Are my tomato seedlings leggy? (and other tomato seedling advice)

[Russel Sprout]

Good morning gardeners

I'm growing tomato from seed this year for the first time, having always bought plants before... I don't have a greenhouse, cold frame, propagator, etc. Nothing in fact other than a few south facing windowsills.

Being new to all of this I wondered if anyone would mind taking a look at my photos to see whether my plants look leggy?

Also, I have been reading up on growing from seed and looking after seedlings which has led to a few other questions...

- Is it correct that the seedlings do not like to be in too warm a position? One thing I read said that 10C - 12C was about right, but it seemed so low to me!

- If that kind of temp is best, would they be better off outdoors on sunny days like today?

- Another technique I read about for windowsill growing is put tin foil behind the plants to reflect light. Anyone doing this or similar? Would be very interested to hear what techniques people use.

- When should I be thinking about potting them up?

- And finally (gasp!), I have read that when potting up it is good practise to bury more of the stem as this will encourage more and better rooting. But what is the ideal height to bury the stems to?

There's some pics below.

Many thanks as ever

Max

[NickG]

They look perfect to me. Well done

[bramble]

Hi Max. At the size they are now they look fine. I would usually pot them intoxmall individual pots at this stage.
Yes, you can bury the stem up to the first seed leaves as roots grow from the stem and give the plant a more secure root system.
10 degs. This is the temp to NOT let them go below if possible, they wont die if the temp drops below this point but its a measure of how tolerent the plant is to the cold.
Putting tin foil or w.hite card behild the plants will reflect the light back to the plant so they wont be leaning towards the light and it will keep the plants growing straight.
I hope this is of some help to you and good luck with the growing.
Dont forget to take them out of the window at night as the glass will attract thr cold.
Dont put them out yet as the coming week is to be frosty.

[Thelma Sanders]

Once they have been potted up, and it is over 10C outside, mine go out for the day and then back inside before it gets cold in the evening. That way they get as much light as possible and stay sturdy.

[Nannysally99]

They look in rude health to me. I would be thinking of potting them up soon, as they will get legs long enough to fall over.
Good luck with them

[hamamelis]

Regarding temperature- as said above, don't let them get below 10*°C, or thereabouts, or they'll stop growing and sulk. They do actually like heat, but if they get too much heat and not enough light, that's when they get leggy and have problems. Like everything else in gardening, it's about balance.

10-12°C is too low for a max temperature, having said that. Lower than the outside temperature today!

[Russel Sprout]

Many thanks for all the helpful and encouraging replies.

@Nannysally99 - I had never heard the expression "rude health before" and so had to look it up... Wasn't sure what I would find to be honest! But was glad when I did find out what it meant

RE: temperature. Not sure why someone recommended 10-12C as the ideal temperature. I guess you get all kinds of opinions on the internet. It didn't seem right to me though and I am glad I asked.

Cheers

[Bren In Pots]

Max I second the foil advice from Bramble my Toms, Cucumber and courgettes are sat on windows sills with foil card behind them it really does help prevent them getting too leggy.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Looking good, yes they are a bit leggy but nothing to go overboard about in fact mine look like that every year.

I have just potted mine up for the first time, planted deep into 3 inch pots as below.

[Jonnyt]

I disagree with most on here. Mine go out into a unheated greenhouse in the 2nd week of April, repotted or planted in there fruiting place. If they were leggy they are not anymore and much prefer the sunlight and daylight warmth of the Greenhouse even if temps go to 2C over night (Mine have several times).

[veggiechicken]

Like Jonnyt, mine are in the GH, even the babies with just seedleaves. I put propagator lids over the babies at night, but that's it.
However, what I do isn't necessarily best for you Max. I don't garden by the book but by instinct!

[happyhumph]

Mine are all in the gh as well - I wanted my windowsills back! I do have fleece on standby in case of a frost but they're fine even with cold night time temperatures....

[Jungle Jane]

Mine go in the blowaway in the day & indoors at night. I was bringing my plants in the other day & putting them on a tray & there was a breeze,not a strong wind at all & it bent one plant to a 90 degree angle,it's ok it's just growing a bit side ways now,I'll stake them soon with little sticks. Have you got something to shelter them outside from the wind,like a wind block surround,any bricks with a plastic lid or something? They look good,you've got a tri-cotyledon seedling in the bottom corner there,do they produce more,I don't know,interesting to compare them

[Thelma Sanders]

I disagree with most on here. Mine go out into a unheated greenhouse in the 2nd week of April, repotted or planted in there fruiting place. If they were leggy they are not anymore and much prefer the sunlight and daylight warmth of the Greenhouse even if temps go to 2C over night (Mine have several times).

I've tried that before and they've gone blue They don't seem to recover after that.

So I'm waiting a bit longer - at least 'til after this weeks coldsnap

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^Like Thelma, better safe than sorry especially when offering advice to a new gardener.