Cotyledons are over 6 weeks old! (growing, containers, tomatoes, northern)

[Sand&Salt]

I just learned this word referring to the first leaves of a seed, supposed to drop off after a few days to a week.

My tomato seedlings are now over 6 WEEKS old and still at the cotyledon stage with no other leaves!

I tried to research it but reasons were all over the place: sunlight, soil, temperature....could be anything. Thing is, I have a "control group" of the same seeds producing a full, healthy tomato plant right next to these stragglers. All are in containers on the balcony, and our weather is mostly cloudy all the time, but these first tomato plants did just fine in the same conditions.

Why don't they just die, if conditions are that bad? Is there any recovery to this, or should I yank them out?

I appreciate any thoughts, since we have some "master gardeners" here, which I am certainly NOT. Thanks!

[Zoisite]

There has to be something different about the growing conditions, there can't not be something different.

How much of a head start did the older group have over the stunted 6 weeks old seedlings?

I don't know your geographical location (southern or northern hemisphere or on the equator?) and I know you said it's cloudy but how many hours per day of natural light (from sunrise to sunset) are all the plants getting compared to the number of hours of daily light they were getting 6 weeks or more ago? Are they now getting more light or less light than 6 weeks ago?

If the younger seedlings are still at the cotyledon stage after 6 weeks I doubt you will see much progress with them.

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[Sand&Salt]

Thanks, Z. One thing I forgot to mention is we had to put all the plants inside for a few days due to painting the balcony. It was when these first sprouted so I wonder if that affected them. We put them by the window but maybe that permanently stunted them.

Weather conditions have been the same as the former tomatoes. We're on the equator so weather is always the same. Mostly cloudy, only occasional sun. But the first crop is thriving so it's a mystery!

[guidoLaMoto]

The fact that you've observed a "control group" that seems to be growing normally suggests it's not an environmental thing. Maybe the plants with arrested development have a genetic difference preventing maturation?...or, seeing as we're near Halloween, any witches in the neighborhood practicing spells?