Tomato question

[Scoot]

Pulled a few rubbish looking tomato seedling's up the other day. They can straight out because they had hardly any root system. Any ideas what that's about?

[Scarlet]

They are only young, they won't have huge roots.
Are you overwatering them? You don't want them too wet.

[Scoot]

Scoot, could your problem also be too much direct sunlight? The leaves can get sunburnt especially if you've got water droplets on the leaves.

Awkward things to grow at first tomatoes unless you've got a heated greenhouse (I wish).

I move them with the sun everyday. I thought it would do them good?

I rotate them between window sills.

[Scoot]

They are only young, they won't have huge roots.
Are you overwatering them? You don't want them too wet.

Not really i don't think. Ive never had so much bother growing tomatoes!

[Scarlet]

It's not to late to start a few more off.

[Scoot]

Ive already got some more in in case I need a few more!

Tomorrow I'm going to plant some a little deeper and maybe not water them as much as they actually do look a little more than damp.

I'll carry on rotating them with the sun.

[MarkPelican]

I move them with the sun everyday. I thought it would do them good?

I rotate them between window sills.

My understanding is that too much direct sunlight can damage the leaves especially when they're young. (Gurgle tomato sunburn/windburn and you'll see some pictures).

[Scoot]

How much direct sunlight is recommended?

I was thinking about putting them in the growhouse all day tomorrow as it'll be the last day of the good weather...

[Scarlet]

Mine are out in the green house everyday. I bring them in at night. It would be good to get them out in a bit more light.

[Penellype]

Ive already got some more in in case I need a few more!

Tomorrow I'm going to plant some a little deeper and maybe not water them as much as they actually do look a little more than damp.

I'll carry on rotating them with the sun.

I think it is likely that the roots have rotted if they have been too wet. I've had this problem with trying to keep tomatoes from drying out in hot sun, and I've ended up with the plants basically drowning. I now put them on capillary matting over water trays if I can.

[MarkPelican]

How much direct sunlight is recommended?

I was thinking about putting them in the growhouse all day tomorrow as it'll be the last day of the good weather...

Like all of these things, I don't think there's anything wrong with putting them out in the greenhouse. The question about "how much direct sunlight" is a bit like "how much time should I sit in the sun before I get sunburnt". What I don't think you want to do is to put the plants in strong sunlight directly behind glass in the greenhouse. However, if the greenhouse doesn't get too hot then as much light as possible is a good thing.

Mine are in the greenhouse every day that I can but I put them on the side away from the direct sunlight with the door open to stop it getting too hot (mind you they still don't look as good as Scarlet's).

[Cadalot]

My greenhouse on the allotment is covered in debris netting during the Summer that with the automatic vents and adjusting the door infilling with a mesh to stop the cats and foxes getting in works for me.

[Scoot]

Well today i have planted them all deeper, basically up to the first true leaves. I basically just topped all them up with compost rather than actually replanting them.

They're in the blow away growhouse now and it's one of those ones thats reinforced so it has a lot of those little squares all over so it doesn;t actually let loads and loads of direct sunlight in. I tell you what though, it's bloody warm in there. It's 27C in there just now and i've left one side of the door open to let some air in. Or is this too warm?

I think i might start spraying them (the compost) rather than actually watering them with a jug as i fear i may have over watered a few of them.