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| Okay, I have room for about 50 tomato plants so of course I plant about twice that, select the best to plant, and give away the rest. Planted about fifteen different varieties, and treated them all exactly the same; same growing mix, same light, same watering schedule. Some of them have thrived beyond my expectations: Red Penna, Stump o' the World, Tommy Toe and KBX are all about 8 to 10 inches tall, nice sturdy stems, while Rebel Yell and Paul Robeson are pathetic. I might get a couple of worthwhile transplants from those two if I'm lucky. I'm only gonna plant those plants that seem to be the best. Does the vigor of the seedling predict the vigor of the adult plant, or should I coddle the slackers and hope for the best? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by Don_in_Colorado 6a (My Page) on Fri, Apr 11, 14 at 20:07
| Hi arly, Well, I'd say yes, the vigor of seedlings is a great indicator of how they'll do from here on out. I think that's the whole idea behind culling. Other opinions may vary. Happy Growing! |
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| Only in part assuming they have indeed been given the exact same growing conditions as seedlings. But there are so many variables involved that is difficult to guarantee that. And the vigor of the adult plant all depends on the growing conditions it is given - mucho variables and all. We have all seen small runt plants take off like gangbusters when they are transplanted to the garden. We've also seen Mr.Macho seedling go belly up when transplanted too many times to claim there is a direct correlation. 15 different gardeners can buy 5 identical seedlings and everyone of them will have different results. :) Dave |
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| Thanks Don & Dave The biggest disappointment in this group has been Rebel Yell, which I understand is a cross between Bear Claw and Stump o' the World. The parent, Stump o the World, is a model of what you want seedlings to look like; thick stem, sturdy, not at all leggy or wilty. Out of 6 Rebel Yell cells, I only have one that's halfway presentable and even it is pretty puny. Oh well, I'll bury it deep and see what happens. |
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| A friend of mine told me about culling her "weak" seedlings: "even the ugly duckling turned into a sawn." She doesn't cull her seedlings. Neither do I, if I can help it. I cant afford to throw half my seeds away just because they happened to sprout. |
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| If the variety is the same, it is probably good to plant the strongest plants. But varieties vary in the way they grow. Some good tomatoes are sprawly and wispy. |
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| I agree with Dave, you can't tell. And certain varieties like the hearts always look wilty. Last year I planted some seedlings I was sure weren't going to anything and they were amazing. But also knowing space and time is a factor, I understand wanting to go with the "healthier" ones. I did for fun transplant a couple of seedlings that weren't as developed as others in the same variety just to see and they have caught up and even surpassed. So who knows? Sharon |
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- Posted by terriolsen 10b (My Page) on Thu, Apr 17, 14 at 13:52
| I started 5 varieties from seeds (Paul Robeson, Cherokee Purple, Yellow Mortgage Lifter, Yellow Brandywine, Pink Brandywine). The Paul Robeson didn't look particularly vigorous as a young seedling, but now that it has been transplanted into a container, 4 weeks later and its the most robust of them all! They've all been treated the same so I'd say give it a chance and see what happens. |
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| If I may suggest something... Plant 2 of the weaker-looking ones at one spot outside when the weather warms. One will probably do better. Snip the other. |
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| They're all in the ground now, and seem to be surviving the transplant process. The smaller ones are improving. Thanks for the advice. |
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