my tomato seedlings are not growing much !!!

[harle]

Hi, I am new to this site !! I have been searching from site to site trying to find answers to my tomato seedlings problems. Thats how I found you!!

First of all my tomato seedlings started out being leggy, I left them in germination to long. You see when I first saw them merging from the dirt I should have put them under the lights, but I allow them to get bigger. One day they are above the soil and the next day they where already 2 inches tall ( Big Mistake). Anyway when they got there first true leaves and where laying over from being so leggy, I transplanted them into about a 4 inch pot. I planted them as deep as I could because of them being leggy, that was about 3 weeks ago. The problem now is that the very first leaves, they have turned yellow and the first true leave they look a little bigger but over all the plants just do not seem to be growing much.

The lights have been very close, not even a inch from the seedlings!! so I thought it might be that the lights needs to be moved up some. If you don't keep the lights above the plants enough will that keep them from growing?

I know that I have not been watering too much, cause I learned that from last years seedlings. So I let the plants get pretty dry before watering again.

I have turned the over head ceiling fan on to help with the stems to make them stockier, and that seems to be pretty good there.

Yesterday I watered them and I added about 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom salt to a gallon of water.

I used Jiffy seed starter soil.

I worry over my seedlings to much, I over love my baby tomato's last year. And saw a lot of what I was doing wrong, like over watering and giving to much fertilizer. So I am trying not to make the same mistakes, but since learning all that I learned from last year I really thought that my seedlings would be looking better!!!

If anyone can help me with this I would love your help !!!

[Newt]

Hi, I am new to this site !! I have been searching from site to site trying to find answers to my tomato seedlings problems. Thats how I found you!!

Hi Harle,

We're glad you're here and I hope we can help.

First of all my tomato seedlings started out being leggy, I left them in germination to long. You see when I first saw them merging from the dirt I should have put them under the lights, but I allow them to get bigger. One day they are above the soil and the next day they where already 2 inches tall ( Big Mistake).

Unfortunately that is how most of us learn. They were stretching for the light.

Anyway when they got there first true leaves and where laying over from being so leggy, I transplanted them into about a 4 inch pot. I planted them as deep as I could because of them being leggy, that was about 3 weeks ago.

Tomatoes are one plant that you can actually plant deeper then it was in the pot it was growing in. It will form roots along the stem that is under the soil. I've never heard it done when they are so young though.

The problem now is that the very first leaves, they have turned yellow and the first true leave they look a little bigger but over all the plants just do not seem to be growing much.

Tomatoes do loose their lower leaves as they grow, so that doesn't mean something is wrong. I suspect those leaves are dropping off because they are aging as the plant is putting energy into forming new roots. Leaves are expendable to many plants. The roots must continue to live, but these plants are very young, so it might mean something isn't quite right, but it might not. Confused yet?

The lights have been very close, not even a inch from the seedlings!! so I thought it might be that the lights needs to be moved up some. If you don't keep the lights above the plants enough will that keep them from growing?

It's best to have the lights about 4" from the plants. The lights also give off heat. Having the lights too close can cause the soil to dry out too much, burn the leaves and stems just like the sun will burn your skin if you spend too much time outdoors in the summer, or dry out the leaves and stems from the heat of the lights.

I know that I have not been watering too much, cause I learned that from last years seedlings. So I let the plants get pretty dry before watering again.

That's good.

I have turned the over head ceiling fan on to help with the stems to make them stockier, and that seems to be pretty good there.

Excellent! Making the air move in the room will make the stems stronger.

Yesterday I watered them and I added about 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom salt to a gallon of water.

Here's some interesting info about Epsom salt and plants. You can click on the topics on the left for more info and how much to use and how often.
http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/garden_benefits.htm

I worry over my seedlings to much, I over love my baby tomato's last year. And saw a lot of what I was doing wrong, like over watering and giving to much fertilizer. So I am trying not to make the same mistakes, but since learning all that I learned from last year I really thought that my seedlings would be looking better!!!

I think you need to give them time to grow the additional roots and move the lights so they are 4" above the plants and stay 4" as they grow. At this time you can only wait and see what happens as you continue to water the way you have and not fertilize for at least another two weeks or until you see two sets of true leaves. You might also find this British site helpful.
http://www.gardenhive.com/fruit/tomatoes/grow/

This site doesn't have any pictures, but has some good info on growing tomatoes from seed.
http://nctomatoman.topcities.com/Off...g/OTV4SEED.htm

I hope that was helpful. Please let us know how your seedlings are doing.
Newt

[harle]

Thank you so much for you reply!! You are right about the lights drying the dirt out, its only been 2 days since I watered and I had to again this after noon. I am really hoping that this watering does much better!! because I caught some rain water. Mother Nature has a better recipe water for than we do,LOL.
I moved the lights the other day up 1 inch so I am going to have to move them another 3 inches.

I have another question, I used the Jiffy seed stater. I mixed the dirt in a bucket with water to dampen the soil, when I transplanted the seedlings into the 4 inch pots. The soil that I had left over I just sat aside, and when I started potting again about a week later I went back to that soil.

With It setting for a long period of time damp, could that have messed up my soil and caused some of this problem ??

Thank U
Pam

[Newt]

Pam, you are so very welcome!

I have another question, I used the Jiffy seed stater. I mixed the dirt in a bucket with water to dampen the soil, when I transplanted the seedlings into the 4 inch pots. The soil that I had left over I just sat aside, and when I started potting again about a week later I went back to that soil.

With It setting for a long period of time damp, could that have messed up my soil and caused some of this problem ??

I don't think so. Generally when the potting medium sits and gets a fungus, the seedlings suffer from something called 'damping off'. That's when the seedlings just flop over and rot where the stem meets the soil or the roots rot. Sometimes you will see mold growing on top of the soil.

If you aren't going to use all the dampened growing medium, it might be best to stir what's left in the bucket a couple of times a day, or spread the medium out on something like a cookie sheet to dry.

Newt

[harle]

I have not noticed any mold, and the plants are not wilted or anything either.

I raised my lighting, and after the watering with rain water yesterday they do seem a little bit perky today.

Thank you so much
Huggs Pam

[Newt]

Pam, I'm glad to know you haven't seen any mold. Whew! I'm also glad the seedlings are looking better. Thanks for the update.

Newt