Tomato Problem

[stevenh]

Hello all and welcome.

I am an intermediate gardener and have some tomato seedlings that are behind. This is the same rig I have used for several years. They are five weeks since germinating and average around 1 set of true leaves. I am set to 12 inches under a grow light on 12 hours a day in a 65f basement with soil temp at 80f (heat Matt). Fan on low couple hours a day. Carefully bottom watered (not too much and not too little). I thinking lighting is off but honestly at a loss here.

I am always a bit leggy like this and just pot up and they come out fine. I’m just concerned about why I am so far back.

Could it be too much / not enough light? Never been so far behind.

Varieties are San marzano and Roma vf in 2x2 inch soil blocks. Recipe is mostly peat moss with some compost, loam and perlite.

 

[oneeye]

Hello all and welcome.

I am an intermediate gardener and have some tomato seedlings that are behind. This is the same rig I have used for several years. They are five weeks since germinating and average around 1 set of true leaves. I am set to 12 inches under a grow light on 12 hours a day in a 65f basement with soil temp at 80f (heat Matt). Fan on low couple hours a day. Carefully bottom watered (not too much and not too little). I thinking lighting is off but honestly at a loss here.

I am always a bit leggy like this and just pot up and they come out fine. I’m just concerned about why I am so far back.

Could it be too much / not enough light? Never been so far behind.

Varieties are San marzano and Roma vf in 2x2 inch soil blocks. Recipe is mostly peat moss with some compost, loam and perlite.

You need to lower the light friend.

 

[DiggersJo]

They look drawn and cold, so the light looks a good idea. Where do they go next?

 

[Meadowlark]

You need to lower the light friend.

As in make the light closer to the plants...right? Not lessen (lower) the amount of light. Just clarifying

 

[stevenh]

As in make the light closer to the plants...right? Not lessen (lower) the amount of light. Just clarifying

Same question here! I assume reduce height but not aure

 

[Heirloom farmer1969]

I use regular LED shop lights and keep my plants about three or four inches from touching.
With you using grow lights, you need to lower your lights so they'll be 4 to 6 in from your plants.
With some grow lights the seed starting mix can dry out very quickly so make sure to keep it good and moist. Here's what mine looks like planted on March 30 which is about 6 weeks old.