[rhysdad]

Can i have opinions please. These toms were sown 6/3/2010 and are already almost 2inches tall!! They are indoors in front of foil bathed in sunshine nearly all day. Are they going leggy and should i pot them on as they are reaching for the skies at the moment!!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2720/4436574646_0c568aa367_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4435798493_e770197d3f_b.jpg

Kind regards, RD.

[viettaclark]

My Tumbling Toms (planted 5th Feb) are the same height as yours but have 2 sets of proper leaves on now. They're on the kitchen sill. The Sungold and Ailsa Craig (planted 2nd March) are in the living room above a radiator and are very leggy.
 I water from the bottom.
I think it's either too warm (and I'm going to switch off the radiator) or it's the type of tomato....bush or cordon....

[vegmandan]

I think it's probably a bit too warm at night when there's no light.

I must admit mine are pretty similar,but If you don't have a greenhouse what can you do.

[rhysdad]

I think it's probably a bit too warm at night when there's no light.

I must admit mine are pretty similar,but If you don't have a greenhouse what can you do.

It's about 19°c indoors at night at the mo. Too warm? Maybe i should cart them downstairs....??

Do you think i should pot them on though? They only have cotyledons so far.

[peapod]

Do you think i should pot them on though? They only have cotyledons so far.

Can you gently press the compost down around them and add more to the pot?

[Lardman]

Are those the pots they were germinated in ? They're reaching a bit, but as ever it can be fixed by potting them on burying them up to their necks.

If you can keep them cooler and with more light though thats all the better.

[rhysdad]

Do you think i should pot them on though? They only have cotyledons so far.

Can you gently press the compost down around them and add more to the pot?

That's not a bad idea, i could try that actually. It'll help eh? Thanks peapod! So you think a bit too early to transplant yet?

[peapod]

With the cotyledons stage yes, they are ridiculously fragile IME at that time, and there's not a huge amount of time to get some more started off. 

Careful the soil is not too wet though, and avoid touching the stems

[sclarke624]

Mine are always leggy but I never have much of a prob with them.  When I pot them on I bury the stem a bit deeper.  Mine are worse than yours, so don't worry too much.

[8doubles]

They look perfectly normal to me. When you pot them on pot them deep.

[rhysdad]

They look perfectly normal to me. When you pot them on pot them deep.

That's reassuring, thanks I was up at 5am today filling the pots they are in a bit more and they look much happier for it. Will wait for true leaves before potting on. Thanks for all the tips etc!!

[Kristen]

I agree, just plant them up to their seed leaves when you pot them on. That goes for pretty much anything, but Tomatoes won't mind being planted deeper still - right up to the first true leaves when you plant them into their final pots / position.

Don't plant Cucumbers any deeper than their seed leaves though - they hate getting their stems damp ...

[Babstreefern]

I've just this week planted my toms - about 3 weeks later than last year.

I have mine in the conservatory on the windowsill.  They only get the warmth from the sun through the window, but very cool during the night, and they usually do well.

[sclarke624]

Plus I forgot to say those hairy bits on the stem can form roots as well so if buried deeper so they will be more stable anyway.  And don't forget when they are bigger if you break of a bit of stem by accident, the broken bit roots really easily if planted.  When I rooted broken bits they caught up with their much bigger parents.

[prakash_mib]

I dont think they are leggy. Looks like strong plant to me. Mine was an inch and half tall first before spurting true leaves. The stems look good purple which indicates they are strong. Not white as a leggy one would go.