Too Tall Seedlings?

[pdxwindjammer]

This is only my second year growing tomatoes by seed. I potted them in a 16 oz cup, half full with seed starting mix. I checked them all on Friday and nothing was up. I was away for the weekend and returned and almost ALL of them are up!

In less than 48 hours almost all of them are over an inch in height! I don't want spindly plants. Should I add potting soil to them now or wait until I repot them?

I have my lighting system set up. When should I place them under the lights?

Thanks for helping a somewhat newbie to tomato seed starting!

[matermaniac]

I would get them under the lights now. When the plants don't have enough light, the keep growing until they find enough. By putting them under the lights now, you'll give them what they're looking for. And they will stay compact and begin to grow like they should.

I have my lights about 6 or 7 inches above the plants and they are reponding well to it.
Good luck.

[Worth1]

If they are florescent then the soil needs to be at the top of the cup and it wont hurt the plant to almost touch the light.

[pdxwindjammer]

Okay, thanks! I am so surprised they are this tall already! I checked every single pot on Friday night and NOTHING was up! Now almost everything is up.

So, I stick them under the lights tomorrow, right?

Do I refrain from adding potting soil until I repot the seedlings?

[dustdevil]

You put them under lights as soon as they sprout from the soil. 12-14 hours of light per day works well for most tomato seedlings. If the soil is down an inch from the cup top, don't worry about it.

[pdxwindjammer]

Dustdevil, as mentioned in my OP, the soil mix is only half full in the cup. Should I add soil now?

[dustdevil]

I'd peel down the cup to an acceptable level and repot later. Otherwise, I'd take a spoon and lift the sprout with a bunch of soil around it, lay down some more mix in cup, and then place plug with sprout on top.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by dustdevil

I'd peel down the cup to an acceptable level and repot later. Otherwise, I'd take a spoon and lift the sprout with a bunch of soil around it, lay down some more mix in cup, and then place plug with sprout on top.

I agree.

Worth

[pdxwindjammer]

Sorry for asking so many questions. Now some of my sprouts are 2 inches tall! Just at the top of the 16 oz cup! Should I still just lift it out with soil, put more soil mix in and place plug on top?

I keep reading about burying up to the top leaves to create a good root base. Is that only done once the true leaves emerge?

Thanks!

[dustdevil]

I usually repot them down to the first true leaves when they are about a month old.

[nctomatoman]

One or two inches are fine - all of mine are that height. Once they get under fluorescent lights, or into the sun, they will slow down their stretching. As others have said, when you plant or transplant, just plant them deep.

[pdxwindjammer]

Thanks so much! They seem to be happy under the lights. It is amazing how much these little buggers grow within such a short period of time!

Now we just need some sunshine and warm weather to heat up the soil around here!