Growing a tomato plant inside my house-- help me make this successful

[Arielle]

All 4 plants died. Shriveled up and died.

Started new batch of seeds and they are thriving. NEed to be replanted this week. BOught new potting soil.

 

[Arielle]

MIracle potting soil has a very different texture than the previous soil mix. THe water drains rigth thru. More peat maybe. I did have to use some of the old potting soil as I ran outof new, and planted 3 transplants. Will be interesting to see if these fail.

Repotted ALL seedlings. Variety of sizes from a tender young shoot, and others have second leaves. Watered them in after repotting. One grow light until I can find the other one tomorrow.

THe miracle grow potting soil says it is good for 6 months-- is this really true? Or do I still need to fertilize??

 

[hosspak]

MIracle potting soil has a very different texture than the previous soil mix. THe water drains rigth thru. More peat maybe. I did have to use some of the old potting soil as I ran outof new, and planted 3 transplants. Will be interesting to see if these fail.

Repotted ALL seedlings. Variety of sizes from a tender young shoot, and others have second leaves. Watered them in after repotting. One grow light until I can find the other one tomorrow.

THe miracle grow potting soil says it is good for 6 months-- is this really true? Or do I still need to fertilize??

Yes, Miracle Gro is good for at least 6 months. No, do not fertilize. Which product did you get? The blue bag (Moisture Control) or the yellow bag (Potting soil or Garden Soil)? I think you are narrowing the list of problems down to a few possibilities; lighting, temp, or over feeding/watering.

Exactly how tall are the seedlings? How big are the pots that you are using? How big are the seedlings when you transplant? Post some pics, really good pics...

 

[Arielle]

HAaahaa, I live a low tech life-- few digital pictures.


Bag was yellow-- used up two; had to use old potting soil for last few seedlings. WIll make a good experiment I think!!

Seedlings were of a variety of sizes. Germination times were all over the place. Some seedlings popping when others were already 1 1/2 inches high. I surely value the perfect seedlings at the garden centers-- wow, they have the perfect system to get perfectly matched seedlings.

New batch of sweedlings were planted in the same tall red cups. Only this time I punched 4 large holes in each bottom for good drainage; AND removed all saucers and that lets all the extra water drain away completely.

Soil seems to hold a lot of moisture. Watered well with plain water at time of planting. THen watered with fertilizer water. Now that I see your post HOsspack, I will not water again with that but rather go back to plain warm tap water.

I looked carefully today dreading to see wilting leaves-- will check again tomorrow in case my imagination was playing tricks. I did think the old potting soils plant was turning pale yellow around the edges of the first leaves. Ugh.

 

[bachbach1]

I talked with you a few months ago, and have seen some of the problems you are having. You might be caring for your plants to their destruction. It is easy to do. I was wondering if you might have an invader, like spider mites, or other small bug. Or possibly a leaf fungus. You should research the net and look at some of the pics of what the different problems look like.

I would microwave some potting soil if you are unsure of it is contaminated with fungus or any type of bug. You might need to clean and spray your growing area if you have some pests, some are too small to see. Poison with pyrethrin are made from chrysanthemum flowers it is strong, but no bad for people. It is used as dog dip too, so it is about as safe as you can get, if you have pests.

I would plant the seeds, and water them, and wait until the soil was almost dry before adding more water. There has to be moisture, but you dont want the soil to be soggy, that really can cause problems. If you get the miracle grow seed starter it doesnt need fertilizer for months. There is a happy mediums you can find. I would consider planting a group of seeds, and water them at different rates. Keep some mostly dry, some a little moister, and some as moist as you have been. That way you can see how they react to different conditions. This should teach you a lot. Lots of light, and a gentle breeze from a fan help a lot to toughen, and allow the plants to grow like they would in nature.

I mentioned pests, recently a friend of mine got spider mites and all their plants were in bad shape and many were dying. A little of the right spray cured it all, so study what the different problems tomato plants can have. Look at diseases, and pests. Also look at several websites. Some show a lot more info, and a variety of pictures.

Fertilizer can do more harm than good, be very conservative, and follow the label directions. A little too little isn't to bad, but a little too much is way bad. Heat is very important to get the seeds to germinate, find a warm area like 80 degrees to get the seeds to start, then it is OK to drop the temp. Something as simple as a 40 watt light bulb in a cardboard box can do wonders. Don't let the temp get too high. Do you have a warm area around the refrigerator where it discharges heat, that can do it too.

Good luck with it.

 

[Arielle]

Thanks Bachbach for you input--- the challenges to indoor growing is more than I realized.

A recap of second set--The incubator was empty when I started seeds again-- so 4 containers went into the LG at 100 degrees. THen I added eggs so the containers were removed and placed ontop of the windows for heat. ( Enclosed in plastic baggies like a mini greenhouse.) THat generated a few questions-- to have baggie open a bit, or closed. Yikes. I can see where a larger green house is better: increases air circulation and have the high humidity. I"m leanring!!! lol

 

[newfoundland]

Wow! had no idea growing tomatoes was such a difficult task although I have grown them for years. My method is to plant them individually in 3 inch pots in any old potting compost. put them on a window ledge above a radiator and they appear in about 7-10 days. I grow them on till they are about 6 inches high and then repot them in larger pots, sinking them as low as the first set of proper leaves. Turn them daily to ensure even growth. Repot finally to 7-10 inch pots and when the flowers appear mist them with plain warm water to set the fruit. This is when I start feeding the plants, when the fruit is set. I remove side shoots and the growing tip when I have 5 trusses of fruit. Never let them dry out and feed weekly. Occasionally, I plant them out, but we can have frosts up to June, so mostly just grow them in doors. Never had any failures yet!

 

[Arielle]

Wow! had no idea growing tomatoes was such a difficult task although I have grown them for years. My method is to plant them individually in 3 inch pots in any old potting compost. put them on a window ledge above a radiator and they appear in about 7-10 days. I grow them on till they are about 6 inches high and then repot them in larger pots, sinking them as low as the first set of proper leaves. Turn them daily to ensure even growth. Repot finally to 7-10 inch pots and when the flowers appear mist them with plain warm water to set the fruit. This is when I start feeding the plants, when the fruit is set. I remove side shoots and the growing tip when I have 5 trusses of fruit. Never let them dry out and feed weekly. Occasionally, I plant them out, but we can have frosts up to June, so mostly just grow them in doors. Never had any failures yet!

THis IS exciting news!! Success stories always lift the spriits.

I looked at the window sill today and will move a few there. IT is cool but April is here and we have had two warm days back to back.

I have not watered again as I'm waiting for the large cups to dry out more---- before watering again.

Hmmmm, maybe I should put a fan on them-- to simulate wind and to move the air more. Maybe the air is too stangant in the corner.

Good to know you have had no failures yet!!! I'm not giving up!!

 

[newfoundland]

I must say I have never heard of putting a fan on them? You must, for example if you grow them in a greenhouse, open the window to prevent the atmosphere getting too humid, as this can cause problems with rot. Normally, if you grow them on a window ledge in your home, it will not get that humid as you would open a window anyway if the atmosphere got unpleasant. Keep the atmosphere bouyant and you won't need any fans, fancy equipment, lamps, exotic compost etc. These really are the cheapest, easiest plants to grow.

 

[Arielle]

May I ask where you are located?? Newfand land? OR is that a favorite dog??

I cleared off the window sill this moring and the glass panes are very cold. DIdn't move the plants to the window. Yup I whimped out!!