Pics of the brown stems? I would be curious as to what they look like. I hardened off (for 2 days instead of 2 weeks like I should have) and almost had a similar result. A lot of the younger seedlings quit IRL.

I am usually a horrible failure growing seeds under lights. I have been wintersowing for years.

This year I grew under lights and had some success. I was shocked. I used chamomile tea for some all natural ways to keep mold etc from growing.

I also used 50% of my worm poop mixed with my favorite soil/container mix. It worked great. I just planted out my Alpine tomatoes. Next will be some others.

Don't give up. Keep learning here. Also try some wintersowing next year. It is very easy. I will still grow some under lights but wintersowing is so much easier for me.

A couple did not survive but most of my indoor ones did. However, they are pretty close in size to the wintersown ones.
Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: Wintersow board info

I have been growing from seed for a few years now. I tend to overthink things. So I keep it extra simple for myself. Straight Jiffy potting mix, no additives, no fertilizers. Bottom watering until I pot up, and not watering unless they are good and dry(the cells feel a lot lighter). Lights are on for 12 to 14 hours a day, a couple inches from the plants like yours, a fan if it's convenient. Temps are at room temperature. And I usually harden off for a good 4 to five days. From dappled shade to periods of full sun.

Roomate sabatoge? :)

Kim

Don't give up! I failed on my first batch of seeds a few years ago and had to start over....didn't get a lot that season, but I did learn a lot about growing them from seed. Are you in an area with a fall growing season? You could try again.

I start in the Jiffy pellets (which I know many people HATE, but it works for me...just gotta pull the netting off when I pot them). This year, I did it a bit differently and moved them out onto my shaded porch when they had almost all popped up, bringing them in on cool nights. I also moved them father into the light, and potted them up into cups with miracle grow potting mix when they had a couple sets of true leaves, so there was really no hardening off period when I was ready to put them in the garden because most of their little lives had been outside in the elements and the sun. I never have much luck with the lights, they are always leggy.

Anyway, you just have to find the method that works for you....every season is a learning experience. You will always reflect and find things that went well and things that could be better and make changes for the next season.

This is an instance where it would be helpful to know where you are, and what your weather has been since you planted them out. If they are failures, it may have nothing to do with you at all.

Karendee- Wintersowing is an interesting idea...I honestly know nothing about it but I will certainly look into it. Thanks!

I live in Cincinnati and yes, the weather has been less than pefect this year but they were puny looking before I even put them out. who knows though, maybe the extreme rain this year washed out the nutrients from the soil or something?

Thanks everyone for the help/encouragement! I'll try again next year. The plants are now looking like they'll survive...but they're just so little that I don't think they'll grow big enough before the season ends. Oh, well. To the farmers market, for me!

You can WS toms in Cincinatti, there are many WSers in Ohio. If you want to try it that's great, and I also think you should sow some seeds inside too, but not for comparison of methods. Regardless of what germination methods you'll use, you will always be better the second or third time around. No beginner has an easy time at sprouting seeds, however every year following you do get better at tending your flats. I concur about the cost of heirloom seeds, they can be pricey. That's why WinterSown provides them freely to the public. Use the link for the list and info.

Here is a link that might be useful: YCTS

The seeds survived sprouting and growing under lights and didnt fail untilreplanted out as per "Well finally about a week ago I figured I should go ahead and plant them out if I ever wanted to see an edible tomato, even though they were only about 4 inches tall.

Now they're little brown stems of absolute FAILURE, as I mentioned above. " .. so growing from seeds or under lights is not their problem
,it was what happened at/after plant out ,First do they get watered? Are they diseased ?Can you post a pic ?What zone are you in?

If they are looking like they'll survive and have started growing, even a little, then you WILL get tomatoes this year. They'll spend some time growing a bigger root system, then the top will grow a bit more, and then some really warm weather will hit and you'll see them shoot up to unbelievable heights. You'll be singing the "feed me, Seymour" song as you notice that they've grown more than a foot in a week. Hang in there - growing from seed under lights they usually look spindly and sad, even under banks of 4' VHO t5's, but once the roots expand and the top starts growing again, you've got a very vigorous plant on your hands! You should pat yourself on the back for getting them to the point of being able to plant out - takes a lot of effort to nurture seedlings to that point - and they will pay you back by producing. :-)