OK, I'm a first year gardener, so be kind!

I started some seeds for tomato plants and they now have (what *I* think to be) a nice set of true leaves. I am ready to transplant into individual containers now. I am wondering if they look too "leggy" or do they look alright?



When I transplant them, I plant them right up to the true leaves, right, and then wait for them to grow much bigger before final planting in the garden.
Will the transplanting cure the "legginess" or do I need to do something else (more sunlight, etc...)
Thanks,
JoAnn

Joann,
We love first time gardener's here..
There is nothing wrong with being a first time gardener.. and we all started somewhere's and learned at some point.. and I continue to learn every day.. someone comes along with a good tip or technique or something..

And this place is THE BEST PLACE to learn in..

One thing with tomato plants, even leggy one's can be utilized..
Tomato plants have the ability to root all along it's leggy stem there..

So, yes, it's fine to repot, and bury them "almost" up to those leaves, *leave a finger width away maybe* and it'll root up just nicely for you..

But when transplanting remember to handle those by the leaves... NOT by the stem..
*if you damage the leave, no big deal, but if you crush the stem, with your grip, you'll loose the whole plant..*

Those plants look good by the way..
**Especially to a gardener stuck up in the tundra, with snow and no chance of seedlings yet, let alone the seeds out of the package yet. **

OH Thank You!!!!
(did you hear my big sigh of relief way up north?!)
And thanks for the tips on transplanting! I'm going to attempt that today. When would you say that the plants are ready to go into the ground? Is there a set height or number of leaves? I thought I would put them out when they were strong enough to "hold their own" (with a little help from staking or supports!)

...and you are right, this IS a great place to learn! Everyone is so friendly and filled with knowledge!

Thanks again!
JoAnn

I am not all that firmilar with your growing zones... but maybe I can get a few of the Tex's gardner's to swing thru with some "timely" advise..

No set heigth or leaves, just basically when you need to put them in..

Are they outside now, like on a regular basis..
At night, during the day time?
Are they used to the wind blowing on them???

And this place is beyond friendly..
It's more FAMILY!!!

Hello Jo Ann,
I am from TX myself. Last year I started my garden during my spring break which was right this week last year. I planted some sweet hundred tomatoes and banana peppers. However, I did not start them from seeds, but bought little plants from Wal-Mart gardening section. They seemed to do well, so this would be a good time to start your garden if you are in TX.
This forum is a great place to learn a lot about gardening. I myself was a first time gardener last spring, but I received a lot of help from the pros to get a successful garden.
Good luck with your gardening efforts too.

-Deepanwita

I agree you seedlings look fine, when transplanting just plant alittle deeper...More light with help them keep from being leggy. I don't consider yours being really leggy right now though, I have some growing also that look similar to yours. Even when you get ready to plant outdoors, if they are leggy you can over come that by planting them deeper, the stems that are below the dirt will put off more roots and make a sturdy plant that will continue to grow just fine.

JoAnn,
I'm in MS and I put a lot of my garden during mid-March too and it always does fine. I'm putting all my tomatoes in sometime in the next 2 or 3 days (whenever hubby can disk my garden again ). I put cabbage and lettuce in the first week of Feb. If you get a late frost, just cover your tomatoes with flower pots, buckets, gal. jugs, whatever you can find, and then uncover them early in the morning. BTW, I agree with the others, your tomatoes look real good to me. I actually like a little extra stem so I can plant them deeper--gives them a better root system. It helps them a lot to either plant late in the evening or on an overcast day so they have a little time to adjust before being blasted by the sun.

I put them outside during the day and bring them in at night.
They do have a little wind blowing on them but not as much as they'll have out in the garden.
I'm slowly trying to harden them off.
Glad to hear others are getting their seeds going by direct sowing! I plan on doing that next week and I absolutely CAN NOT WAIT!!!!! I actually get giddy thinking/talking about my garden!
...yeah, I'm a big nerd!

Nothing wrong with that! There's waaay worse trouble you could get into I get pretty giddy myself thinking about getting my garden started in the spring. I've been planting flowers and veggies since early Feb and really enjoying it! Just loving all these flowers that are beginning to bloom around the house.

Dang it all. I planted three tomato plants Saturday. They were from seed and quite leggy. I did not know you could plant them up to, or very close to the first leaves. By Sunday afternoon they had fallen over and fried against the black cover of the earthbox. Oh well. Back to the drawing board. JoAnn, your little plants look great. I think I started mine too soon. I could not wait. I too get giddy. I started some more seed and will know better next time. My tomato seeds are the Brandywine variety. They are not very pretty, but taste soooo good. Good luck with yours.

Now Linny you need to watch what you say about tomato plants, some of us here take our tomato plants very seriously...and I have never seen a "Not very pretty" tomato plant Just because Brandywines have potato leaves does not make them unattractive...I also grow Brandywines. :p

The birds got my little beefsteak sprouts.
But the three cherry tomatoes are flowering already.

Oh sorry to hear that Deborah. Are you planning to replant them?

Not sure yet-but that's the last time I leave my paper cups of seedlings out on the patio !

Deborah,
The birds have done been scouting my garden. They have feasted on my early radishes the last few years. Going to put down clear plastic over them this year till they get a little size and see if that helps. And we have enough moisture and other things sprouting so maybe they will leave them alone.
JoAnn your plants look fine to me. I'm not sure where you are in TX but see south TX and know several around Houston ect. have put theirs out. If they are small you can always use a plastic bucket or even the plastic coffee cans. Just cut the bottom out and if you think it will get cold cut some holes in the top and snap it back on. I put mine in post holes and cover up to the bottom leaves at the least. Hope yours does well. Jay

I transplanted my seedlings into paper cups today! You'd think I was performing delicate brain surgery by the way I was handling them!
I did just what you said, Weezie, and planted them a finger's width just below the leaves.
Take a look at my babies, not leggy anymore!

Just three of the big blue bowls are tomatoes, the other one is herbs.

I have a question on the same line. I planted seeds the night before I went on vacation. I came back 6 days later to find my seeds turned into about 4-5 inch-tall leggy seedlings. What should I do? I really hadn't expected them to germinate and grow that much in 6 unattended days.