Those think-stemmed, dark green transplants for sale in nurseries

jasonig · May 25, 2014

I grow healthy tomatoes from seedlings and then transplant them to 4 inch pots. I keep it organic, use a grow light and fertilize. The results are nice, healthy, LIGHT GREEN normal size plants that eventually produce well. WHY IS IT that when I go to my local nursery or Home Depot, organic or not, their transplants look like they are on steroids. They are short, fat and dark green as if a tomato is going to pop out of the stems at any minute. Are those transplants healthier than mine? Anyone know how the growers do that? Im developing a complex

Labradors2 · May 25, 2014

Jasonig,

You are not alone. I thought I was doing such a great job of raising my tomatoes - until I saw the ones at the "big box" store, exactly as you describe, and putting my seedlings to shame.

My guess is that they use a lot of (chemical) fertilizer.......

Linda

KarenO · May 25, 2014

Professional hockey players play hockey better than I do and professional growers grow seedlings better than I do.
Ideal conditions and scientifically dosed fertilizer is the secret, that and you will only see perfect specimens for sale because they cull anything that is not up to standard.
Regardless, I prefer mine by far
K

Chucker · May 25, 2014

I do pretty well on the dark green part ever since I found a decent liquid fertilizer. I use 5ml/gallon Dyna Gro Liquid Grow (7-9-5) to water the seedlings. I know, they say don't fertilize seedlings, but I don't always listen to what they say.

I don't do well on the short, stocky plants. I could try cold treatment, but I don't have an ideal place to try that. Right now I use regular shop lights and a fan, and my seedlings aren't leggy, but they don't look like little trees either.

I'm going to experiment with different ratios of LEDs on seedlings over the next few months. Supposedly red causes leafy/vegetative growth, blue increases antioxdative capacity but not much growth, and some combination of the two should produce a shorter seedling, hopefully.

Cole_Robbie · May 25, 2014

That's what my plants look like. I sold a lot of them yesterday morning at market, almost everything I took.

Are they overfertilized? Probably, but that is what customers want. No one will buy plants that are the slightest bit yellow.

NarnianGarden · May 25, 2014

My seedlings were very dark, not because of any fertilizer, but because of the growing conditions on my balcony. The sunny location made it possible to have them outdoors very early on.
Your plants will probably look like they're on steroids, too, after several weeks in the sunlight

Father'sDaughter · May 25, 2014

Regardless of how much better they look, they'll never be able to offer the huge variety a lot of us prefer to grow. After hanging out here for a couple of years, I could never go back to being limited to only the varieties for sale locally even if the seedling do (initially) look more robust than mine.

rnewste · May 25, 2014

Remember that Jimmy Soul song from the 60's: "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life - get an ugly woman to be your wife" - sorry, I can't sing it; dear Wife is sitting here next to me at the moment. Same applies to tomato seedlings!

Raybo

feldon30 · May 25, 2014

I spoke to someone who used to work for Bonnie's. She said that they do cold treatments and apply growth inhibitor to slow down the growth of the plants.

Sodak · May 25, 2014

what is "growth inhibitor?"
It must be short term.

Sun City Linda · May 26, 2014

I have heard "growth inhibitor" perhaps that it what makes the plants grow so stocky and buff.

Redbaron · May 26, 2014

Last year I bought a big box seedling Big Beef (Bonnie Nursery) and also grew my own. The nursery seedlings looked wonderful compared to my seedlings. But once in the ground mine out performed them radically.

I am trying the experiment again this year with SunGold F1. The Bonnie plant has a 1 foot head start right now and is flowering. We will see who wins though.

**Lee** · May 26, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbaron

Last year I bought a big box seedling Big Beef (Bonnie Nursery) and also grew my own. The nursery seedlings looked wonderful compared to my seedlings. But once in the ground mine out performed them radically.

I am trying the experiment again this year with SunGold F1.

Nice idea. Although I understand it's not practical, it would be interesting to see the aggregated results of say 10 homegrown vs 10 store bought over a season..... I know I've had two identical plants grown by me perform differently in the garden and same season.

Lee

Redbaron · May 26, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

Nice idea. Although I understand it's not practical, it would be interesting to see the aggregated results of say 10 homegrown vs 10 store bought over a season..... I know I've had two identical plants grown by me perform differently in the garden and same season.

Lee

Well it's non-scientific and I am cheating. I use young seedlings in the growth phase from cell packs and the Nursery seedlings are in 4 inch pots. So mine once in the ground have a longer growth phase and generally end up with better roots. But I do have to jab people in the ribs sometimes and prove to them those giant beautiful seedlings you see in the stores are not worth the extra money spent.

Vespertino · May 26, 2014

My mother in law commented that my tomato plants didn't look thick, green and healthy "like the ones at home depot" when I was having trouble with wind damage when I was trying to harden my seedlings. I was DEEPLY offended, but managed to ask her if she had any idea what kind of chemicals and obscure growing conditions they subjected those poor seedlings to mass produce & get them to look that way, and then pressed the issue further about whether she'd want to put tomatoes from said plants into her mouth. I won

May 25, 2014	#1
jasonig Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Fairfield, CT, Zone 7A Posts: 35	Those think-stemmed, dark green transplants for sale in nurseries I grow healthy tomatoes from seedlings and then transplant them to 4 inch pots. I keep it organic, use a grow light and fertilize. The results are nice, healthy, LIGHT GREEN normal size plants that eventually produce well. WHY IS IT that when I go to my local nursery or Home Depot, organic or not, their transplants look like they are on steroids. They are short, fat and dark green as if a tomato is going to pop out of the stems at any minute. Are those transplants healthier than mine? Anyone know how the growers do that? Im developing a complex

May 25, 2014	#4
Chucker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 180	I do pretty well on the dark green part ever since I found a decent liquid fertilizer. I use 5ml/gallon Dyna Gro Liquid Grow (7-9-5) to water the seedlings. I know, they say don't fertilize seedlings, but I don't always listen to what they say. I don't do well on the short, stocky plants. I could try cold treatment, but I don't have an ideal place to try that. Right now I use regular shop lights and a fan, and my seedlings aren't leggy, but they don't look like little trees either. I'm going to experiment with different ratios of LEDs on seedlings over the next few months. Supposedly red causes leafy/vegetative growth, blue increases antioxdative capacity but not much growth, and some combination of the two should produce a shorter seedling, hopefully. Last edited by Chucker; May 25, 2014 at 05:28 PM.

May 25, 2014	#9
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I spoke to someone who used to work for Bonnie's. She said that they do cold treatments and apply growth inhibitor to slow down the growth of the plants. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

May 25, 2014	#10
Sodak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: 5a SD Posts: 253	what is "growth inhibitor?" It must be short term. __________________ Fight the good fight, finish the course and keep the faith

May 26, 2014	#12
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Last year I bought a big box seedling Big Beef (Bonnie Nursery) and also grew my own. The nursery seedlings looked wonderful compared to my seedlings. But once in the ground mine out performed them radically. I am trying the experiment again this year with SunGold F1. The Bonnie plant has a 1 foot head start right now and is flowering. We will see who wins though. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

May 25, 2014	#2
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,898	Jasonig, You are not alone. I thought I was doing such a great job of raising my tomatoes - until I saw the ones at the "big box" store, exactly as you describe, and putting my seedlings to shame. My guess is that they use a lot of (chemical) fertilizer....... Linda

May 25, 2014	#3
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,932	Professional hockey players play hockey better than I do and professional growers grow seedlings better than I do. Ideal conditions and scientifically dosed fertilizer is the secret, that and you will only see perfect specimens for sale because they cull anything that is not up to standard. Regardless, I prefer mine by far K

May 25, 2014	#5
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	That's what my plants look like. I sold a lot of them yesterday morning at market, almost everything I took. Are they overfertilized? Probably, but that is what customers want. No one will buy plants that are the slightest bit yellow.

May 25, 2014	#6
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	My seedlings were very dark, not because of any fertilizer, but because of the growing conditions on my balcony. The sunny location made it possible to have them outdoors very early on. Your plants will probably look like they're on steroids, too, after several weeks in the sunlight

May 25, 2014	#7
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	Regardless of how much better they look, they'll never be able to offer the huge variety a lot of us prefer to grow. After hanging out here for a couple of years, I could never go back to being limited to only the varieties for sale locally even if the seedling do (initially) look more robust than mine.

May 25, 2014	#8
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Remember that Jimmy Soul song from the 60's: "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life - get an ugly woman to be your wife" - sorry, I can't sing it; dear Wife is sitting here next to me at the moment. Same applies to tomato seedlings! Raybo

May 26, 2014	#11
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	I have heard "growth inhibitor" perhaps that it what makes the plants grow so stocky and buff.

May 26, 2014	#15
Vespertino Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Southlake, TX Posts: 743	My mother in law commented that my tomato plants didn't look thick, green and healthy "like the ones at home depot" when I was having trouble with wind damage when I was trying to harden my seedlings. I was DEEPLY offended, but managed to ask her if she had any idea what kind of chemicals and obscure growing conditions they subjected those poor seedlings to mass produce & get them to look that way, and then pressed the issue further about whether she'd want to put tomatoes from said plants into her mouth. I won