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The tomato plants in the Jiffy Pods seem to be lanky and growing at a snails pace and I’m wondering if their going to be ready to get planted in buckets in the yard in 3 to 4 weeks?
Should I plant them in larger 1 qt containers and put them outside on warm days?
Or
Leave them as is until ready to plant? (perhaps I’m just inpatient?)
Or
Just abandon them and buy nursery grown tomato plants when ready to plant outdoors?
If they are lanky, they aren't getting enough light,
They won't take chill at this stage, so mine get grow lights, for which I use a standard florescent light in the "daylight" color spectrum.
You have to maintain their water so they never get dry but aren't too wet. I get mine the moisture level I want and then I spritz them with a spray bottle every time I walk by (gentle rain), and that tops of the moisture without getting the soil too wet.
If they are lanky, they aren't getting enough light,
They won't take chill at this stage, so mine get grow lights, for which I use a standard florescent light in the "daylight" color spectrum.
You have to maintain their water so they never get dry but aren't too wet. I get mine the moisture level I want and then I spritz them with a spray bottle every time I walk by (gentle rain), and that tops of the moisture without getting the soil too wet.
the light will help and being lanky is not a drawback since you can plant tomatoes out right up to the top leaves - the stem will just grow more roots and all will be well.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I planted mine inside in February, and the largest are over a foot tall. The difference may be that they are in a garden window, with light from the front, top, and both sides, and I rotate them daily. At about 6” high I moved them into 4” pots. Usually I take them out to the greenhouse about May 1 but I took two out already with recent warm nights and they were hitting the glass. This one enjoys hanging out with an orchid.
I planted mine inside in February, and the largest are over a foot tall. The difference may be that they are in a garden window, with light from the front, top, and both sides, and I rotate them daily. At about 6” high I moved them into 4” pots. Usually I take them out to the greenhouse about May 1 but I took two out already with recent warm nights and they were hitting the glass. This one enjoys hanging out with an orchid.
The tomato plants in the Jiffy Pods seem to be lanky and growing at a snails pace and I’m wondering if their going to be ready to get planted in buckets in the yard in 3 to 4 weeks?
Should I plant them in larger 1 qt containers and put them outside on warm days?
Or
Leave them as is until ready to plant? (perhaps I’m just inpatient?)
Or
Just abandon them and buy nursery grown tomato plants when ready to plant outdoors?
Thanks
Bury them to their necks come Mother's Day. They'll be fine. Indoor plants are normally lanky due to the low light anyway.
So I should transplant them into the large plastic beverage cups and leave them outside in the sun all day?
Yes, they are ready to be potted up into the plastic cups, but expose them to full sun SLOWLY. If you put them into full sun all day on their first day outside, they will die!
When you put them into the cups, bury the stem all the way to the base of the leaves.
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