[Flowertot]

This is my first year trying to grow tomatoes. I'm not growing them on the allotment as I can't get there often enough to water regularly. Instead I've sown seeds at home and the seedlings are currently on the kitchen window sill waiting until I can harden them off to plant outside in pots.  They are now about 20-25cm high and healthy but rather leggy and bendy. They were sown in mid-late March and were potted on into 9cm pots on 9 April. I know it's too cold for them to go outside now so should I leave them all leggy until it is warm enough or pot them on again into bigger pots in the meantime? And if I should, can I plant them deeper so they're not so leggy?  All help appreciated.

[LotuSeed]

Plant them deeper.  Deep enough so that they aren't flopping over willy-nilly.  They should send out roots from whatever part of the stem touches the soil.

[mumofstig]

If the roots have filled the pots then I'd pot them on, deeper.

If they haven't filled the pots yet, then I'd just leave them for now.

[JayG]

Although it can also be caused by starvation, 'early' legginess in warmth-loving plants is nearly always caused by insufficient light - make sure you've got them on the sunniest window sill available, and don't forget the aluminium foil reflectors on the room side of the plants - not pretty, but it does almost double the amount of light falling on the plants.

[3759allen]

too much light from one direction i would say, usual for things on window sills.

i've put a mirror behind the the table i'm growing my seedlings on to reflect the light back, saves messing around with foil.

i now do most of my tomatoes late as i find they make better and healthier plants, i just do a couple early to get a small early crop. i will be doing them this weekend and straight out into the polly tunnel. no need for faffing.

[compostqueen]

I buried mine up to their scraggy little necks yesterday. They'll be fine 

[Flowertot]

Thank you all. I'm sure you're right and it's due to insufficient light. CQ - when you say

up to their scraggy little necks

do you mean just up to their first leaves or do you mean even higher?

[DD.]

As deep as you can!

[Growster...]

You can plant them out by laying them flat in a small 'trench', bury most of the stem, and gently bend up the top few inches.

They'll then grow upwards normally, and have the benefit of a lot of stem underground to grow additional roots!

It does work, and is a good way to use up all the straggly toms at the end of the planting season, if you have room, that is!

[Sadgit]

Mine are in a right state. I left them on the patio over night Thursday as I was out and forgot they were there and we had -2C, so have left them outside until now, when I put them in my unheated greenhouse.

If I get any real plants it will be a miracle. Gutted

Chilli plants are fine

[compostqueen]

Mine got left out too and they went a bit pale and dehydrated looking but they've rallied and they're fine now.  Don't give up on em 

[Hampshire Hog]

Good reminder! I potted on mine today they seem happy in conservatory with no heat but I'm sure they will like the bigger pots. A bit of a game at present open the consevatory windows in day then remember to shut them at night.....too hot or too cold if I forget😱😱😱😱😱

Cheers HH