Need advice overgrown Tomatoe plants

gregory · March 4, 2015

I started my plants a little later then it's suggested in our area.
When I repotted to 3 1/2 and 4 inch pots I used miracle grow potting soil.
They took off, and this past Saturday I started the hardening process.
At that point a third of the plants mainly the black Cherrys were 19-20 inches tall.

For the last few nights the temps were in the higher 50's and during the day 65-69 with cloudy skies and very high humidity. Tomorrow a front is moving in temps and it
Will dip anywhere from 30-33. Plus the winds will be quite high along with some rain so I brought them inside this evening. Now I recently dropped my shelf on the seed rack to 30 inches. It's not enough. Those same plants are now 26 or higher.

My other issue was the rain we got last week and I was able to till under my cover crop of Crimson clover and added compost I made last summer this part Sunday. Plus we got a fair amount on Monday maybe an inch. I don't know how much rain we will receive tomorrow. Hopefully the front will move thru quickly. So now I have to hope by Sunday the garden will be dry enough to plant the tomatoes.

If not and I have around 70-72 plants someone mentioned cutting off the tops and it would not hurt the plant. As it is when I turn on the shoplights tomorrow some of them will be on top of the t-8 bulbs

Any advice is appreciated.

March 4, 2015	#1
gregory Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: mobile zone 8 Posts: 83	Need advice overgrown Tomatoe plants I started my plants a little later then it's suggested in our area. When I repotted to 3 1/2 and 4 inch pots I used miracle grow potting soil. They took off, and this past Saturday I started the hardening process. At that point a third of the plants mainly the black Cherrys were 19-20 inches tall. For the last few nights the temps were in the higher 50's and during the day 65-69 with cloudy skies and very high humidity. Tomorrow a front is moving in temps and it Will dip anywhere from 30-33. Plus the winds will be quite high along with some rain so I brought them inside this evening. Now I recently dropped my shelf on the seed rack to 30 inches. It's not enough. Those same plants are now 26 or higher. My other issue was the rain we got last week and I was able to till under my cover crop of Crimson clover and added compost I made last summer this part Sunday. Plus we got a fair amount on Monday maybe an inch. I don't know how much rain we will receive tomorrow. Hopefully the front will move thru quickly. So now I have to hope by Sunday the garden will be dry enough to plant the tomatoes. If not and I have around 70-72 plants someone mentioned cutting off the tops and it would not hurt the plant. As it is when I turn on the shoplights tomorrow some of them will be on top of the t-8 bulbs Any advice is appreciated. __________________ Zone 8 Mobile AL