# How to grow strong tomato plants??



## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

It seems that whenever I try to grow my own tomato plants, they grow tall and spindly. How can I grow strong ones that will make it? This is my third year trying and always in the past I have to go buy some plants because mine grow tall and then fall over. I bought some great varieties from HT members and want to grow my own plants. Please share your tips and ideas. Thanks y'all!


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Are they getting enough sun?


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

I have tried putting them in different windows but I can't tell as it made much of a difference. I have tried putting them near the florescent (sp?) light in my kitchen window but that makes them tall and spindly too it seems. Last year I tried growing them in an old aquarium but that didn't work either. I'm wondering if I'm going to have to take them outside?


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## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

I put a small fan on mine as soon as they come up--that and good lights help.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

I have a couple of small desk type fans I could try. Thanks for the reply. I'll go find one of them this morning and give it a try.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Plants grow tall and spindly like that because they're trying to get above what they perceive is the ground cover. They aren't getting enough light, so they think it's because other plants are shading them out, so put all their growth into their stems to try and get some leaves up above the crowd. 

Tomato plants are somewhat wondrous in that they will grow a root system from anywhere along their stem. When it comes time to planting them, plant them very, very deep with only maybe 3-5 inches sticking up above the soi. Just make sure there's some leaves up where they'll catch the light when you move them outside. The whole spindly "stem" will become a root system and while you've lost some height the plant will be that much stronger for it.

You may also want to get better lights. You can take one of those two bulb flourescent systems and put one of the regular bulbs in and then one of the "soft" bulbs in. Between the two they supposedly put out a full light spectrum that plants like. It's no substitute for sun and I've never had my plants on them like that for more than 4 weeks, but it seems to work fine.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

We start ours in 1.5" peat pots about 8 weeks before LFD. Then at about 4 weeks we repot them in 4" peat pots. At this time we also deep set them in the pot so it covers 2.5" of the stem to strengthen it. Then when we set them out we also deep set then again like Ernie described.


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## vegascowgirl (Sep 19, 2004)

As Ernie said, you can plant them deep in the garden. In fact, this is a practice that I've always done, whether the plants were spindly or not. I remove the lowest "branches" and plant to that depth. I've been told that you can take the cuttings and pot them in moist soil to start some late plants. Might try it this year and see how it goes. Usually have enough plants, but one of my happinesses about gardening is just growing it. The fine edibles are a plus.


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## abckidsmom (Aug 28, 2008)

I just finished potting our seeds in 1.5" peat pots. I expect our last frost to be about the end of april, so about 6 weeks or so. Should I repot them in 4" pots as they grow, or will they be ok in these?

This is my first go at starting my own seeds, we've only bought plants before. I'm slightly nervous.


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## cypher2001 (Aug 17, 2007)

abckidsmom said:


> I just finished potting our seeds in 1.5" peat pots. I expect our last frost to be about the end of april, so about 6 weeks or so. Should I repot them in 4" pots as they grow, or will they be ok in these?
> 
> This is my first go at starting my own seeds, we've only bought plants before. I'm slightly nervous.


First of all... Don't be nervous. Plants have grown on their own for billions of years without help from man. I'm a firm believer that anything we do to help them only makes it easier for them to grow. Tomatoes are hearty and you should be fine. You will know if things start going downhill with them.

In a few weeks, you will likely find they need a little more room in order to be happy. Many people repot multiple times as it helps increase the root system. I like to start with 2 seeds in a 72 cell flat. (Think similar size to your 1.5" peat pots) When they grow about 3" tall, I will cut the cell in half and plant each one in its own 3" pot or so. That will normally last me till I plant outside.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Heh. Come give that pep talk to my garden in August, Cypher.


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## abckidsmom (Aug 28, 2008)

Ernie said:


> Heh. Come give that pep talk to my garden in August, Cypher.


That's what I was thinking! I'm really hopeful, and I definitely think that we've overplanted enough that we're bound to have enough of each variety (I planted 1 pack each of each kind we picked, 35 individual pots of each of *6* varieties. We're going to have plenty, and plenty to share.

I'm so excited about the garden this year. I've got to get it all set and started good before our new baby comes in mid-may.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I like to repot them twice, disturbing the roots as little as possible and potting them up into deep drink cups, burying as much of the stem as the cup allows. Helps to build a good root system. I also water them with a little epsom salt water and compost/manure tea, keep them under fluorescent lights placed just inches above the leaves, and give them about 14 hrs light to 10 hours dark. By the time it's past frost and safe to plant them out, they are good sized and well established. I'm getting all excited and ready to plant my seeds now, even though I know I can't safely plant them out until Memorial Day.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Manure tea is really the key there, I think. I've had it put 8" of growth on a year old apple tree in a single season, compared to trees I did not apply the manure tea to. Something about water-soluble nitrogen poured directly into the soil around a plant just makes it go haywire. It's like giving spinach to Popeye.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

My method is a little different then most people's. I start mine outdoors. What I do is make a small dome cover using clear plastic. About 2 weeks before last frost I work up a spot on the ground and add compost to the soil. I then sow my tomato seeds in the worked up soil and then cover the seeds with about a 1/4 inch of potting soil and water it down till moist. Then I put the plastic dome cover over them and let the sun do the rest. They'll grow well without getting leggy/spindly and leaf out real good. Then when all dangers of frost is past, I work up the designated tomato patch and transplant the tomato plants to their new home. 

Something I'm gonna try this year is to use clear plastic pop bottles. About two weeks before last frost date I'm gonna get the tomato rows ready and then mix in some compost in every place I'm gonna have a tomato plant growing. On each hill I'll place about 3 or 4 seeds and cover with potting soil and water. Then place the plastic pop bottles on and hope the wind don't blow them away. 

Hopefully they'll do good this way and I wont have to worry about transplant shock. All I'll have to do is go back and remove all plants growing on each hill except for the healthiest one. I'm hoping this will work out better.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Oldcountryboy said:


> Something I'm gonna try this year is to use clear plastic pop bottles. About two weeks before last frost date I'm gonna get the tomato rows ready and then mix in some compost in every place I'm gonna have a tomato plant growing. On each hill I'll place about 3 or 4 seeds and cover with potting soil and water. Then place the plastic pop bottles on and hope the wind don't blow them away.
> 
> Hopefully they'll do good this way and I wont have to worry about transplant shock. All I'll have to do is go back and remove all plants growing on each hill except for the healthiest one. I'm hoping this will work out better.


That method is good as long as you haven't grown tomatoes in that area for a few years. If you plant 3 or 4 seeds and then get 5 or 6 seedlings, no way to tell which is what you planted and which is a volunteer. That's why I can't use any of my garden soil or compost in the starting mixes.

Martin


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

Pet your tomato plants! Research has shown that brushing lightly across the tops of the young plants every day will help them grow sturdier.

Perhaps putting a fan on them will produce the same effect, as several posters have suggested.


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## DaynaJ (Dec 5, 2007)

Marcia in MT said:


> Pet your tomato plants! Research has shown that brushing lightly across the tops of the young plants every day will help them grow sturdier.
> 
> Perhaps putting a fan on them will produce the same effect, as several posters have suggested.


It's amazing what tomato plants do-- Supposedly the stronger smelling a plant, the more communicative? it is--


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I always wait to start my tomato seeds until the days are above freezing. I set the flats outside during the day when the temp is above 42*F. At night they go back under the shop lights.


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## copperhead46 (Jan 25, 2008)

I start mine in the little green house sets that wally world sells, then when they get some true leaves, I transplant them to 4 inch pots. They need to be under a floresent lite, not just near one. They are reaching for the lite, so put it as close to the plants as you can, then as the plants grow, raise the lites. A fan on them helps make the plants sturdier too, but your main problem is the lighting. I have a lite stand built out of scrap and it holds the lites over the trays and it's easy to raise them up as needed., I'll get a picture and post it. 
P.J.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

Thank you all for the info. I have decided to try two different experiments and see if either will pan out for me. The first is that I took the plants that had already sprouted outside and turned a 5 gallon aquarium upside down on them. I put some spacers underneath so they won't overheat. 

The next group is in a 2 1/2 gallon aquarium inside. I filled the aquarium with gravel to bring the cups closer to the light and figure that I can dump out gravel as I need to lower the plants. This meant that my fan won't blow on the plants but I will run my hand over them daily.

I know neither situation is ideal but I must make do with what I have on hand.


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