Sunday 13 May 2012

A week of tomato plant growth (and netting for the lettuce seedlings)

I decided last week to take photographs every day of my tomato plants, to record the change and boy am I glad I did it.

They have grown far more than I expected and I think these pictures are very interesting. I will continue doing this I think through the entire process; that blog post will be fun to read now, won't it ;)

Anyway, without further ado:

Day 1: most seedlings only have 2 leaves, some have 4

Day 2: not much change, when are they going to start GROWING?

Day 3: hmmm, most plants now have 4 leaves... here they come...

Day 4: some plants now getting up to 6 leaves and we're seeing some differentiation between the stronger seedlings

Day 5: starting to see plants with 8 leaves... exciting.

Day 6: Again, not much change over this day - are they slowing down?

Day 7: Yeah... they're looking much better than from day 1, but seem to be slowing their growth.

Day 8: oh WOW they appear to have just bust off again - just amazing progress; that is what a bit of sun can do :)

Day 9: yep, these tomatoes are now really going for it. Shortly I'll have to take them out of the propagation trays into proper pots (and then you will be able to ask me for plants if you want some..)

A close up of one of the plants taken about 2 mins ago; looking really strong.

So there you are, our tomatoes are going great guns!

Onto the other little update; I have been seeing pigeons pecking at my vegetable bed which has the cabbage seedlings in it and I started getting worried that they were taking the seedlings so I have put some netting over the whole bed.

Starting to peg the netting out, using the line-markers as supports.

All done and pegged out.

Looking through the netted area.

Now the problem is going to be getting in to weed ;)







2 comments:

  1. Hello Part Time Homesteader,
    Thank you for sharing your post and pictures. I have a question... I started my tomatoes plants from seeds, and much like your tomatoes plants in pictures 1-2 they started out great. BUT they stayed that way... for weeks. I have them in front of a window but they grow with only two leafs and very tall skinny stem. Needless of say, all but 3 out of the 16 did not make it. How did you keep yours alive and thriving? Do you have a grow light on them or just window? And what direction is your window facing? Mine is north but from what I've read, southern light is the best. I will try again to grow my plants but I need some tips. Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Hi,

      One thing I'd note is the date of this blog post; May. It's very early to start your tomatoes at the moment, even inside and behind glass. A north facing window will be getting VERY little light at this time of year. I did buy some "tomato feed" and mix it with the water that I put on these, I think, but it's a few years ago now. Having said that I've actually got my tomato seeds in right now, and have some seedlings showing, but they are in no way growing as fast as these did.

      I think it's just very early indeed; maybe try a succession planting in about a month or so?

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