Wow, Tomatoes are Leggy!

[hottoddy]

I just germinated my first round of tomatoes (early girl and super 100). They germinated in just 3 days, and then shot up like a rocket. Before the cotyledons even opened, they were touching the ceiling of the germination station and starting to coil up like a snake. Holy moly they were fast (compared to chiles)!

As soon as they opened up, I put them deep into starter pots and got some lights on them. But they're still so leggy (skinny) that I have a few propped up. I'm thinking the heating pad (at about 80) put them into overdrive. They were started with onions, which are just starting to come up slowly. Has anyone else experienced this and/or have advice? Maybe next time, I'll skip the heating pad and put them under lights at the start. Maybe it'll slow them down a bit.

 

[DesertChris]

I had near 100% germination in 7 days at 70°

 

[Burning Colon]

i cooked my first round of tomatoes by putting them in the greenhouse covered. the g/h hit 40C and fried the seedlings.
so, now a week later, nothing has sprouted.
but last year, i was over zealous and planted too early, by mid may i was driving around the city with large, leggy tomatoes in my van(my mobile greenhouse).
then, we got hit by numbing cold temperatures in june and by then my plants were 3 feet tall, leggy and just dying for a place in soil. they didn't see dirt until almost July.
good luck with your maters.

 

[Devv]

Mine started that way, real leggy.

I read somewhere that putting them outside, weather permitting...or near a south window cracked open will slow them down. The cooler air and wind makes them get thicker stems.

I did just that exposing to 50 degree temps, and they slowed down and bushed out. I did a lot of hauling them in and out but it paid off.

Good luck,

Scott