Why is one tomato plant so big?!!?

[mickyjune26]

We have planted 4 tomato plants we bought from the store. 3 - 4 weeks later, one of the plants is about 2x the size as the other plants.

Why is one plant is so large and the others are so small? Do I have to test soil or is there a simpler explanation?

The link is below:

[img]https://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/mickyjune26/100_2409.jpg[/img]

Thank you,
Micky

[Cirtes]

You should list the four varieties you planted to get a better answer.

I will guess that the one tomato that is growing faster may be an early type variety. They will all have different growing habits.

I wouldn't worry too much.

[applestar]

It's also possible that this one had the least stressful seedling-hood during it's young life.

[TZ -OH6]

Lots of reasons, Some are more probable than others.

--Different variety
--Patchy fertilizer or patchy mixing of nitrogen rogbing unfinished compost
--Root damage/tight roots to smaller plants at transplant. Odd for three out of four
--Root damage/burn due to something you put in the planting holes.
--Vine borrer worms affecting smaller plants (would see a 1/8- 1/4 inch hole in the stem low down with what looks like vermiculite coming out of it.) Odd to have three out of four plants affected but it could happen.

My solution when I see something like that is usually to mix up some liquid fertilizer and pour it on the smaller plants to see if they catch up.

[mickyjune26]

Thanks a lot for the responses. We'll give them more time. If the difference continues to increase, we'll try some fertilizer or other means to give the small ones a boost!

Thanks again,