Mixed up tomato seedlings

[IndigoElectron]

Sorry to re-post this but I think it may have got lost at the end of my other thread.

I have made the most basic of errors - I didn't label my tomato seedlings properly and think I have mixed them up They are in 7 cm pots at the moment and still only have their seed leaves, and they all look the same.

It wouldn't matter so much if it wasn't for the fact that one is a cordon variety (Orkado F1) and the other is a tumbler (Gartenperle), destined for a hanging basket. Obviously I can't have a cordon tomato in a hanging basket

As they grow, will there be any way to tell them apart before they are ready to plant in their final positions? Or should I just start again?

[Nannysally99]

Oh bad luck, someone will be along soon who knows what they're on about


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[WendyC]

I think you will find the tumbler will naturally start to trail whereas the cordon variety will grow tall. Don't pinch out any side shoots until you are confident which is which, as I believe the tumbler is a bush type and not need pinching out. Just grow them on for now and hopefully all will become clear in time.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks both. Wendy, I was hoping they would grow as you describe but wasn't sure if it would be too late by then. I'm glad I don't have to start again

[Alison]

Unfortunately you won't know for a while as the tumbler ones don't to start with until they get to a reasonable height and then sort of topple over. I'd grow them on and hope but also sow more as it's still plenty early enough for toms, I won't sow mine for a couple of weeks yet.


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[Chippy Minton]

Had a similar problem a few years back when the blow away greenhouse had a Wizard of Oz moment. I had labelled all mine and the labels were in a beautiful pile in the middle of a jumble of tomatoes. Never really did find a good way to tell them apart, in the end I plant them all in really large pots to hope the cordons grew and the tumblers flopped...

[mothhawk]

You don't need to re-sow both. Just the tumbler, to put in the hanging basket. The mixed up ones can all be grown as if they were cordons to start with, and then later maybe you'll spot a difference between them, but you'll get some toms off the mis-labelled tumbler anyway.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks Mothhawk. I did decide to start again.,they got very leggy due to lack of sunlight and I didn't prick them out soon enough. I thought with all the mistakes I'd made it might be better to start again.