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I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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Posted by
SoCalGreenGuy 10a (
My Page) on
Tue, May 28, 13 at 21:31
| Hi everybody! I'm hoping some of my fellow gardeners can tell me what I'm doing wrong. I started my tomatoes indoors from seeds in early April. I hardened them off in early May and potted them up to 4.5" pots on May 7th. It's now 3 weeks later and they haven't taken off. They just look stunted. There doesn't appear to be new growth and the leaves appear very narrow, albeit a healthy shade of green. Am I being impatient or did I just do a bad job at starting these plants? Here are some photos:
1) In their seed starter 72-cell trays while hardening off. 2) Removed from the cells, about to be transplanted
3) After spending 3 weeks in their new 4.5" pots Now I noticed that the roots looked pretty bound when I removed them.
A) My first theory is that I waited to long to transplant them and/or damaged the roots when I replanted them (I loosened the roots and the soil).
B) My second theory is that about a week after I transplanted them we have about a week of 90+ degree weather. Maybe it was too much heat for them and they were hurt by it? I also gave them some liquid Alaska fish fertilizer a couple weeks ago. I'm in southern California so I should probably start my seeds earlier then April. But I didn't get around to it until April. Thanks in advance for any thoughts you have to help me salvage this year or plan better for next year! |
This post was edited by SoCalGreenGuy on Tue, May 28, 13 at 21:37
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| I apologize for the links not showing up. I thought that they would automatically become clickable. |
Here is a link that might be useful: My struggling tomatoes after 3 weeks in 4.5
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| What works for me, and I think is pretty common practice is to repot when they get their first true leaves and generally when they are just 2-3 inches tall. Then when the weather is right, harden them off and plant out at 6-8 inches. Those plants were probably root bound and shocked. They will be fine but when you plant out you will have another period of slow growth until they settle in. |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| Thanks Whosur! I keep doing the same thing year after year- Starting late and regretting it later. I'm new to Southern California and I still haven't gotten used to the warmer climate here. Next year I might start my seeds in January or February. |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| I am in SoCal and eating home grown tomatoes now. I start a few earlies late in the year. Then I start more all January and February. Ideal plant out is a couple weeks after last frost date. My last frost date is March 15. In a perfect world, I would have everything planted out no later than the middle of April. |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| Thanks Linda! Do you start your seeds inside? Do you use a greenhouse? |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| No greenhouse. I start seeds inside on a heat mat. I only have one actual grow light fixture but when they sprout I usually carry them in and out for some sun. |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| Oh no my tomatoes are starting to flower and they're only 8 inches tall. Am I doomed? Would I be better off starting a new batch? |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| Doomed? By no means! I think it's flattering that your plants are blooming for you this early in their life. :) That said, they will be far too small to support any meaningfully sized fruit. Still, you can either just let the blossoms go and see if any set, or you can pick off the truss and let the plants grow more before allowing them to bloom again. Either way, I think you'll be fine. |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| Thanks Tomahtohs. I did pinch off all of the flowers. This seems all too familiar to me. I think I've done this several times in the past. It seems that if my tomatoes start to flower when they're this little then they'll probably never reach that vigorous growth stage. The leaves just seem so scrawny and narrow. I bet if I planted new seeds tomorrow they'd catch up in 6-8 weeks. I might try that just as a test and up-pot them MUCH sooner. |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| SoCal - Depending on where in SoCal you are located that may or may not work. In my neck of the woods, tomato seeds planted now would cook in the high temps of late July and August. I try to start some seeds late June for a Fall crop but sometimes it stays too hot too long and by the time I finally get fruit, they get frost damaged. Either that or they just don't taste good ripening in 50 degree nights. |
RE: I'm a struggler and so are my little tomatoes...
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| Linda - I'm in Escondido. It gets pretty hot here in the summer. Maybe I'll just take my lumps and plan better next year :( |
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