Those think-stemmed, dark green transplants for sale in nurseries

[jasonig]

I grow healthy tomatoes from seedlings and then transplant them to 4 inch pots. I keep it organic, use a grow light and fertilize. The results are nice, healthy, LIGHT GREEN normal size plants that eventually produce well. WHY IS IT that when I go to my local nursery or Home Depot, organic or not, their transplants look like they are on steroids. They are short, fat and dark green as if a tomato is going to pop out of the stems at any minute. Are those transplants healthier than mine? Anyone know how the growers do that? Im developing a complex

[Labradors2]

Jasonig,

You are not alone. I thought I was doing such a great job of raising my tomatoes - until I saw the ones at the "big box" store, exactly as you describe, and putting my seedlings to shame.

My guess is that they use a lot of (chemical) fertilizer.......

Linda

[KarenO]

Professional hockey players play hockey better than I do and professional growers grow seedlings better than I do.
Ideal conditions and scientifically dosed fertilizer is the secret, that and you will only see perfect specimens for sale because they cull anything that is not up to standard.
Regardless, I prefer mine by far
K

[Chucker]

I do pretty well on the dark green part ever since I found a decent liquid fertilizer. I use 5ml/gallon Dyna Gro Liquid Grow (7-9-5) to water the seedlings. I know, they say don't fertilize seedlings, but I don't always listen to what they say.

I don't do well on the short, stocky plants. I could try cold treatment, but I don't have an ideal place to try that. Right now I use regular shop lights and a fan, and my seedlings aren't leggy, but they don't look like little trees either.

I'm going to experiment with different ratios of LEDs on seedlings over the next few months. Supposedly red causes leafy/vegetative growth, blue increases antioxdative capacity but not much growth, and some combination of the two should produce a shorter seedling, hopefully.

[Cole_Robbie]

That's what my plants look like. I sold a lot of them yesterday morning at market, almost everything I took.

Are they overfertilized? Probably, but that is what customers want. No one will buy plants that are the slightest bit yellow.

[NarnianGarden]

My seedlings were very dark, not because of any fertilizer, but because of the growing conditions on my balcony. The sunny location made it possible to have them outdoors very early on.
Your plants will probably look like they're on steroids, too, after several weeks in the sunlight

[Father'sDaughter]

Regardless of how much better they look, they'll never be able to offer the huge variety a lot of us prefer to grow. After hanging out here for a couple of years, I could never go back to being limited to only the varieties for sale locally even if the seedling do (initially) look more robust than mine.

[rnewste]

Remember that Jimmy Soul song from the 60's: "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life - get an ugly woman to be your wife" - sorry, I can't sing it; dear Wife is sitting here next to me at the moment. Same applies to tomato seedlings!

Raybo

[feldon30]

I spoke to someone who used to work for Bonnie's. She said that they do cold treatments and apply growth inhibitor to slow down the growth of the plants.

[Sodak]

what is "growth inhibitor?"
It must be short term.

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by Sodak

what is "growth inhibitor?"
It must be short term.

from the Annie's Annuals website:
"Here at "Annie's," we grow most of our plants the old fashioned way - from seed - in the wind, rain and sun (no greenhouses), so your plants are already "hardened off," healthy and strong when you take them home. All of our plants are grown in 4" pots without the use of growth regulating hormones, commonly sprayed on almost all annuals and most perennials by large scale growers. These growth regulators slow plant growth and extend "shelf life" but can lead to disappointing results in our gardens."

[heirloomtomaguy]

I like to keep the grow lights 1 inch above the plants for 17 hours a day at all times. I start them from seed in a screened mix of fox farm ocean forest, worm castings, and coco coir. I always have a constant breeze blowing on them to promote strong stems and to help keep them cool. If they get to warm they will be leggy. They may not be as dark green as home depot's plants but they will far out perform them any day of the week. No growth inhibitors necessary.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by Sodak

what is "growth inhibitor?"
It must be short term.

Growth inhibitors are a chemical application to keep plants compact. Plants have a natural growth regulator in them called cytokinins. Here is an explanation of them. Some are used as a drench in the soil others are sprayed on the foliage and yes, there is only a specific amount of time they actually keep a plant compact.

http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-sci...lePage=9435376


I don't use them here in my greenhouse at all. I think it is very deceptive to sell something that in two or three weeks when the chemical is no longer effective and looks like it exploded and the customer wonders what did they do wrong, because their flowers look messy???!!!???... Now they are great for poinsettia crops, but that is the only thing I can honestly say I think the product is great for since few people expect to keep their poinsettia past the holidays.

As for being so dark of green they also spray on the foliage a 20-20-20 spray to get the dark green that they are. I do spray a foliar feed when they are looking a little peaked when we miss the fertilizer application in the water. (my DH doesn't put enough in the bucket)... or they turn purple form the cold weather and can't get enough phos. in them. Within a few days the difference is quite noticeable and I can see where some where missed then it takes a while for those to catch back up. But once they are in the garden is when the best growth occurs. I planted 50 peppers on Wed? of last week and on Monday of this week another 50 in the next row. The difference between the two rows was stunning. No amount of fertilizer makes up for more root growth in the garden.

[Sodak]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Growth inhibitors are a chemical application to keep plants compact. Plants have a natural growth regulator in them called cytokinins. Here is an explanation of them. Some are used as a drench in the soil others are sprayed on the foliage and yes, there is only a specific amount of time they actually keep a plant compact.

http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-sci...lePage=9435376


I don't use them here in my greenhouse at all. I think it is very deceptive to sell something that in two or three weeks when the chemical is no longer effective and looks like it exploded and the customer wonders what did they do wrong, because their flowers look messy???!!!???... Now they are great for poinsettia crops, but that is the only thing I can honestly say I think the product is great for since few people expect to keep their poinsettia past the holidays.

As for being so dark of green they also spray on the foliage a 20-20-20 spray to get the dark green that they are. I do spray a foliar feed when they are looking a little peaked when we miss the fertilizer application in the water. (my DH doesn't put enough in the bucket)... or they turn purple form the cold weather and can't get enough phos. in them. Within a few days the difference is quite noticeable and I can see where some where missed then it takes a while for those to catch back up. But once they are in the garden is when the best growth occurs. I planted 50 peppers on Wed? of last week and on Monday of this week another 50 in the next row. The difference between the two rows was stunning. No amount of fertilizer makes up for more root growth in the garden.

thank you!

[Sun City Linda]

I have heard "growth inhibitor" perhaps that it what makes the plants grow so stocky and buff.