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Do my tomato seedlings look leggy?

taylorbeelertaylorbeeler Posts: 8
edited March 2019 in Fruit & veg
From what I can gather on the internet, they don't look so bad.. but I'm not a professional and these are my first seedlings I've ever tried to grow.. so I ask you guys, are they leggy?

I have them under a LED grow light, linked here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07HK3HPRR/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And they seem to be doing fine so far.. but in case they need more light I did buy an LED bulb with 3300k today from Rural King.. should I add that light as well you think?



Thanks!!
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    They do look a big leggy to me I’m afraid ... they need more light. 
    Are they on a heated mat or similar? If so I’d turn the heat off now that they’ve germinated ... as long as the ambient temperature doesn’t drop below 10C
    theyll be ok. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    the plus side with tomatoes is you can pot them on a lot deeper than most seedlings, so you can bury the leggyness
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Repotting deeper actually seems to make a stronger plant in the end as roots grow from the buried stem. Now you have them growing well they could be potted on into individual pots, putting 3/4 of the stem below ground level, then put them in natural light if you can. Don't worry you seem to be doing ok 🙂
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    You don't need artificial light for seedlings anymore, if you have a greenhouse there are enough daylight hours for tomatoes which is more beneficial than grow light would be. Take the tomatoes out of the dark and into the daylight and your problem will be solved.
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    As you're new to growing from seed I thought that I should say when you put them into the daylight don't put them in full sun and go away and forget them or they will dry out very quickly and die. I would put the seed tray into another tray which will hold some water and let them sit in that so there is no chance of them drying out. Sorry I am trying to be as helpful as I can but growing seedlings in trays can have many pitfalls if you are new to it, good luck and prick them out when they have two true leaves, that's four leaves, see I said it was full of pitfalls for the uninitiated.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I agree that sunlight would be better.
    The strength and quality of sunlight is plenty good enough now for seedlings.
    As said above don't let them dry out and bear in mind that toms don't like temps below about 13c for any extended period day or night.
    My tom seedlings in a propagator in my g/house are at about the same stage as yours (true leaves just appearing), but not as leggy.
    If you can't get them in sunlight, then add your new led but don't let them get too warm either.
    See Barry's last sentence ;)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Grown with neither heat/heat mat or artificial light,  they’ll grow in the garden when you spread your compost, no need to fuss with tomato seeds. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • taylorbeelertaylorbeeler Posts: 8
    edited March 2019
    Thanks everyone! And yeah its great to buy a plant from the store but there's something special about planting a seed and by the end of it harvesting the fruit, don't ya think? 
  • taylorbeelertaylorbeeler Posts: 8
    edited March 2019
    Would even a cloudy day be better light for them than the grow lights I have? Also, no heat mat or heat lamp. Just kept my room around 72 degrees 

    So... I'm going to..
    1) Repot them 3/4 the way up the stem today in my biodegradable little pots

    2) Add my other LED grow light to the mix because I don't have a greenhouse, and on sunny days I will put them outside.. and be careful not to forget about them for too long and I will not let them dry out. 

    Yea?

    ALSO: I bought a bag of tomato food and it gives directions for seedlings and when to begin feeding them.. now this might seem like a silly question, but even if I put them in a nutrient rich potting soil.. feeding them as directed with the tomato food is still a good idea, right? 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Yes, the sun is a lot stronger than your leds even with thick cloud.
    I'd just use multi-purpose compost at the mo. they're still seedlings so that'll be good for them.
    You don't feed with tomato food until the first truss begins to set (i.e. once a few flowers have dropped, you'll see a tiny tomato where the flower was) then you start feeding with tomato food.

    And most definitely  - yes, the taste is well worth all the effort :)
    good luck
    I'm just off to go and prick out my toms.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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