There are several main reasons why tomato seedlings are thin and long. You need to start fighting this as early as possible. Stretched seedlings become weak and disease resistance decreases. When the time comes to transplant to a permanent place, it will be difficult to do this, since the tall stem may break and the plant will die.
Occurrence of a problem
Healthy seedlings have a strong, short stem, dark green, rich leaf color and a large number of ovaries. If the tomato seedlings are stretched out, then the harvest may not be expected or the number of fruits may be significantly reduced.
If the distance between the leaves on the trunk lengthens, this is a sign of accelerated growth. Why tomato seedlings stretch is influenced by the following unfavorable factors:
- excessive soil moisture leads to a stop in the development of the root system, and the above-ground part of the seedling begins to stretch upward;
- insufficient light supply to the seedlings (the stem becomes tall, thins, and the leaves turn pale);
- very thin seedlings can form if the air is too dry and hot;
- early dates for planting seeds (the optimal time for planting seeds is considered to be the 20th of March, when daylight hours are already increasing and sufficient daylight reaches the seedlings);
- thin seedlings sprout if the fertilizer application schedule is not followed, or if there is an excess of some elements (excess fertilizer will lead to the fact that the plant will not get stronger, and the leaves will be lethargic and weak);
- sowing seeds at a small distance leads to the fact that the sprouts shade each other and the roots intertwine (seeds need to be planted at a distance of 5 cm);
- Tomato seedlings are stretched due to a lack of microelements (the problem can be recognized by the pale green color of the leaves and the lethargic state of the plant).
Another reason that tomato seedlings are very elongated immediately after germination is the incorrect preparatory stage associated with the seeds.
It is necessary to fight so that tomato seedlings do not stretch. Otherwise, problems will arise with further cultivation. Stretched seedlings begin to form fruits much later than the specified dates, do not take root well in new conditions in the open ground or in a greenhouse, and the risk of plant diseases increases.
Additional symptom
If the tomato seedlings are pale and thin, you need to identify the cause and begin action to eliminate it as soon as possible.
In most cases, seedlings can stretch out and turn pale due to a lack of nutrients. Fertilizing is applied no more than once every 10 days. You can use organic or mineral fertilizers. A solution based on them can be poured at the very root or sprayed on the leaves.
Fertilizer will make up for the lack of nutritional properties of the soil, strengthen the root system, normalize growth and increase resistance to disease. Of the organic components, manure and bird droppings are very popular. Mineral fertilizers include urea, ammonium nitrate, and wood ash. You can buy ready-made formulations.
How to feed seedlings so that they grow healthy? Experienced gardeners recommend applying the first fertilizing 10 days after germination: “Water the seedlings with a nitrophoska solution. It’s even better if you add a mixture of mullein and bird droppings with the addition of superphosphate to the soil.”
The second feeding is carried out another 12 days after the previous feeding. The ideal option would be a solution of wood ash and ammonium nitrate. The last time they feed is 1.5 weeks before transplanting into open ground. You can feed the seedlings with superphosphate.
If the tomato seedlings stretch very upward, you can sprinkle another layer of soil and pinch the first couple of lower leaves.
Often the leaves become pale due to excessive watering. At the same time, tomato seedlings become elongated and the stem becomes thinner.
Correct fit
Sprouts are stretched due to low-quality seeds or improper processing before planting. You need to buy seeds for seedlings in special stores. Before planting, large and dense seeds are selected. Then the selected planting material is disinfected.This will get rid of fungi and bacteria that may be on the seed coat.
Many gardeners germinate seeds before planting. To do this, the seeds are placed between two layers of a wet towel. You can impregnate matter with nutritional elements. As a result, seeds germinate faster.
Seedlings should be planted in a permanent place no earlier than 40 days from the date of sowing the seeds. By this time, the seedlings should be about 25 cm high, the stem should contain at least 10 leaves and the presence of inflorescences is required.
All these actions will allow you to grow strong tomato seedlings. It rises together, and the stem and roots grow and develop evenly.
What to do when tomato seedlings are thin and long? It is very important to choose the right soil for planting seeds. There must be sufficient phosphorus and potassium content. These elements are responsible for the uniform development of the root system and the above-ground part of the plant. You can mix the soil with dry chicken droppings. The nitrogen content in the soil should be minimal.
How to correct the situation if the tomato seedlings have stretched out, but it is not possible to change the composition of the soil? You can use ready-made drugs. For example, the drug Athlete or Stop Growth performs the function of a stimulant and replenishes the deficiency of nutrients in the soil. After adding the drug, the growth of the upper part of the plant stops, the stem thickens and shortens, and the root system gains strength.
Since the duration of the drug is only 7 days, the seedlings will need to be treated again, but no more than three times during the entire period of growing seedlings. You can also spray the leaves of the sprouts with the liquid solution.
Action tactics
What needs to be done if the tomato seedlings have become very elongated is an important question. And if it is not resolved in time, you may lose the harvest in the future.
The first thing to do is to provide the seedlings with sufficient light, especially on stormy, rainy days. The duration of daylight at the end of March already reaches 12 hours, but if the container with seedlings is located on the north side, then there will not be enough light. Then you need to use a lamp for additional lighting. It is turned on at a distance of about 45 cm from the seedlings during the day and in the evening.
Sometimes, you may notice that tomato seedlings have stretched out due to the constant presence of the box on the windowsill in one position. In this case, the sprouts will be inclined to one side. The container with seedlings must be turned on different sides to the sunlight every day.
Watering should occur as the soil dries out; often the need arises 1-2 times a week. As soon as the top layer is dry, you can pour settled water under the root without strong pressure. Do not allow water to get on the leaves.
What should be done to ensure that the sprouting seedlings develop evenly and there are no problems? It is recommended to monitor the air temperature. Young shoots feel best at a temperature of 14-16 degrees. At temperatures above this norm, thin tomato seedlings grow upward. You should not keep the seedlings near heating appliances; you can take them out to a glassed-in balcony, provided that it is not cold there.
Immediately after the sprouts sprout and get stronger, the air temperature can be increased gradually to 25 degrees.
Some experienced vegetable growers know what to do if the tomato seedlings have elongated stems. At the very first stage of the problem, the elongated seedlings are plucked.Pinching the root system temporarily stops the growth of the plant, and the stem will thicken.
To prevent tomatoes from stretching, some gardeners regularly trim the leaves. The plant then needs some time to recover and then it stops growing. However, if the variety is undersized, then pinching is not advisable.
What to do when tomato seedlings have elongated stems, this method is also used. The top of a long sprout is cut off and placed in a glass of water until roots appear. As soon as the first roots appear, the sprout is planted separately in the ground.
What should you do if the tomatoes are tonic and long? If there are still many days before planting the plant, many vegetable growers correct the situation by adding new soil. Before the procedure, the soil is not watered for several days. If there is a lot of space in the box, then the tomato stems are wrapped in a spiral, and each curl is sprinkled with soil. The last layer is compacted and watered.
If there is not enough space, then pick into freer containers. The stem of the elongated seedling is not twisted, but simply sprinkled with fresh soil. Each layer of soil should be watered generously with plain water.
The sprinkling method will help stop growth, and the recessed part of the stem will soon serve as a root.
Preventive actions
A few tips on how to prevent tomato seedlings from stretching:
- to prevent the seedlings from stretching out, it is necessary to provide sufficient lighting on the windowsill, and the light should come from above and from the side;
- after planting the seeds, the container is moved to where the air temperature is at least 25 degrees;
- as soon as most of the shoots appear, the container with the sprouts should be moved to a room where the temperature is 17 degrees;
- To prevent seedlings from stretching, you need to water the soil as it dries;
- you need to be careful with fertilizing, especially nitrogenous ones (excess nitrogen is indicated by the upper leaves curled inward);
- It is better to plant seeds in a box at a distance of 10 cm from each other (dense planting leads to a weak, long, thin stem).
The first 14 days after germination of seedlings, they need a lot of light, and do not forget to monitor the humidity and air temperature. In such conditions, the stem will be able to gain strength, become strong, and the leaves will be dark green.
After two weeks, to resume growth, the container must be placed in a room where the temperature will be raised to 23 degrees. In such conditions, you need to wait until the plant reaches 25 cm. If the frosts have already subsided and the ground has warmed up, the seedlings are ready for transplanting.
How to water tomato seedlings to prevent rapid growth? To prevent tomato seedlings from stretching, you can use a urea-based solution. Urea is poured with water and the resulting solution is watered over the plants. After this, the box is moved to a cool place where the air temperature is approximately 11 degrees. As a result, growth will stop and the leaves will have a deep green hue.
Tricks when transplanting
If the tomato seedlings are thin and elongated and this could not be dealt with before transplanting into open ground, other measures need to be taken.
Planting of seedlings should be carried out with deepening of elongated stems. Use the tilted landing method. The depth of the hole should be normal. If you make it too deep, the roots may freeze.
In the area where it is intended to grow tomatoes, make grooves 9 cm deep. Water the grooves well and wait until the moisture is completely absorbed. The distance between seedlings should be about 50 cm.
When seedlings are planted at an angle, it is desirable that the tip of the root is turned to the south. In this case, the plant adapts faster, straightens up, and gains strength.
If the tomato seedlings have become very elongated, then each sprout is divided in half. Three pairs of leaves are counted from the base, and the rest is cut off. The cut top is placed in a glass of water. Within a week, roots should appear and the plant can be planted in separate pots.
