malsr
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:18 pm
Location: mineola, ny

leggy tomato seedlings

This is my first year growing tomatoes from seedlings. I am coming up on 4 weeks and the seedlings are about 5" tall and leggy. Some of them are falling over. I started them in a small individual cell pack. I have 36 plants. Please help and let me know what to do.

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Grey
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Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:42 pm
Location: Summerville, GA, Zone 7a

Hi, welcome to the forum!

If they are in those little peat cell thingies, you may need to transfer them to somethin a little bigger. I suspect they are getting a little root bound and having trouble getting what they need. I stopped using the cell packs because the plants seem to outgrow them so soon, so I get the little pint-size trays from a local nursery that up-pots the ones they get into larger containers before the big season hits. They're happy to get rid of them.

If that isn't the case and I just rambled on, are they a nice green color, or are they kind of yellowy? Might help us figure out why they are going limp on you.

Leggy doesn't matter in the long run too much, because tomatoes are one of the few plants you can bury deeper into the ground at planting time - you can put half the plant right into the ground and it will grow roots where the leaves were - much better root system = much less watering in summer. :)

witek
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Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:06 pm
Location: ontario

Hi.
I am growing tomatoes from seeds for about 20 years. What you are describing is the classic case of not enough light and possibly to warm location. You need to provide bright light (sunny windowsil or under lamps)
Good luck

dustyrivergardens
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Location: Holbrook Az. zone 5b

I agree what he said...lol more light and I like mine at about 65 degrees but that cant always happen but you do need more light...

TCHarris32
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Location: Indy

Just to add to what everybody else said, you may just need to move your lights closer to the plants if possible.

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Gary350
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Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

Tall skinny plants = Not enough real sun light.

GreenThumbsUp
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Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 10:02 am

If the stems are falling over, look closely and see if any of them broke. If they did, I don't think I would plant them. Also if they are more than a few weeks old they should have early true leaves, if they don't all the seed leaf energy went into growing a stem -- it might be too late.
If not maybe try setting them outside for a few hours, sometimes that helps to strengthen the stem.

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gixxerific
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Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

In case you haven't noticed the original post was made in 2007!!!!

I didn't catch it at first either. Than I saw the post date was Apr 25, being that it is Apr 20th that threw up a read flag.

Anyway's. :lol:



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