My Shot at Tomatoes!!

[cass2828]

Hi guys... Sorry for the in activeness for a long time, I got busy with my school work..(sorry)...and......I AM BACK...

I have decided to give tomatoes a shot. I have already sown and failed at growing them but this time I am determined to eat home grown sun ripened tomatoes... and I need your help too guys..

I sowed a Indian country tomato recipe about a few weeks back and it germinated and its about a feet high and I have a problem!! few leaves on the tomato plant are curled up and when I see at the bottom I saw a few mealybugs and two or more unknown tiny insects I removed them and sprayed neem,soapy water,shikakai solution... the mealy bugs have reduced but the leaves are stilled curled up (but a lot less then the beginning) and I see brown dirt like fine particles on the bottom (very fine) honestly I think its soiled splashed while watering.. but..

I have also sown a couple of other tomato seeds in plastic cups (two seeds per cup to later thin)::

beefsteak tomato:: I sowed it on 13/9/16...(today is 19/9/16) and it hasn't sprouted yet..
I have kept it in a warm cupboard
Cherry tomato :: I sowed it on 14/9/16 and it has sprouted!! I have taken it to my terrace
Cherry tomato large:: I sowed on 14/9/16 and it hasn't sprouted It is still in the cupboard
Honey cherry tomato:: I sowed it on 14/9/16 too and it has sprouted!! and I have taken it also to the terrace

so... two out of 4 tomato seeds have sprouted... How long can it be in the plastic cups??? and can I get some tips guys?

Now back to the growing country tomato... I have treated it with Epsom salt solution yesterday(two tablespoon for 5 liters(about 1 gallon))
and its much better now...

now.... why those two other seeds did not germinate??
any idea?

[imafan26]

Tomatoes can take up to 10-14 days to germinate so it may still germinate. Most seeds have at least an 80% germination rate so there could be some infertile seeds in a packet.

I like to transplant tomatoes out into larger pots when they are 4-6 inches tall. Tomatoes should be taken out of the cup before they become rootbound.

The curling of the leaves are probably from the feeding of the insects. If the insects are taken care of the new leaves should be better. The black stuff you see is probably insect poop.

[cass2828]

thnx a lot .....imafan26...fingers crossed for the other two..

[cass2828]

here are some pics

[cass2828]

and here the two seeds germinating

[cass2828]

good news guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the beefsteak tomato has germinated.... and another bonus goodie. I planted two seeds in the cherry tomato right, one had already sprouted but due to the rain we had last night the other one jumped out of the soil and when I saw it today it was germinating so I planted in a separate container so I wont have to thin them.