Allotments 4 All

Hi,
Can anyone  help me please and tell me if I need to pinch out my tomato seedlings they are about 4-5" tall and looking a bit leggy.
I can't remember what I did last year!!
Thanks in advance

Pinch them out as they need it. This will force the growth into the areas of the plant required. Alternatively, have you tried re-potting?  Mine will be a while. I have only sowed cherry tomatoes. Not done Shirley yet. Won't get to do them till next week due to work. :-\

think you need to re-pot. Bury them up to their first pair of true leaves. I've just done that with mine. If they're still seedlings, they don't need pinching out yet?

Hi Dilly and welcome ;D

I think your seedlings are too warm and not getting enough light, making them leggy. It might be an idea to repot them and drop them deep into the next pot. Then make a light box to sit them in.



Its not a very good angle to see it at, but basically cut a cardboard box in half diagonally and cover the sides and inside with foil to reflect light back onto the seedlings.

I keep mine in the outhouse, which has no heating and a plastic roof. If it gets cold I cover with fleece, I just find they do better and grow slower at this time of year in cooler conditions.

Oh for a heated greenhouse eh?

Hope this helps ;)

Quote from: star on March 12, 2008, 22:53:23
Hi Dilly and welcome ;D

I think your seedlings are too warm and not getting enough light, making them leggy. It might be an idea to repot them and drop them deep into the next pot. Then make a light box to sit them in.



Its not a very good angle to see it at, but basically cut a cardboard box in half diagonally and cover the sides and inside with foil to reflect light back onto the seedlings.

I keep mine in the outhouse, which has no heating and a plastic roof. If it gets cold I cover with fleece, I just find they do better and grow slower at this time of year in cooler conditions.

Oh for a heated greenhouse eh?

Hope this helps ;)

Star, what would you guess is the lowest temp. your tomatoes are exposed to in the outhouse? I've been wondering how low they can tolerate. it is still going down to 29 F. here at night outside.

Some God favours - others he forgets.

I've lost all of one variety to frost in MAY. Alright, difficult to cover because they were already staked.

Also check this thread on Tommy Tips, Dilly.
Ken.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,39670.0.html

Quote from: GrannieAnnie on March 13, 2008, 00:47:22

Quote from: star on March 12, 2008, 22:53:23
Hi Dilly and welcome ;D

I think your seedlings are too warm and not getting enough light, making them leggy. It might be an idea to repot them and drop them deep into the next pot. Then make a light box to sit them in.



Its not a very good angle to see it at, but basically cut a cardboard box in half diagonally and cover the sides and inside with foil to reflect light back onto the seedlings.

I keep mine in the outhouse, which has no heating and a plastic roof. If it gets cold I cover with fleece, I just find they do better and grow slower at this time of year in cooler conditions.

Oh for a heated greenhouse eh?

Hope this helps ;)

Star, what would you guess is the lowest temp. your tomatoes are exposed to in the outhouse? I've been wondering how low they can tolerate. it is still going down to 29 F. here at night outside.

Hi GA,

To be honest I dont really know the lowest temp. I started them off in the propagator, When I pricked them out, I put them in the kitchen on the windowsill untill they established a little (only a couple of weeks). They then went to an upstairs cooler bedroom for about 3 weeks. My timings are totally weather dependant.

When we had a mild spell, thats when they went to the outhouse. Initially if it got very cold I brought them into the kitchen overnight, but as they hardened off they just get fleeced. They are growing relatively slowly, which is handy as I do not have room for 6 large plants out there. I need to start sowing other things now.

I'm sorry I cant be more helpful, I think we just have to work with the conditions we have, you may be later starting things off but you have much hotter summers then here and they probably last a lot longer ;)

Many thanks for all the tips.

I have now repotted them  ,but I could not go as low as the  first set of leaves as they were too tall for the pots but I will do my best, fingers crossed. So long as I get 3 of each plant to go in the greenhouse that is ok and I have potted 12 of each on so I am hopeful. They are back in the kitchen to recover and then I might try them in the cold greenhouse.

Have a good day.

hiya, dilly, welcome to the site..our tomato seedlings are in a cold polytunnel..if it's cold, I just fleece them  :)