Tomato issues

sugardumpling

I started from see end of march.  things were progessing nicely but we still get very cold/almost frost nights by us.  the one day i put them outside they wilted in a few hours due to the chill in the afternoon air.  i've kept them inside but they are floppy and leggy. (i've had them in a temp controlled room under a grow light).  what have i done wrong and is there any way to salvage them?  some of the sprouts are getting tangled with its neighbor and i keep separating them at night.  any info would be great. thanks.

kastle

I'm not sure you can save them.  It sounds like they were put out too early & then didn't get enough light (since they are leggy).  You could *try* and plant the sturdiest ones...you need to plant tomatoes deep anyways, so that may help?

Hey Jellisy

If the legginess is the issue, they can be salvaged.  When you plant put the leggy part of the stem horizontally under the dirt with the true leaves just above the soil.  Tomatoes will grown roots from the buried part of the stem and this will create a much stronger and hardy plant.  Is your frost free date May 31st?  I think that's what it is for Plattsburgh. Continue hardening them off and plant outside around your frost free date.  If you have water walls, cloches or other protection, you can plant now with these items. 

schoolsoutbride

Ditto the planting horizontally, except if you prune off the bottom 2 leaves, good strong roots will grow from there too. That's only if you have a few leaves, though. 

To avoid legginess, try using grow lights but turning them off at night. Youc an also put a gentle fan on them to toughen them up.  I ended up dividing and transplanting mine before transplanting outside.

How much longer do you have to worry about frost?  Our date is May 20th (ish), but I planted outside mid-march in Walls of water (they act like little greenhouses.)  Probably too late for this year, but something to try next year.

sugardumpling

thanks ladies. this is my first time starting anything from seed. I have never heard of walls of water.  will look into it.   i am a bit further south of Plattsburgh but we had a frost warning just this morning unitl 7 am.