of the pot, replant deeper (almost to the seed leaves) and don't have the compost so high in the pot that you have to crush it down hard to get it all in, thereby possibly damaging the roots.

I'd also mix some ordinary soil in with that compost to help the plant establish stable roots. The slightest bang or sideways tip and it'll not be able to retain purchase in the compost.

The purple colour of the leaves suggests the plant might have got cold too. But I doubt that would make it flop like that.

Good luck.

[Nicos]

^^^^^ what they suggest!
It will be a much stronger plant in the long run if planted deeper- as will your others.

[Marb67]

Ok, thanks. The reason I put them in these pots is because I watched someone on TV or somewhere saying if you pot them on in too larger pots they don't spread their roots and stay stunted. Having said that I can't see any roots underneath these pots.

[Snoop Puss]

I've heard that too, Marb. But to be honest, I have no idea how to square that idea with planting them out into the ground, the biggest pot there is. It's important to ensure they don't become pot bound, but other than that, I try not to make more work for myself than I have to.

[Marb67]

Well no point in potting this on now 😔

[Jungle Jane]

Try letting it root into a bottle of water,then it’ll grow new roots

[Marb67]

Really? I'll give it a go. Will pot all the others on deeper but only have peat moss compost.

I get that planting out in the garden is bigger than any large pot but by then the roots are well established.

[Andraste]

You might have a point on the cold Snoop Puss.

I took a spare Cayenne Chilli to a plot neighbour yesterday. It had been sitting cosily on the windowsill at home & looking awesome. I popped it in a sandwich bag for ease of carrying but took it out when we got to the allotments (I wanted the bag for some PSB) & delivered to grateful neighbour. Anyway, as we were talking (we were yakking away for about 30 mins while OH did the grafting), I watched the plant gradually flopping over before my very eyes!

It was pretty nice weather here yesterday too. He assured me it would perk up when he got it back into the temp it was used to & as he left no more than an hour or so later hopefully it will recover.

[hamesy]

Pop it into some water, it may grow new roots