Why don't mine look like their's

[Icormond]

I have been growing tomatoes from seed for the last 2 years. I follow all the recommended procedures, use soiless media, don’t over water and don’t add fertilizer. When the babies sprout I keep them warm and transplant them into larger pots using more soiless media when they get their true leaves. I keep them under a florescent light at a distance of one inch. I put them outside when they are big enough. As I live in Florida so the temp is usually ok.

Here’s my frustration. When I go to Lowes or Home Depot and look at the plants that they are selling they look so much greener and the stucks seem to be thicker.

What am I doing wrong??

[huntoften]

Professional greenhouse growers have lots of tricks up their sleeves..perfect conditions, much longer growing time, the way they handle their plants, etc.

However...don't fret. Put your home potted up 6-8 week old seedling in the same bed and by the end of May, you won't know the difference. By the end of June...yours will out produce the store bought plant likely. Slow and steady wins the race!

[Icormond]

Thanks. I guess I was looking for some of these tricks. Probably the best thing I can do is try not to compare

[Farmette]

I start my seeds in soiless media, but use a mix that includes soil when I transplant them into larger pots. I also fertilize at that point and put them outside for increasingly longer periods of time. Obviously, I bring them in if there is going to be a bad storm or alot of wind. A normal amount of wind makes them stronger. I have been using this method for the past 2 years and my plants look much better than those at the stores. I don't know, but maybe the lack of soil and/or fertilizer when potting up, the timing or amount of time outside or the combination of all three are having an impact on your plants. I would be interested in what others think too.

[Gobig_or_Gohome_toms]

This year I am experimenting with my seeds and as said above growing conditions are fators in stalky green plants. My basment here is a cool 58-60 degrees and I started seedlings on march 6th, 13th, and 20th (not in the basement). My plant out date is around May 15th. The march 6th date is very early for me to be starting but spring fever hit when I planted my pepper seeds. What I did with the first plants sowed on march 6th is I moved them to the basement when they were about 2 inches tall they are now about 5 inches and dark green and stalky and have grown very slowly. I still have 4 weeks to go so I hope the slow growing continues and they are just developing roots at this point. My seeds sown on the 13th are now probably 4 inches and I plan on moving them to the basement in the next day or two. My seeds sown on the 20th are about 1-2 inches and might need to be moved downstairs in a week or two. What is amazing for me to see this year is what a week of growing does for tomato seeds and how fast they grow. I will have to post some pictures in a new thread as I usually post a thread for the season but have yet to take pics of this years plants but will do so in the next few days.

Craig

[Farmette]

Well, now I went to look at the bag of Fafard's Organic Mix that I am using. I don't know if it is considered soiless or not. I agree with Huntoften that your tomatoes probably do just fine once they are in the ground.

[b54red]

The quicker you can get them outside and in bigger containers where the wind and sun will thicken the stalks the better. Like Farmette, I also fertilize when potting up and I add mushroom compost to my mix which seems to make for a healthier root system. I also left mine out on some pretty windy days and it seems to have only thickened the stalks. My problem is a place to put my plants outside the greenhouse. Some of them stay in there much longer out of necessity and they are much paler and leggier. My greenhouse now gets much less light than a month ago due to shading from trees.

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by b54red

The quicker you can get them outside and in bigger containers where the wind and sun will thicken the stalks the better. Like Farmette, I also fertilize when potting up and I add mushroom compost to my mix which seems to make for a healthier root system. I also left mine out on some pretty windy days and it seems to have only thickened the stalks. My problem is a place to put my plants outside the greenhouse. Some of them stay in there much longer out of necessity and they are much paler and leggier. My greenhouse now gets much less light than a month ago due to shading from trees.

You certainly hit the nail on the head about the results of putting the plants outside in the sun making a world of difference. With the sudden warm weather here freeing us from winter, all of my plants are now out in the sun. They did become leggy while in my Florida room. Moving them to the front porch helped to harden them...after I quickly learned NOT to put them where they received a drafty, cold winter wind which burned a few of those that were most exposed. After a few weeks on the porch, the sheer number of plants and passing any danger of frost meant they went out onto the driveway. There, after a couple of weeks in the full sun, they have greened up beautifully, become far more stout, and even the leaves are bigger. What I did quickly find is that they must be watered both in the morning and in the late afternoon. Even then, they let me know very quickly when they need more. I never did use bottom heat or any special light fixtures, but the heating bill from two heaters back during those 20 degree days surely added up quickly. I now have 2 of each variety at a foot tall in the garden, saved seeds to assure plenty of the originals next year, and am selling the remaining plants. My uncertainty in my own abilities resulted in planting far too many seeds of each variety. Next year, I will be doing a LOT of things differently and the whole process will be far simpler and easier to manage, but I learned a great deal. I will make my own potting mix, plant the seeds in the large cells with a water tray beneath, and start in mid-February instead of January, and only grow about twenty varieties with only five of each, NOT fertilize until far later and even then use a very diluted mixture. I do believe the Espoma organic starter nutrients and micro-organism blend helped...but it surely eats aluminum trays. As in most things...K.I.S.S..

[Farmette]

Mensplace:
When you put your plants on the driveway, did you have any issues with deer, mice, rabbits, etc. bothering the plants?

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by Farmette

Mensplace:
When you put your plants on the driveway, did you have any issues with deer, mice, rabbits, etc. bothering the plants?

No problems thus far after several weeks outside. During the day I have my potting setup out there where I am close by. There are plenty of deer in the woods, but have never seen one in our development. Have several cats in the neghborhood, including my BIG Cheshire. Did catch several mice over winter in the carport. They were after food in our cupboard...all boxed mixes, crackers, etc. have now gone into the compost pile for the worms. The remaining plants are now selling very quickly, so I am hopeful of this phase being over soon, but now have a second batch of new varieties that will be ready for potting soon. I am VERY pleased with the demand for heirlooms today. Funny, but not one request or question as to whether they are organic...nor has anyone had any idea what soil micro-organisms do, or even expressed an interest in the type of potting soil I used. However, before they arrive here I provide them with my list. One even brought a laptop so they could see the pictures of each variety selected. Most just want my recommendations. Thanks to you folks, I know that whatever they purchase is a variety that should have great flavor.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Icormond

I have been growing tomatoes from seed for the last 2 years. I follow all the recommended procedures, use soiless media, don’t over water and don’t add fertilizer. When the babies sprout I keep them warm and transplant them into larger pots using more soiless media when they get their true leaves. I keep them under a florescent light at a distance of one inch. I put them outside when they are big enough. As I live in Florida so the temp is usually ok.

Here’s my frustration. When I go to Lowes or Home Depot and look at the plants that they are selling they look so much greener and the stucks seem to be thicker.

What am I doing wrong??

The problem is you aren't using fertilizer and you are potting up in more soil-less mixture. A plant cant grow right in this stuff it is only use for starting seeds.
That's all there is to it.

I don't follow every bodies advice here and use a dilute solution of MG on my plants and they look better than Lowes or Home Depot, much better.
What is big enough?
I also put my plants out when the weather is good and I use potting soil when I move to a 3 or 4 inch pot.