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Growing Tomatoes

My tomato seedlings are growing slowly.

ApacheRosePea00

9 years ago

So I planted Memorial Day. I buried my tomatoes deep and they have only come up a few inches so far. Is this normal? Or should they be coming up faster? This is my first year so I am not sure what to expect.

They are indeterminate cherry varieties...specifically Snow White, Sungold, and Black Cherry. If this is not normal, is there anything I should be on the look out for or anyway to help the tomatoes along? All help appreciated!

Comments (5)

Bets
9 years ago
Your babies have been in the ground just about a week, so the growth you are seeing is normal. They go through a period of adaptation, then they will take off if your weather is warm enough. (They will "stall" when temps are cool.)

Relax. You are about to be overwhelmed by cherry tomatoes!

Betsy
ApacheRosePea00
Original Author
9 years ago
This was my first thought too. We've had cooler temps through the nights. I just wanted to be certain because they are dinky compared to all the peppers.

Overwhelmed? I am prepared! I built a trellis out of electrical conduit and even made my own netting! By the end of the season, I will need a ladder just to harvest tomatoes...
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thanks for all the messages! i checked, and my seed starting mix doesn't have ca, mag, or sulfur, so i'll add ironite as my fertilizer. i also supplemented it with dolomitic lime. i am using the miracle gro seed starting potting mix. the weather is warm outside, so i've started hardening them off. however, what about my other seedlings? my other seedlings are 2 weeks old and don't have any true leaves yet. should i take them out so they can enjoy the sun too? or leave them on the window sill, where they get around 3 hours of sun? and yes, i have been noticing that my leaves are turning yellow, so i'm hoping ironite works.
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@Ohiofem I'll try raising the temp, thanks. I don't have control of my thermostat since I'm in a dorm and with the insane weather we've been having the temp in my room has been swinging from low 60s to nearly 90, depending on the weather and sunlight. The last few days the temps in my room were about 60-65 average, but now with warmer weather they're hanging at 70. @dickiefickle I know my light is a POS, but I was hoping it would be sufficient for the purpose. My room faces south and has lots of ambient sunlight, but it's cloudy most days here and so not strong enough for seedlings, based on what I've read. @the0ry Well, since I can't get a good price reselling them, may as well make them useful! @Capoman It's a fluorescent. Model 7020 E GL, some googling of forum posts says it has about 1200 lumens. Is that enough for roughly 2 square feet of plants? If not, would it be better to buy an additional fixture or install a better bulb? @Dave I've read most of those posts already, and was hoping someone had an idea of what part of my setup was causing the most issues, since it's hard to diagnose without experience. Thanks for the link though, there were a few new reads.
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sheltieche
9 years ago
What is your soil like... do plants look green and healthy beyond not growing... are the getting lots of sun i.e. location good...
it is normal for tomato to sit in cold weather unless you warm the soil before.
Picture are always good.
ApacheRosePea00
Original Author
9 years ago
My soil is roughly 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 vermiculite in a 14-16" raised bed. The native clay soils here are the reason for that. Good location and at least 8-10 hours of sun per day. The plants are green though I did lose one. I am under the assumption a critter found it because the soil looked disturbed and not much was left other than the roots. The rest appear to be taking their sweet old time. Temps at night have been 50s and maybe lower. I love the way everyone wants to help here! So cool for a newbie like me to learn!

Edit: Is there a simple fix I can do to keep temps up over my plants overnight? Like using gallon jugs that are halved or something? Temps here at night are looking to stay about 60 for the next ten days.

This post was edited by ApacheRosePea00 on Sun, Jun 1, 14 at 19:25
2ajsmama
9 years ago
60 is fine.

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