Those are leggy, but not beyond saving. You’ll want to be careful in your hardening off phase because those stems are going to want to bend in half.
You’ll be fine!
I agree with this. I have grown 3-4 tomato plants that started off like this before I knew what I was doing. Once they are (carefully) hardened off and outside in the sun and wind they will start filling out. They may be slower to yield fruit but in my experience I have had abundant harvests from tomato plants that started off looking like this. Take extra care when hardening off but otherwise they should be fine.
Edit to add: maybe pinch some of the lower leaves off and deeply bury the stem. Tomatoes love that.
ooof i thought mine were looking leggy, they are exceptional! If you dont have a better window you might need to get a grow light. Also yeah pot on but put a good few inches of stem under the soil as well
For beefsteaks, I believe so. Even with proper staking the weight could snap the stem. Definitely fine for cherry/grape tomatoes. Could go either way for romas/medium size tomatoes.
Sirryand: That’s a great recovery idea. Start over with 12-14” cuts and put in water until roots regrow and then plant in dirt. STARTOVER. These are way too leggy to be of much use.
Came here looking for this, thanks for the post! I’ve got many and planning on sharing; would it hurt to top them if they aren’t hardened off and ready to plant?
No it will not hurt to top them. A lot of people will top even healthy tomatoes, you will get two main growing stems after topping. Also don't throw out the tops. Cut them and root the cuttings, tomatoes are the easiest plants to root. Then you will have back up plants also,but After cutting just, spend a few days hardening them off. Put out for 1/2 an hour full sun the first day, then bring in or put in the shade. The second day leave them out for an hour. And so on. After 4-5 days they will be ready to put in the ground.
That’s so helpful - thank you. It’s been cold or real rainy and planting time sorta snuck up on me. Then I was worried that it would take two weeks to harden off. Going to start this process tomorrow.
no problem. It's a nice trick to over winter tomatoes. I only grow open pollinated dwarfs now, but when I grew indeterminates. jet star was one of my favorites, but it's an F1 hybrid. So instead of buying new seeds every year. In the fall I would take a few cuttings and put them in a big pot under a shop light. When they got too tall I would top em and sick the cuttings right in the same pot. By spring I had more then enough plants.
They’re leggy as they dont get enough/any sunlight ; it appears just window light. I’d never use them at this stage.if planted I’d cut the bottom 12’ stems off and plant 14-18” deep. Good luck. I have same situation with one remaining window seedling. Others are outdoor in dirt. (San Diego).
They are very leggy. Could try planting them very deep in a spot with more light.
Lay them down and plant under just a couple inches.
Yeah that should also work if the space is available
Those are leggy, but not beyond saving. You’ll want to be careful in your hardening off phase because those stems are going to want to bend in half. You’ll be fine!
I agree with this. I have grown 3-4 tomato plants that started off like this before I knew what I was doing. Once they are (carefully) hardened off and outside in the sun and wind they will start filling out. They may be slower to yield fruit but in my experience I have had abundant harvests from tomato plants that started off looking like this. Take extra care when hardening off but otherwise they should be fine. Edit to add: maybe pinch some of the lower leaves off and deeply bury the stem. Tomatoes love that.
I'll be careful, and I have some pretty sturdy staking prepared for when repotting. Thanks!
When planting out instead of planting them vertically you can plant them horizontally to help with any wind issues etc.
Awesome, that's a great tip. Will they curve up? Is it to get more roots from the stem?
Yes and yes lol.
Start the curving-up process before you transplant by laying the seedlings down on their sides. Their tips will turn up in a day or three.
That's so cool
ooof i thought mine were looking leggy, they are exceptional! If you dont have a better window you might need to get a grow light. Also yeah pot on but put a good few inches of stem under the soil as well
Yeah they're a work or art right 😅
Absolutely and bonus perfect green privacy screen!
A leggy privacy screen lol
perfect
A fan in them would make them sturdier.
A fan huh? Well that's an easy fix. I'll give them a fan directly then
That's the new Rockettes right there.
Yeah well, they're equally showstopping 😬
These are the definition of leggy lol.
But are they TOO leggy? :)
For beefsteaks, I believe so. Even with proper staking the weight could snap the stem. Definitely fine for cherry/grape tomatoes. Could go either way for romas/medium size tomatoes.
I would top right above the bottom set of leaves. Then root the tops. You will double your plants and solve the leggy problem.
Sirryand: That’s a great recovery idea. Start over with 12-14” cuts and put in water until roots regrow and then plant in dirt. STARTOVER. These are way too leggy to be of much use.
yes!
Yes too leggy or yes fine or yes both?
yes! (to both) They need deeper containers, an they will be just fine
Thanks, and phew! Was starting to think I messed up big time with these 😅
They are not leggy, they are extremely leggy! Plant first third horizontally, in that way more roots will grow.
Came here looking for this, thanks for the post! I’ve got many and planning on sharing; would it hurt to top them if they aren’t hardened off and ready to plant?
No it will not hurt to top them. A lot of people will top even healthy tomatoes, you will get two main growing stems after topping. Also don't throw out the tops. Cut them and root the cuttings, tomatoes are the easiest plants to root. Then you will have back up plants also,but After cutting just, spend a few days hardening them off. Put out for 1/2 an hour full sun the first day, then bring in or put in the shade. The second day leave them out for an hour. And so on. After 4-5 days they will be ready to put in the ground.
That’s so helpful - thank you. It’s been cold or real rainy and planting time sorta snuck up on me. Then I was worried that it would take two weeks to harden off. Going to start this process tomorrow.
no problem. It's a nice trick to over winter tomatoes. I only grow open pollinated dwarfs now, but when I grew indeterminates. jet star was one of my favorites, but it's an F1 hybrid. So instead of buying new seeds every year. In the fall I would take a few cuttings and put them in a big pot under a shop light. When they got too tall I would top em and sick the cuttings right in the same pot. By spring I had more then enough plants.
They’re leggy as they dont get enough/any sunlight ; it appears just window light. I’d never use them at this stage.if planted I’d cut the bottom 12’ stems off and plant 14-18” deep. Good luck. I have same situation with one remaining window seedling. Others are outdoor in dirt. (San Diego).
They need larger containers or they might get stunted. (But these don’t look like they would have a problem growing big.)