How fast do the tomato plants grow? Isn't 2 inches in 2 weeks a little too much? (more)

E

evan

Well-known member
I bought seeds for Sun Gold and decided to just try to make them grow. It's still early here so this is mostly for testing my green fingers.

I do keep them under a plant light 16 hours a day, but three out of ten have popped out and grown 2-3 inces in no time. The rest hasn't showed at all.

I read somewere that tomatoe plants are supposed to grow slowly. Am I keeping them too warm? They are in room temperature, at 20 degrees celcius.

 
as long as they don't get leggy and weak...

they're fine. if they're leggy, you're overwatering.

 
I agree with Gretchen and rvb about lowering the light to keep them from becoming spindly...

According to the literature I have, tomato seeds need to be warm (26°C or 79°F is ideal) for germination to occur (usually between 7-14 days). They seem to like bottom heat - i.e. from setting on top of a fridge or over a heat register - but they won't germinate above 35°C or 95°F.

Water just enough to moisten the soil but never allow the seedling mix to become dry as both the germinating seeds and seedlings are very intolerant of dry soil and may die if it becomes dry for only a short time.

It is suggested that the seed tray be covered with a dome or plastic wrap, which should be removed immediately after the seedlings emerge. It is at this point they should be placed near a light source.

Then, once the seedlings are ½” – 1” tall, the first "true" leaves appear (which are actually the second set of leaves). This is when they should be transplanted into individual containers. If the plants seem leggy, transplant them deeper - roots will form along the buried portion of the stem.

Fertilize once a week with a "plant starter" fertilizer (i.e. 10-52-10), at 1/4 strength, until they're ready to transplant into the garden.

And....Presto! Luscious, delicious cherry tomatoes!!!

 
A planting tip: You can pull off the lower leaves and bury a few inches of stem >

when you put them in the ground. It will make a stonger root system.

 
Let's try again. . .Now that the stems are "leggy" you can help strengthen them by. . .

Lowering the lights, controlling the water AND

You can help make the stems stronger by keeping a small fan on them for several hours a day. Move the fan periodically to make sure the plants don't lean one way. Motion of the stems makes for a stronger stem.

 
planting tomatoes...

why pull off the leaves? It's organic; it's fertilizer. I bury 2/3 of my tomatoes when I plant them. I just lay the plant down in the bottom of a trench and cover it up, leaving the top third sticking out. The top will be upright by the next day.

 
This is how we do it, too.... And another trick.....

Is to 'sucker' the plant (pulling off the small braches) that grow out between the main ones. But don't just toss them! You can root these suckers and make a whole new plant that will develop more tomatoes than the mother plant.

We learned this trick a few years ago, tried it and it worked like a charm! Of course if you kept every sucker to root you'd be overun with tomatoes (what did I just say???) so we give the extras to people to plant. One of my favorite things to do with them is to pot them for elderly friends and take them for patio plants in their retirement apartments! What joy it gives them to pick their own tomatoes. If they have a little garden area you can plant them for them, too. Most won't have the tools available to do that but it only takes a few minutes and they will love you forever! smileys/wink.gif

 
The book I read it in said to pull them off and I never questioned it, LOL >

I'm glad to know it works if you leave them on.

 
The trench method works very well when the weather is cold when you plant. (m)

All the rules are different here in AZ, especially the seasons for growing (we have two each year, instead of one long one) and how to plant, water and properly guage the timing of the season.

The trench method works even better if you lay a broad sheet of black plastic over the planting bed, leaving the seedling a small hole to grow through. The plastic warms the soil and allows the plant to develop a strong root system that much earlier in the season.

I was told to pinch off the leaves so that roots will more readily grow from the area. I do throw the leaves into the planting hole, and agree with Richard as to why that is OK.

We add a couple of tablespoons of bone meal in each hole, along with a pinch of fertilizer and some extra mulch. Then the seedling goes in, with about 2" showing above ground.

Michael

 
What a great idea...to root the suckers. All these years they've been going into the compost. Now to

find more room in the garden.

Nope, first, to prepare the garden. Nope, first to find the garden.

That fan trick works well with a lot of plants that need simulated wind on them to strengthen them. I do that in the house when my winter herbs get wimpy as well.

 
I never thought of this - I love this trick! How do you usually root yours? ...

Also, how long does it take for them to form roots? And what size were the suckers at the point you removed them from the parent? (Enquiring minds NEED to know - lol!)

I'm wondering if this is a viable method for our shorter growing season...

TIA Gayle.

 
Why do you pull the suckers off in the first place. More leaves mean more fruit, no? . . .

Or is the "suckers off" thing to do with a short growing season. The season here in Southern California is pretty long, and somtimes is year round with care.

 
The suckers don't produce fruit.

To me the leaf is just a tad different than the main shoot leaves and the suckers don't branch (if memory serves me right). They just hang there not being productive. Getting rid of them also allows a little more sunlight to the business part of the plant for nice ripening. I don't have optimal conditions so I have to do everything I can.

 
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