Hi. Here's a pic of my cherry tomato - still small.
I am wondering if this is normal or if you think its leggy and something should be done about it.
And, should I remove the shorter seedling? or just leave it as it is?
Apologies Mike and everyone who tried to open the link.
I realized the link doesn't work unless you are logged in. Thanks to Kisal's advice on how to post pics here, I have moved the image to a different host.
You can click on the thumbnail to see the larger version of it.
[url=https://img411.imageshack.us/f/tomato1.jpg/][img]https://img411.imageshack.us/img411/884/tomato1.th.jpg[/img][/url]
I realized the link doesn't work unless you are logged in. Thanks to Kisal's advice on how to post pics here, I have moved the image to a different host.
You can click on the thumbnail to see the larger version of it.
[url=https://img411.imageshack.us/f/tomato1.jpg/][img]https://img411.imageshack.us/img411/884/tomato1.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Yeah, that's leggy! Really, really leggy!
Legginess is caused by plants trying to reach what light is available and to get there before their siblings do; higher temps combined with a high soil moisture level; an over abundance of N in the soil. I saw tomato plants for sale last spring that had eight leaves but were no taller than three inches. I also had the opportunity to talk with a guy who runs a nursery a couple years ago. He told me once the seeds germinate they don't see 65 degree temps unless the outside air gets that high
I figure these people know what they are doing.
Mike
Legginess is caused by plants trying to reach what light is available and to get there before their siblings do; higher temps combined with a high soil moisture level; an over abundance of N in the soil. I saw tomato plants for sale last spring that had eight leaves but were no taller than three inches. I also had the opportunity to talk with a guy who runs a nursery a couple years ago. He told me once the seeds germinate they don't see 65 degree temps unless the outside air gets that high
I figure these people know what they are doing.
Mike
Oh boy... I guess that confirms the problem of sunlight. And confirms the enclosed area I have as unsuitable for growing tomatoes. I will have to move it outdoors since I don't have grow lights right now.
I think what I will do is to dig it up and replant it deeper into the same pot and put it out and see what happens.
I think what I will do is to dig it up and replant it deeper into the same pot and put it out and see what happens.
Hi. I like to ask about prunning. I have repotted it and now it is growing straight up. Its about 1.5ft or so and it has only 1 stem.
Should I just leave it and let it continue to grow or should I nip off the top so that it will have a few more stems?
And if I must nip it off, around how tall should I nip it?
Thanks!
Should I just leave it and let it continue to grow or should I nip off the top so that it will have a few more stems?
And if I must nip it off, around how tall should I nip it?
Thanks!
I think for now you should just re-pot it and plant it deeper. Bury it all the way up to where the purple stops on the stem. You can see in the picture where it is already trying to grow roots from that part. Then when you plant it again. Bury it even deeper again. The stem will grow roots where it is buried. Then after you transplant it, keep it nice and close to the light source. I don't know where you are located, but I'm guessing it's not warm enough yet to put it in the ground outside.
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rainbowgardener
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Don't clip it. Tomatoes are usually grown as one main stem, which will on its own put out plenty of branches and suckers (new branches that grow in the joint of bigger branches). I start pinching out the growing tips of mine when it is 5 or 6' tall, to slow it down from getting taller, but not until then.