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New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.

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Old March 30, 2017   #31
Father'sDaughter
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Based on what I've read so far, I would go with too warm and not enough light. In your first post you say they are 3" tall and the picture with the sharpie sort of confirms that.

I grow mine in cooler temperatures (low to mid 60's) with shop lights barely an 1" above the top leaves, and I end up with shorter, but much stockier and leafy seedlings.

From the picture they don't look unhealthy to me, just in need of a little food and a bit more light.
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Old March 30, 2017   #32
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For comparison, here are my three week old re-seeds in an egg carton. The tallest of the bunch is about 1 1/2"

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Old March 30, 2017   #33
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Based on what I've read so far, I would go with too warm and not enough light. In your first post you say they are 3" tall and the picture with the sharpie sort of confirms that.

I grow mine in cooler temperatures (low to mid 60's) with shop lights barely an 1" above the top leaves, and I end up with shorter, but much stockier and leafy seedlings.

From the picture they don't look unhealthy to me, just in need of a little food and a bit more light.
Thanks, FD. I think the heat has something to do with it.. I raised the lights up a bit, now about 2" or so up. Did this mostly because of temperature reasons- very well may undo this.

I've got the temps down so they range from around 73-77... Still higher than yours, but much lower than 90 if you ask me!

I definitely don't over water; I'm wondering if it's possible that I'm under watering? just thinking out loud.

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Old March 30, 2017   #34
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For comparison, here are my three week old re-seeds in an egg carton. The tallest of the bunch is about 1 1/2"

FD, are you saying your lights are 1" or 2" above the seedlings.
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Old March 30, 2017   #35
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FD, are you saying your lights are 1" or 2" above the seedlings.


I keep them about 1" above. I moved them to where the light is higher for their photo op.
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Old March 30, 2017   #36
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AR, What lights are you using?

Bottom heat?
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Old March 30, 2017   #37
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I also vote that you need a new mix. I would re-pot them into a new mix and then give them a light feeding. At this point when you re-pot them, I would give them each their own 4" pot to allow them to grow until you are ready to plant them out.
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Old March 31, 2017   #38
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AR, What lights are you using?

Bottom heat?
5500k T8's, not bottom heat.
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Old March 31, 2017   #39
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How many T8s?
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Old March 31, 2017   #40
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How many T8s?
2, 2 bulbs per shelf. Total of 8 for the 2 trays.
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Old March 31, 2017   #41
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Is it possible that under watering could be playing a role? When I say I let things dry out, I mean I REALLY let things dry out
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Old March 31, 2017   #42
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Feed them, warm them, juice 'em up with something like
Trinity (http://www.aurorainnovations.org/trinity.html I got a sample and it does work),
give 'em a cutoff date for response and have no mercy if they languish.

Start additional trays, neither seeds nor starter mix are precious metals, time is.
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Old March 31, 2017   #43
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For those of you have told me to change the soil, how would I go about doing this? Thinking about changing the soil in these little plants makes me nervous
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Old March 31, 2017   #44
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Also, hypothetically, if the seedlings werent to grow much more and I went ahead and put them in the ground how would they do? Would they grow and catch up just fine? I'm located in central Arkansas, zone 7B.
I'm just asking because I really don't have the time resources or space to start an entire new tray with all new seeds.
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Old March 31, 2017   #45
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For those of you have told me to change the soil, how would I go about doing this? Thinking about changing the soil in these little plants makes me nervous
Just take out the seedling out of its pot. If roots can be seen just plant the whole mass without disturbing it, bury one half of the stem.

If no roots are visible (unlikely) break the mass lightly betwwen your fingers before transplanting.

Add water. Wait till the mix is nearly dry before watering again, the seedling might rot.
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