Tomato Seedlings - Transplanting advice

[Dynamite]

Hi, I have pasted a photo below of my Sungold Tomato seedlings. I want to transplant them and need to know how deep they should be. As you can see, the stalks are quite long. How much stalk should I leave showing above soil when I do? I think they are ready now as they all have their true leaves.

Kind Regards..........Rob

[Bigmallly]

They are stretching for light Rob, ideally they could do with transplanting up to their seed leaves then placed under lights. It's too early for them to be going into a greenhouse.

[Scoot]

Get them onto a bright windowsill and plant up to their seed leaves.

[johnjohn]

Hi Rob, As the others have said right up to the leaves. When pricking out try to avoid touching the stem, tease the roots out with a pencil or something and lift gently from the leaves, pop it into it's new pot right up to it's seed leaves and that whole stem will develop lateral roots.

[Bren In Pots]

Rob if you don't have lights to put them under use a sunny window sill then stand foil/white card behind to reflect some light, that should help prevent them from going too leggy in future.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Unless you have lights then Sungold will go leggy again.

Carefully pot them up to the seed leaves, it won't matter if the stem is bent or not as long as it isn't broken, use something like a 3" pot so when you pot on again into say a 5" pot you will be able to plant them deep again.

Next season unless you have good lights sit on your hands a while and think about setting seed in mid March.

[4390evans]

these lights are canny
30W BC B22 Daylight Hydroponics Energy Saving CFL Plant Grow Lights Spiral Bulb | eBay

[Jonnyt]

Another option given they are F1, is so what if they are leggy, grow them on then use for cuttings to make 4 or 5 plants from the single seed.

My tomato's will be in the Greenhouse unheated the first week of April but I do live on the South Coast. Some people will have runners planted out by Mid April as well by the coast where it's a little warmer than a mile inland.

[fishpond]

I disagree with planting up to the seed leaves, plant up to the true leaves, then all that stem becomes a root.
Ideally, you need to keep them in a cheap heated propagator in the greenhouse, so they get warmth at night and light/warmth during the day.
Make sure you hold the seed leaves for transplanting and not the stem or true leaves.

It may be worth sowing some more, as these may not survive without some tlc.
Was a little early even for the south coast (March would have been better, as light levels are better/longer).

[Jungle Jane]

I disagree with planting up to the seed leaves, plant up to the true leaves,

The true leaves have only just sprouted getting energy from the seed leaves,I wouldn't bury the seed leaves with a seedling that small.

[MarkPelican]

As everybody has said, plant them into 7cm pots up to the seed leaves. If you don't have a heated greenhouse or any other form of heat outside, you can take them in and out in the morning and evening so that they get most light. Just try to ensure that the temperature in the greenhouse is 10C or more.

(I haven't sown my tomatoes yet - I think its too cold).