Topic: Bolting Tomatoes and Chillies

[cestrian]

My tomato seedlings have bolted and are looking a bit leggy and this has happened repeatedly over the last few years. I always thought it was because I was planting them early and the days were short. After looking at this website linked below I have now realised that I have been overwatering them and not using vermiculite, so not letting enough air in to the roots.

http://www.tomatogrowing.co.uk/html/tomato_growing_tips.html

There are some good tips on this website, but this hasn't really been a problem in the past, not a major one anyway, because when I pot them on I always bury them up to the first leaves and the roots develop from the buried stem. Now I always thought that you could do the same thing with peppers and chillis, but this youtube link below that I watched today says that chillis don't like stem rooting and that when you prick them out you should pot them on at the same level that they germinated at. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWFA55vmxX8

You live and learn. Anyway this was perfect timing for me as I have pricked out my toms and chillis today to pot them on in 3" pots. I just thought I would share these links as they are top info imho.  This guy on youtube owns a production nursery and he really knows his chillis!! Good stuff!

[cornykev]

Mine have gone a touch leggy but have slowed down on the watering, bolting I'm not sure about, I use bolting as a term of going to seed, maybe just a language barrier.      

[Pescador]

Bolting normally refers to the early or unseasonal flowering of plants.
Were your toms just getting drawn and leggy?

[chriscross1966]

The term is "etiolated" I believe...

[cestrian]

Yes sorry that's what I meant etiolated or leggy!

[Vinlander]

Even barbecue charcoal  is cheaper than vermiculite and is carbon-negative if you put it in soil.

Obviously the stuff with firelighter in is useless (especially for barbecues - it stinks and takes longer to light than just lighting one coal - gas hob/blowlamp/gas lighter - and using a hairdryer or hot-air paintstripper).

Cheers.