Plant bush varieties 24 inches apart. If you’re growing vining tomatoes, space them 24 to 48 inches apart in rows 4 to 5 feet apart. Alternatively, space tomatoes according to the final growing dimensions on the seed packet or plant label. For example, space plants of a variety that grows 2 feet wide 2 feet apart.
How do you plant stocky tomato seedlings?
To ensure the tomato plants grow stocky, not spindly, keep the young plants only a couple of inches from fluorescent grow lights. You will need to raise the lights (or lower the plants) as the seedlings grow.
How big should my tomato seedlings be before transplanting?
3 to 4 inches tall
Tomatoes are ready for transplanting into the garden when the seedlings are 3 to 4 inches tall, and the nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees.
Do tomato seedlings need to be thinned?
Tomatoes can be a bit finicky even for the best of growers. We like to thin our seedlings to give our ‘maters a boost in their infancy. While it might feel counterintuitive to tear out the little seedlings, removing excess tomato seedlings will allow each plant sufficient space, sunlight, and nutrients to grow.
How do you stop tomato seedlings from growing too tall?
ANSWER: You can prevent your tomatoes from growing too tall by pruning them. Pruning also encourages the plant to grow fruits instead of creating more foliage. Always use clean, sterilized shears when you prune to avoid spreading disease in your garden.
How deep do you plant tomato seedlings?
Plant Tomatoes Deep, Deep, Deep. Each Bonnie tomato label urges you to plant tomatoes deep, so that a full 2/3 of the plant is underground. That means that if you buy a 10-inch tall plant, all but the top three to four inches is buried.
How big should seedlings be before transplanting?
about 2-3 inches high
Before you Transplant. As noted above, make sure that your seedling is about 2-3 inches high before transplanting. We also recommend transplanting a seedling after its two “true leaves” first come out. True leaves are the leaves that grow after the initial seed’s cotyledon leaves come out.
How often should I water tomato seedlings?
Water newly planted tomatoes well to make sure soil is moist and ideal for growing. Early in the growing season, watering plants daily in the morning. As temperatures increase, you might need to water tomato plants twice a day. Garden tomatoes typically require 1-2 inches of water a week.
What happens if you cut the top off of a tomato plant?
To speed ripening late in the season, remove the growing tip of each main stem about four weeks before the first expected fall frost. Called “topping,” this type of pruning causes the plant to stop flowering and setting new fruit, and instead directs all sugars to the remaining fruit.
Why are my tomatoes not bushy?
Many tomato plants lose their lower leaves to yellowing, so this is less of a worry than you may think. The growth habit — tall but not bushy — may be natural for this variety or it may indicate that your plants are not getting enough light and are becoming leggy.
What do you do with bushy tomato plants?
As numerous branches begin to flop over the cage from your indeterminate varieties (the type that keeps on growing), take a deep breath and consider cutting some or all of the branches off near the top of their cage support. While pruning stimulates new growth, it takes courage to cut off tomato laden branches.
When should you repot tomato seedlings?
When should you repot tomato seedlings? Tomato seedlings are ready to be transplanted when they are at least 3 inches tall, and have their first true leaves, which are the second and subsequent sets of leaves that appear.
How long does it take for tomato seedlings to get true leaves?
About 10-14 days
About 10-14 days after germination, your tomato seedlings will get their first true leaves. At this point, you’ll need to consider nutrition, depending on whether your seed starting mix did or did not contain nutrition.
When should I separate tomato seedlings?
You want to give your tomatoes plenty of time to grow in some healthy roots before you pull them apart. So once your plants are about 4-6 inches tall and have their second set of leaves you’re good to go.
What happens if you don’t Thin seedlings?
When left un-thinned, seedlings that are in tight quarters will compete with one another for nutrients, water, air, and root space. Those are not things you want to deprive your seedlings of! In addition to concerns about competition, crowding seedlings also increases the risk for disease.
Why are my tomato seedlings leggy?
Why Do Seedlings Grow Leggy? The main cause of leggy seedlings is a lack of light. As the seedlings grow, they push upward in search of direct sunlight, and in dim conditions, this is a never-ending effort. The stems will keep growing longer and longer at the expense of bushy leaf growth.
Should you top tomato seedlings?
Some gardeners also find that their tomato plants produce more new flowers more when topped, resulting in more new fruit. Topping tomatoes can also help fruit ripen faster. It allows the plants to withstand the elements better as well.
Why are my seedlings tall and leggy?
Causes of Leggy Seedlings
Legginess is caused by a lack of sunlight or by light that is either too weak or indirect to meet the plant’s needs. The stems grow thin because the plant is desperately reaching its leaves towards the light.
Can I plant leggy seedlings deeper?
Most leggy seedlings can be be fixed by transplanting them deeper into pots, planting the seedlings so the soil level comes partway up the leggy stems. This is a great way to fix leggy tomato seedlings or plants as tomatoes can form roots up the length of the stem.
What happens if you plant tomatoes too deep?
However, it is possible to plant tomatoes too deep. If you bury the whole tomato plant, it will die from lack of light. If you only leave the top meristem (growing tip), you are unnecessarily hindering its growth while also exposing the meristem to risk of being eaten or damaged.
Do tomatoes grow better in pots or in the ground?
Tomato plants perform best in soil that is loose, rich, and drains well, which means they translate easily to container gardens—especially more compact determinate tomatoes, or bush varieties. Indeterminate tomato varieties that grow larger have more extensive root systems and do better planted directly in the ground.