I have only planted tomato starts one other time a couple years ago and didn't really nurture them like I should have and they died fairly quickly on. This year I have tried again, I planted some Red Brandywine seed maybe a week and a half ago and this is how they look now:
Now I'm not sure when I should put these in some bigger pots. These plants have gone outdoors since they have come up. I have not been using a growing light. I also am going out of town next week so I am thinking I might need to go ahead and transplant them before I leave. Opinions?
This is kind of an experiment for me. If they grow and turn into good plants, then great! If not, try again and figure out what I did wrong. I think it would be so cool to say you can grow your own tomato plants and don't have to get them at a store.
- McKinney88
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Personally I would try both. Starters @ this time from a store should be well ahead of what you have started now but I would try them as well. Sounds like the problem with the starters before was either underwatering or poor soil. I have never had any issues with starters from a store. Most people who will be starting from seed would have started atleast a month or more ago I would imagine.
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- rainbowgardener
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Or just put them outside! You are in TN, you weather should be just fine. They will be more adapted to their conditions, if they just grow outside.
Your seedling babies do look a bit spindly and leaning for the light. And yes, you did get a very late start. At this point you can expect ripe tomatoes from these babies somewhere around the beginning of Sept, which of course leaves you a fairly short tomato season after all those months of nurturing them.
Feel free to keep doing it, but I would buy some well started tomato plants from a good local nursery, so that you actually have some tomatoes this summer. My tomato plants, started from seed under lights in my basement are now in the ground, well over a foot tall and blossoming.
Your seedling babies do look a bit spindly and leaning for the light. And yes, you did get a very late start. At this point you can expect ripe tomatoes from these babies somewhere around the beginning of Sept, which of course leaves you a fairly short tomato season after all those months of nurturing them.
Feel free to keep doing it, but I would buy some well started tomato plants from a good local nursery, so that you actually have some tomatoes this summer. My tomato plants, started from seed under lights in my basement are now in the ground, well over a foot tall and blossoming.
- McKinney88
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I have been putting them outside as much as I can when the weather allows it. We get rain pretty frequently right now. I already have 7 plants I have bought from a store, so I will have tomatoes on time. Like I said, this is just a see if it works thing and will serve as good practice for next spring but I do appreciate the inputs.
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I put my plants in bigger cups a week ago and they have been doing great. I noticed tonight the underside of all the leaves are turning purple? From I read, that means the plants have a magnesium or phosphorous deficiency. The plants are in a miracle grow vegetable/fruit mix. I only water them maybe once a week.
I also sprayed them with my soapy water mix I discussed in another thread and I forgot to wash it off and it looks like it caused a little bit of spotting/damage. Could this be related?
I also sprayed them with my soapy water mix I discussed in another thread and I forgot to wash it off and it looks like it caused a little bit of spotting/damage. Could this be related?
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You should be able to pick tomotoes from the newly planted ones past september. If you can keep the frost away you should be able to pick all through october. I live in the Ohio valley and it isn't unusual to pick into November if we don't get a hard freeze and your growing conditions are much longer than ours. Good luck !
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Man....I wish it worked that way here. I lose out to disease way before the frost.....sigh...katatak wrote:You should be able to pick tomotoes from the newly planted ones past september. If you can keep the frost away you should be able to pick all through october. I live in the Ohio valley and it isn't unusual to pick into November if we don't get a hard freeze and your growing conditions are much longer than ours. Good luck !
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