Thicker stems = more maters?

[dcarch]

Thicker stems = more maters?

Seed starting will begin soon in many areas. I will be starting in another couple of weeks.

I have read so much here that many of you use fans to blow at seedlings to make the stems sturdier; some of you brush or caress them to achieve the same.

My question is, has there been any study done to show that this will in fact result in more or better tomatoes? Or just better looking seedlings?

I don’t know much, but wouldn’t it be true that what will give you more tomatoes is more roots, not bigger stems?

Will brushing the seedlings give you more roots also?

Sorry for the silly question.

dcarch

[Rena]

Never a silly question!


Some articles:
A gardener once sent an email describing what she referred to as tickling her tomato plants to toughen them up. I thought that was a perfect visual image of her process for “stimulating stronger plant growth,” which involved lightly running her fingers across the tops of the young tomato seedlings.
Weight Training for Tomato Seedlings

The purpose of tickling the tomato plants after they have developed a few true leaves is to stimulate the tomato plants to develop stronger and thicker stems that can hold up when exposed to breezes, wind, and other weather conditions that the tomato seedlings will experience when placed outdoors.
Gently roughing up the plants in this manner will provide a signal to the young tomato seedlings that things will not continue to be as easy as life on a grow cart in a still room. In response they will grow stockier and sturdier to withstand your daily jostling.
Without this toughening up the tomato transplants are likely to droop and flop over with even a brief exposure to outdoor conditions. Start the treatments at least a couple of weeks before you begin setting the plants outdoors as part of the hardening off process. It only takes a few seconds a couple of times each day to strengthen and stimulate those tomato plants.
Alternatives for Mature Tomato Growers

If you feel a tad bit silly about tickling your tomato plants here are a couple of alternatives that will accomplish the same objective. Lightly and gently run a stick across the tops of the tomato seedlings a couple of times each day.
Or set up a fan in the room where you grow your transplants to circulate mild air currents in the room. Just don’t aim the fan directly at the plants for extended periods of time and make sure that the air currents circulating throughout the room are gentle.


Abstract: A study was carried out on tomato from January to February 2001 in Albenga (Italy), an important area of horticultural greenhouse production with a Mediterranean climate but with low-light periods during winter time. Two treatments were considered: mechanically conditioned plants and control plants (with no chemical growth regulator application), using 30- and 60-mm high seedlings. The brushing system consisted of a machine moving over the benches by 4 wheels. An adjustable woody bar was mounted to brush the plant apexes. Plants under the brushing treatments were brushed everyday for 30 minutes at sunrise and 30 minutes prior to sunset. Periodical samplings were performed measuring plant height. Brushed tomato transplants showed a significant reduction in stem length compared to their respective non-treated controls in interaction with tomato plant age. Brushing effects appeared 35 days after the treatment, starting in 30-mm high seedlings, while in 60-mm high seedlings, the effects appeared 21 days after the treatment. At transplanting, 30-mm high brushed seedlings were 39 mm shorter than their respective non-treated controls (32% less), while 60-mm high brushed seedlings were 89 mm shorter than their respective non-treated controls (53% less). Brushing can be a valuable tool to keep short tomato transplants, capable to overcome stresses at transplanting.

Publisher: Società Orticola Italiana
EDITED to say that I use fans all over the place. I use them in the Ghouse and on the light stand. I move them all over and I turn them on and off when I think about it.

[bcday]

A seedling with a thin floppy stem is more easily damaged. And if the stems are weak and thin, usually the leaves are also thin and fragile. Seedlings with thick sturdy stems have been exposed to the kind of growing conditions that promote healthy foliage as well. So, my theory is thicker stems = healthier plant = tomatoes sooner = more tomatoes over the season, than a skinny fragile plant that has some catching up and adjusting to do when both types are planted out.

[Worth1]

I think this is a trap question.

Worth

[Soilsniffer]

I'm wondering if thickening the stems is important at all, since we bury practically the whole thing at the last transplant. So it becomes a thicker root. Is that good? Probably irrelevant, I say.

I will grant I may be rationalizing, as I don't tickle, blow on, or otherwise violate my tomato plants. We're just friends.

J

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by Soilsniffer

-----------as I don't tickle, blow on, or otherwise violate my tomato plants. We're just friends.
J

Just friends !! too funny! You tickle me!
-----------------
I can see making dwarf ones with stronger stems, but for all the others, you are going to stake them anyway, so unless you get more production (which I think should be more roots and not larger stems), why do it?

dcarch

[Rena]

We could start a support group for those that feel strange about it.... Try telling your neighbors who already think you are a nut about you feeling up your mater plants

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by Rena

We could start a support group for those that feel strange about it.... Try telling your neighbors who already think you are a nut about you feeling up your mater plants

You are slected to be the T.T.T. *

* Tomato Ticklers' Therapist.

dcarch

[Worth1]

The new Paris Hilton tomato with a thinner more attractive stem.
I like a tomato with a little meat on its stem myself.

Worth

[peispud]

The idea of stimulating a tomato plant to encourage
growth started in greenhouses where the plants closest
to the asiles showed thicker growth than the plants
that were not getting "rubbed". This growth was caused
by people rubbing against the plants when they went
past the plants and the plants growing thicker because
they needed to replace broken branches and leaves.

[barkeater]

Thicker stems = thicker stems.

A healthy transplant will take off quicker, and give an overall superior result than a weak seedling. Thickness of stem is a good indicator of a healthy plant, but is not a necessary determinate of total plant health. If you want answers, you have to get to the root of situation.

In other words, a thick stem sure doesn't hurt, but root health is where its at.

[montanamato]

The thicker stems may not directly cause more tomatoes ,but the thicker stemmed plants will have better odds at holding those tomatoes up if the plant should be so blessed...Probably why I favor determinates ,semi determinates, and dwarfs. I don't often have time for tickling or staking , and 40mph winds are just breezes here...

Jeanne

[Tomstrees]

Thicker stems just make better transplants in my opinion : won't break in the wind - or snap if it rains too hard - can be handled easier ...

I'd say my best / most productive plants have always
come from a "good start"...

~ Tom

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by Tomstrees

Thicker stems just make better transplants in my opinion : won't break in the wind - or snap if it rains too hard - can be handled easier ...------------~ Tom

I don't know if thicker stem seedlings will result in plants with thicker stems after they are transplanted and staked.

The following are additional questions which are arousing my curiosity:

1. Will blowing air over seedlings increases the possibility of air-borne diseases?
2. Will you get better results if the electric power for the fan is used to power additional lights instead?
3. Will the rapid drying of the growing medium by the fan and cycling of watering be a disadvantage?


dcarch

[kygreg]

I tried tickling my plants and being just friends, but it didnt work, things got complicated.

Worth - if you like the ones with meat on them you might want to try the Dolly Parton -- lol