So Disappointed :((((((

[Norm]

I planted tomato seedlings in early spring ( see photos here ) . They were doing ok, had lights going, moved them near window as we started getting more sun etc (still had lights on). At some point they just stopped growing, they were getting watered, diluted liquid fish fertilizer etc but I don't know what happened. The pots were sized ok I think (see pictures) .

Theres only one tipping point I can think of when the growth started going sideways - when I added this grow light. I felt as if the leaves were curling or not growing the way I had seen the seedlings grow before I added the light. I didn't see this light do anything for my seedlings. However, I do want to mention that the plants loved this one. I had bought it from Costco and it was just sitting around. I used it on the plants and they loved it.

At this point I'm really disappointed. Im just going to take them all and throw them out into the ground and see what happens, if any live that would be great.

I'd like to get this figured out though for next year...I really want some good tasting tomato plants, tired of the bland store stuff.

Also, I'd like to mention - stay away from those junk peat pots. they take away moisture from the soil (damn!), attract mold/fungus around them, hard to take out of when replanting. There are posts about these elsewhere on the site.

Norm.

 

[Tech]

I'll take a shot in the dark and say that the downfall was a combination of things. A plant under a weak light will continue to grow leggy, so I don't suspect the light and curling leafs is a sign of over fertilization or watering.

Actually I just looked at when you posted your original thread, it was March 8th. Your plants can only get so big in those pots and would have stopped growing long before now which would explain things. 2 months (possibly 3 by the looks of it) is a long time to house plants in those pots unless your growing in ideal conditions.

A 2-4 inch pot would yield a 6 inch plant in about a month before it stopped growing and a 4 inch pot would do about the same except a bit bigger. (not factoring legginess) A month and a half in and their growth would be pretty much capped.

 

[Norm]

Hmmm, I stopped worrying about them when they stopped growing. When I tried taking them outside for hardening on 6 weeks of keeping them indoors, they just went limp in 1 hr of keeping outside so I got them back in. I guess, I'll try to put them in the ground and see what happens.

 

[Tech]

For next year, aim for a month to a month and a half from seed to seedling before setting outdoors. That's plenty of time, any extra isn't really necessary and usually isn't worth the time or space for housing them. Back in the day I used to have the worst window sill to grow on, any longer then a month on that sill was really pushing it.

 

[Norm]

I'll go out and buy some from a nursery for this year I think, I hate the feeling of not having anything this year.

Out of this small disappointment, I got a sense of sinking loss farmers must feel when at time they lose their entire crop to whatever. We should reflect more on how food gets to our table.

 

[headfullofbees]

. We should reflect more on how food gets to our table.

And remember that it's a totally different route to the one we take.