Those are some beautiful tomato plants. I aspire to be able to grow vegetables like that. I start with seeds, but my seedlings die. Any tips on nurturing seedlings?
You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
Those are some beautiful tomato plants. I aspire to be able to grow vegetables like that. I start with seeds, but my seedlings die. Any tips on nurturing seedlings?
We can fix that @mombliss, stick with me!
I'll give you a run down of some essentials for seedlings:
• start with an appropriate sized cell for what your growing - is it recommended to transplant or direct-sow what seeds you are growing? I find 2"w X 2"h is great for starting tomatoes, peppers, And other nightshades. Larger containers for starting seed can pose a problem - they are harder to control moisture consistency.
• watering is key - keep the soil moist to the touch, but not soaked. Water seedlings from the bottom, via drain holes in the botto of the container and a saucer to fill with water. It encourages roots to direct growth downward, seeking water. Tomato plants like to dry out a bit, so tomato seedlings should appear dry on the soil surface before watering. If possible, wait until you observe them slightly wilt if posible. I recommended this only if you can watch the closely (e.g. In a windowsill or high trafficked area).
• Chamomile tea! Using a tablespoon or two of chamomile tea per gallon of water won't hurt! I use this mild chamomile solution to water seedlings and it prevents damping-off disease (a soil borne fungus). It is virtually impossible to reverse, but it is entirely preventable. It is a fungal disease caused mostly by overwatering.
• wet the planting medium thouroughly before planting and do not water again until the tomato seedling sprouts the two cotyledons (round leaves) and plant medium appears dry to the touch.
• soak your seeds - float test - take a small cup of water, drop tomato seeds in it over night, tap all floating seeds - the ones that sink after 24 hours are generally viable seed and the ones that do not are usually not. I never count them out, but your odds are decreased.
• I germinate this way and it works! PAPER TOWEL folded into quarters. Soak it in warm or even hot water if your hands can stand it. Squeeze water out until the towel is damp. Place seeds 1" apart or more - they appreciate space. Fold the moist paper towel over seeds and place into a plastic sealable bag. Place this in a warm place - somewhere you will remember to check frequently after 24 hours. Near an appliance that radiates heat is perfect and is out of direct sunlight. Check them 24-48 hours after closing. Once a "tail" or taproot has formed, it is time to plant! At this point, it will look like a seed with a tail. It is important to handle the seedling with tweezers, by the shell. Be careful not to touch the root with your fingers. You'll want to plant that tail facing downwards and cover with soil - slightly depressing the soil is all you need, no need to firm the soil or tamp it. Make sure soil medium is not dry - wait for sprout! The sprout is simply two cotyledons (the round looking leaves) followed by the first set of 'true leaves' which look more like tomato leaf of whichever variety you've chosen.
• Let there be light! The right kind of light is important. To grow seedlings, you need a light source and the right color temperature bulb. Look for 6500kelvin color temp. I like to use cheap brooder lamps with a 6500k CFL bulb. If you've got a lot of seedlings, you can use a shop light, T5,T8 will do. You want to give them enough light and the right kind. Plants growing vegetatively will prefer a more bluish light, so keep in mind that 4000k is neutral (white) and anything from 5k and up is going to contain more blue. Feel free to ask any questions that you might have!
If you have any problems at all, please feel free to toss questions at me! We can get you growing like a pro in no time, believe me! No question is a stupid question because I've already asked them all 😋.