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

[happyhumph]

Yes I agree - for a new gardener better to be safe than sorry. As you get more experience and get to know your garden and local micro climate then you can choose to take risky decisions regarding toms etc as I do.....

[veggiechicken]

The difference may be that Jonnyt, Happyhumph and I have all said ours are in a GH whereas Max doesn't have a GH to protect his so his only options are windowsill or outdoors. I don't think anyone has suggested putting them out unprotected..............but I may be wrong

[happyhumph]

Good point, plus VC and I both have option of further protection inside the gh if needed. Far to cold to go directly outside now - in fact mine never go outside as too windy.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

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

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Max! they look "Fine n Dandy" to me!

Not even sown mine yet! But still not panicking! Time yet he says!

As a first timer, ya getting my "Thumbs Up"

[Russel Sprout]

Thanks for all the replies, and for the kind words and votes of confidence... It's nice to know I'm on the right track And all comments are helpful as I can come back to this advice in the future, and who knows - I might have a GH by then too.

[MarkPelican]

MD,house/polytunnel borders
Personally I would wait a short while longer before potting them up as they look to be in reasonable sized trays. When you do pot them, plant them up to the first real leaves as this will encourage more roots. I usually pot up twice, to 7cm then 9cm pots (culling the weakest at each point) and then wait until there are flower buds about to burst before putting them in their final place in the greenhouse/polytunnel borders. If you're going to have to grow them outdoors, wait until there is no chance of frost (I can't grow outdoors because there's too much blight and my plants never survive).

[Russel Sprout]

Hi

My tom plants have come on a fair amount these last few days so I've started transplanting into 9cm pots. There are no roots around the edges of the plug trays, so when I get the plant out a fair amount of the compost falls away. When I've done this in the past for other types of plants (and when I watch on youtube), plants are half way toward pot bound and so everything comes out of each plug tray in one nice and "together" clump. Not so today....

Is that normal or am I doing it too early?

Also, any tips on the best way to get the plants out of trays? I'm using a teaspoon at the moment, but I'm not getting all the soil out and perhaps not all of the roots either. And - like I say above - some of what I do get out crumbles away.

Everything is set up and I'm raring to go, but I'm not sure if I should curb my enthusiasm and wait, or continue as I am.
Many thanks

Max

[Russel Sprout]

Hi all

Well, after posting the above I went downstairs and continued the potting up. I think they might have been too small on reflection... Lesson learnt for next time, but on the plus side they seem to be doing ok. Perhaps a lucky escape?!

Anyhow, I potted on to 9cm pots and am wondering at what stage they need to go up a size? There are some pics below. I'm happy to be patient this time and wait until the correct time

On another note, they are still sat on south facing windowsills... It's warm and sunny today outdoors (Norfolk); the forecast says 10C at the moment, reaching 12C as the day goes on. Having just taken the dogs out, I can say it feels a lot warmer in the sun. So should I be putting them outdoors on a day like this? I'm not thinking hardening off so much as putting them where it is warm and lighter than indoors. Or are there other reasons why young plants grown (and living) indoors should not go outside on a day like this, having never been out before?

Huge thanks for the super help

Max

[bario1]

They look great Max, you're doing everything fine! Personally I don't pot up again after 9cm, they just go into their final positions in the poytunnel beds. Mine are about the same size as yours and will be going out in the next couple of weeks.
A day in the sun outdoors will do them good, as long as it's not too windy.

[Nannysally99]

Max, I'm not showing any photos of mine, yours are so good.
All my seedlings are out in the sun today, it's lovely for them
Just put them in the growhouse at night

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Looking Good Max, looking good!

Very sturdy looking plants indeed!

[vixylix]

Mine will be going out tomorrow Max - but mine will stay out there once they're hardened off.

Will still do them good getting 360 degree air and sunshine though!

[Bren In Pots]

Your toms are looking good Max, mine are a similar size they spend the day in my GH then return to the kitchen window sill over night, as I'm still getting 3c in my GH at night.

[rhyswales]

They look good, mine have been in the greenhouse the past week and have left them there, brought them in the once when it went down to 5 degrees. Looking at the weather for next week the night time temps don't go below 10 so will be leaving them from now on

[bario1]

All my tender stuff stays out in the greenhouse for good as from this morning!