Starting from Seed... 
Day 12 - 28

Caring for your Seedling.

Developing a strong plant - above and below the surface is key to growing big tomatoes. On the 12th day, your seedlings should be @ 4" in height and start a second set of leaves. To avoid keeping the seedlings from becoming "leggy" or "stringy", try the "DIF" process used by greenhouse growers. This "balanced" procedure includes: 

Temperature should always remain constant - @70 - 74 degrees. At night, try to keep it a couple of degrees cooler if you do not use grow lights. With a grow light kit, you can keep the lights on for about 20 hours a day. 

Now, your plants need good indirect sunlight for at least 8 hours. If you have an office fluorescent lamp, use it 24 hrs a day... it works great! If you have a grow light, place it @ 6" (less light diffusion) above the plants and leave it on 18 hours a day.. 

On the @ 21st day, you can start using a water soluble fertilizer designed for seedlings. Dilute this fertilizer to about 25% of its original strength. Don't forget to continue using your rain water to keep the soil moist; and, I prefer fish nutrients as a base for my soluble fertilizer. 

Please note: fish nutrients definitely have an odor to it. Here's where my cat Moosestarts to take an interest in gardening. Don't worry, Clyde the Cocker balances the equation.Mr. Clyde always watches the Moose!

• Decreasing the room temperature to about 67 degrees.
• Increasing the light source on the seedlings.
• Cutting back on watering and allowing for some good ventilation. And decreasing your fertilizing!

 

Seedlings on the 4th day To avoid seedlings from getting too leggy, lower the temperature, to @ 60 degrees and if you have a grow light, lower the light to about two inches over the your seedlings.

Tomato Insight? If you have any tips or suggestions for our readers in the planning or growing process... E-mail us!  Thanx.