I started these from seed for the first time ever. I have already made so many mistakes. They are double cupped with 3 holes drilled in the bottom of the inner cups and a rock in between the two for separation. I only bottom water. Some have grown roots through the holes and cups go bone dry. Others I have to fill a quarter of an inch above the rock for the soil to absorb water up. I was going 16 hours 100% light intensity and 8 hours off. I was watering every other day. I watered yesterday and today a lot of cups were dry again and plants were wilty so I watered again today and I added 1&1/2 tbsp. of Fish and Seaweed Max fertilizer to each gallon of water with 1/2 a tbsp of Epsom Salt and gave them a good bottom watering again. I am trying raising the light a little bit higher today and going 80% light intensity on vegetative setting to see how they do. I am honestly shocked I have made it to here. Any tips? When should I start moving them outside to get real sunlight and start hardening them off? I can’t transplant out with little fear of frost until after Mother’s Day safely in Zone 6b. Any advice is welcome. Last year was my first year growing tomatoes, or gardening at all. This year is my first attempt at starting from seeds and my first use of the grow tent my wife got me for Christmas. Learning everyday and from every comment.
1st timer! I am TRYING… please don’t be too harsh!
byu/CReisch21 intomatoes
by CReisch21
7 Comments
Looks great! Some cups seem to have more than 1 tomato in them, if that’s not me seeing in correctly, you can transplant them now based on their size so they have room to grow in their own individual cup
This actually looks to be a very good setup, and can tell you studied up beforehand. Continue what you’re doing and fertilize at half recommended strength once per week. Some of mine are still in cups at 18″ tall and flowering. I ended up with 50 seedlings and only space for 16 (doubled up in case a late frost), so I’ll be selling the spares.
My only thought: WOW! You have space to grow that many tomatoes??? 😲
Wow! Amazing work. You clearly did lots of homework. Now it’s all about doing and learning. It has to feel great that you’ve gotten this far. You’ve made a great start with your plants.
I love to recommend Craig LeHoulloer’s Epic Tomatoes book if you don’t have it already.
Happy growing to you and welcome to the beautiful world of tomatoes. 🍅 🍅🍅
P.S. It makes me sad that sometimes we feel like we have to explicitly ask redditors to be kind. Having said that, I think you’ll find this community to be a nice bunch of tomato growers of all kinds. When I’ve seen sanctimonious or hypercritical comments, the r/tomatoes users have generally been quick to discourage that kind of thing.
Looks great!
I’m in zone 6b as well, my tomatoes will be going out the weekend of Mothers day. I haven’t been burned doing that late. My last frost date is April 15 if that helps.
Heavy duty setup, haha! What do you do with your tent and light after the tomatoes go outside?