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Growing tomatoes indoors
movingpictureTV
Posts: 4
in Fruit & veg
Hi there,
I have grown some tomatoes from seed for the first time in my life. They germinated well and I transferred into small pots without any problems.
We don't have a greenhouse so this has all been done indoors on the windowsill.
The problem is that the plants look very weak and I'm not sure what to do.
The potting compost used is moist, not soaked. They get plenty of light. Yet they look a little feeble - very thin and some of the leaves are practically transparent. Is this normal behaviour for Gardeners Delight and will they toughen up in time?
I've uploaded a picture and any advice offered would be appreciated.
Many thanks,
Mark
0
Posts
MPTV, soz to say but they look a sorry sight. They do look wet & spindly. Also think you've potted on into too larger plant pots. If you let them dry out they may recover
If you don't have a greenhouse to grow toms in and yours need to be outsided I'd wait few more week and sow some more. When they have grown true leaves I would stand outside on nice warm days and take inside at night, & then "harden off" before planting outside. I get loads of self sets from my compost that appear mid June and produce cherry toms.
Maybe consider some outdoor bush variety toms.
Hope I haven't disheartened you.
The pot size doesn't matter. They're suffering from insufficient bright light. While the windowsill appears to be a light spot, you can see the seedlings leaning desperately towards the window in search of more light. That's the tell-tale sign.
Mark, you can get away without a greenhouse at this stage. All you need is a naturally sunny outside area. Get one of those small plastic or wooden crates from a greengrocer, place the pots into it, and park them outside in direct sunlight. If daytime temps are down to single figures, cover the crate in some clear plastic or bubble wrap. A mini-greenhouse. Leave them out as long as possible, to get as much sun as possible, bring them inside overnight.
The longer you leave them where they are, the more their future is compromised. Oh, and lay off watering them, too. Let the mix dry out between waterings.
Hi Italophile
just thought I'd pop in to say I sowed my tomato seeds this week - they're on the kitchen windowsill - let's hope for another warm summer. 
Thanks
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I haven't given up yet...
Have followed your advice Italophile and emptied my 3-year-old son's toy box to act as green house - see pic. He wasn't happy - but I hope the plants will be!
Is the plastic lid ok to put on or do they need some air getting in?
Many thanks for all of your help, Mark
I very much agree with Italophile and Dove.
As said, it's a lack of light which is due to the time of year that's making them spindly. Best time to sow is mid-march-mid April i.e. after the equinox.
Leave the top off the box as much as possible to allow fresh air and more light.
I've done similar to you in previous years, and you may find that with spindly plants the first truss of toms forms about 3'- 4' from the ground and the thin stalk may not be able to support the weight of fruit.
I'd be tempted to buy a few plants when they available to grow alongside your plants, just in case.
One of the best performers I find are the tumbling toms. Just one plant in a hanging basket facing south produces an amazing amount of toms - I've had well over 100 from a single plant in an ordinary hanging basket, and they're usually ready to pick from late July.
Take note of the feeding schedule though. Don't feed tomato fertilizer until the first tiny toms form on the truss. Before this time the plants are in a vegatitive state and do not need the nutrients in tomato fert.
Good luck
Pete
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Well done, Mark. Toms come way in front of kiddies' needs in my opinion.
Whether to cover or not depends on the temperatures. If temps are in, say, the teens, leave them uncovered. The plastic walls of the box will generate a pocket of warmth anyway. If temps get down to single figures, put the lid on but leave it ajar (so to speak).
Dov, sowed mine in late Feb, a bit later than usual. Spring has sprung here, so they're out on the terrace most days in temps of high teens, low 20s. They spent their early days inside under lights so some of them got a bit spindly. Recovering now, though.