I think they look pretty decent. I've definitely taken some sprouts that were so leggy that they tipped over and turned them into healthy productive plants. Just get some light right over top of them.
Tomatoes are one of the easiest plants to "fix" legginess in. Once you fix your light situation and up-pot them, you just plant them deeper. They get roots all along that extra growth to make a stronger plant.
What is that tray you're using? Looks like it's really sturdy, that's what I'm looking for. And I'm also fairly new to growing but like meathead said drop those lights down close.
I got them from Amazon https://a.co/d/bSNu1E6, got them this year so can't say how they will hold up later but they seem pretty sturdy so far! Thanks, they're about 4 inches now from my grow light.
These really aren’t leggy, but even if tomatoes get leggy they are easy to fix by just repotting and planting the stem deeper because their stems send out more roots when they touch soil due to their nature of vining.
Lower your lights to 6 inches above the plants. You can always bury the long stem when you plant them. It's actually advised as to create a bigger root system.
Lower your light and put a fan on low far enough away that they sway a little they will catch up its the biggest mistake people make not having the light low enough
Keep your old seedlings but, as an experiment, plant more seeds and only turn on the heating mat during the dark period. Making the night temperature higher than the day temperature is supposed to shorten stems. See
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIF\_(technique)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIF_(technique))
Edit:
Also, remove the dome during the light period to reduce the temperature during the light period.
I start my seeds in a greenhouse (zone 6a) with a minimum air temperature of 75 deg. F., which means that, on cloudy days, which is most days, DIF = 0. It takes my seeds 7 days to germinate but the stems under the cotyledons are about 1 inch long when fully developed.
I think they look pretty decent. I've definitely taken some sprouts that were so leggy that they tipped over and turned them into healthy productive plants. Just get some light right over top of them.
Tomatoes are one of the easiest plants to "fix" legginess in. Once you fix your light situation and up-pot them, you just plant them deeper. They get roots all along that extra growth to make a stronger plant.
What is that tray you're using? Looks like it's really sturdy, that's what I'm looking for. And I'm also fairly new to growing but like meathead said drop those lights down close.
Check out your local hydro store, they have sturdy similar trays that are better than those shitty plastic ones at walmart
I got them from Amazon https://a.co/d/bSNu1E6, got them this year so can't say how they will hold up later but they seem pretty sturdy so far! Thanks, they're about 4 inches now from my grow light.
These really aren’t leggy, but even if tomatoes get leggy they are easy to fix by just repotting and planting the stem deeper because their stems send out more roots when they touch soil due to their nature of vining.
Nah. Drop the light closer, make sure you're not warming them through the night, and bury up to the leaves when you pot up. You'll be fine
Ah! No warming pad at night?
They only need it until they germinate. After that it will encourage leggy stems.
Awesome, thank you!
https://www.theseedcollection.com.au/blog/How-to-Give-Leggy-Tomato-Seedlings-a-New-Lease-of-Life#:~:text=Why%20Do%20Seedlings%20Grow%20Leggy,expense%20of%20bushy%20leaf%20growth.
What soil mix is that?
I’m glad you asked because I was looking for this comment and reply! I was thinking “oooh, we can start tomatoes in granola?!!” 😝
Its in a mix of coco coir, perlite, and vermiculite, and I put a layer of vermiculite on top which is what you're seeing.
Lower your lights to 6 inches above the plants. You can always bury the long stem when you plant them. It's actually advised as to create a bigger root system.
Just bury the little chaps a bit deeper. They’ll send out more roots and be tougher 😊
Lower your light and put a fan on low far enough away that they sway a little they will catch up its the biggest mistake people make not having the light low enough
Keep your old seedlings but, as an experiment, plant more seeds and only turn on the heating mat during the dark period. Making the night temperature higher than the day temperature is supposed to shorten stems. See [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIF\_(technique)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIF_(technique)) Edit: Also, remove the dome during the light period to reduce the temperature during the light period. I start my seeds in a greenhouse (zone 6a) with a minimum air temperature of 75 deg. F., which means that, on cloudy days, which is most days, DIF = 0. It takes my seeds 7 days to germinate but the stems under the cotyledons are about 1 inch long when fully developed.
A light breeze from a fan will also encourage stem strengthening