Problems with Feurwerk seedlings only

[gimmieToms]

Every year this happens with my feurwerk seedlings without fail. They never actually die, they always grow in to healthy plants after they are moved to the garden, but I’ve tried everything to stop this happening and have no luck. They grow leggy, pale, and the leaves ALWAYS curl.
I’ve included pictures of a couple of my other varieties so you can see I do actually know how to grow tomato seedlings lol. I’m pretty good at it I think. Just this variety does this.
I even left them in the smaller pots an extra week as was suggested by someone here to see if perhaps less root shock might help, but no.
Ever happened to anyone else? Any suggestions?
I’ve never had one die, they just look like they are dying until they go outside and grow for a few weeks. Then they are one of the healthiest ones I have. It’s so bizarre.

[Salsacharley]

Are you using the same seed source for Feurwerk each time you sow the variety? Perhaps you have seeds with some problem. I grew Feurwerk 3 years ago but I don't recall any problem with the seedlings.

[gimmieToms]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

Are you using the same seed source for Feurwerk each time you sow the variety? Perhaps you have seeds with some problem. I grew Feurwerk 3 years ago but I don't recall any problem with the seedlings.

I save my seeds each year. These ones were actually from 2016. This photo is the plants they came from.
They grow into wonderful plants each year.

[zipcode]

I've only grown moneymaker which is supposedly the same (and I tend to agree, the plants look similar with that unusual upright habit of leaf growth) and they were always very healthy plants.
Your seedling looks somewhat soft? Or is it just curled down? Possible overfertilization, could be more sensitive to it. The result is poor roots that don't function properly. You could replace the medium in case you fertilized it, and take a look at the roots with this occasion, they should be white and fuzzy if healthy.

[gimmieToms]

Originally Posted by zipcode

I've only grown moneymaker which is supposedly the same (and I tend to agree, the plants look similar with that unusual upright habit of leaf growth) and they were always very healthy plants.
Your seedling looks somewhat soft? Or is it just curled down? Possible overfertilization, could be more sensitive to it. The result is poor roots that don't function properly. You could replace the medium in case you fertilized it, and take a look at the roots with this occasion, they should be white and fuzzy if healthy.

They’re just curled.
Usually I don’t fertilize until I move them outside, and they still look like this.
I’ve tried fertilizing, not fertilizing, different potting soils, different stages of growth when repotting, keeping consistently moist, letting them dry out. It’s weird.

[Rajun Gardener]

The soil looks too wet in the first two pics compared to the others. Try to cut back on watering them, maybe they're picky like that.

How's the flavor? I have seeds but haven't grown it yet.

[gimmieToms]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

The soil looks too wet in the first two pics compared to the others. Try to cut back on watering them, maybe they're picky like that.

How's the flavor? I have seeds but haven't grown it yet.

I had literally just watered them as the soil was dry.
They are AMAZING. Big fruit. Beautiful to look at. Full of flavour. Low acid. Very sweet. That’s the only reason I persevere with them. They are one of the most amazing tasting tomatoes I’ve ever grown.

[Rajun Gardener]

Thanks for that info, I'll have to find those seeds and start a few for some fall plants.

[Koala Doug]

Typically, when the leaves curl down and in, it is because of too much water. But other factors, including genetics, could be in play.

I'm curious, what type of lighting are you using for your seedlings?

[gimmieToms]

Originally Posted by Koala Doug

Typically, when the leaves curl down and in, it is because of too much water. But other factors, including genetics, could be in play.

I'm curious, what type of lighting are you using for your seedlings?

Grow lights. Its called a mini grow garden. I use it every year

[Koala Doug]

LED? CFL? T12? T8? T5?

I only ask because, in addition to the inward/down curling, the leaf edges are starting to curl upwards like you'd see with physiological leaf roll (which itself has many causes).

That variety might be sensitive to certain environmental factors, but those two stress indicators appearing at the same time means that something (or multiple 'things') are causing problems.

I've seen the same thing in the past on a few varieties, but was never able to pinpoint the cause(s). I did notice that the curling down/inward happened after a deep watering... and was more pronounced if the young plant's pot had previously been fairly dry. But they were also under very intense (too close?) lights that potentially caused some level of photo-inhibition. Like you have experienced, all my plants that looked like that recovered after their final transplant outside.

Any year that I do happen to see that condition or conditions, I always try to tweak things to see if I can affect the stress indicators. I've pretty much ruled out fertilization as a cause (or at least as a major cause) and have narrowed the focus to too much, or fluctuating amounts of, water... as well as the potential of too much light intensity.

But I could be missing other factors as I only grow four or five plants a year. So the small numbers mean that it only pops up infrequently and then I rarely have two plants afflicted at the same time that I can run various concurrent A/B tests with them.

The only real suggestion that I can make is to grow multiple ones next year (or even run a test indoors later this spring after you plant out your current young tomato plants) and try to only alter one variable to see if you can induce or reduce the curling issues. Maybe then you can figure out some remedy, or at least, a mitigation strategy.

I wish you the best of luck as it is stressful to watch your babies suffer!


By the way, those ripe tomatoes looks awesome!

[gimmieToms]

Originally Posted by Koala Doug

LED? CFL? T12? T8? T5?

I only ask because, in addition to the inward/down curling, the leaf edges are starting to curl upwards like you'd see with physiological leaf roll (which itself has many causes).

That variety might be sensitive to certain environmental factors, but those two stress indicators appearing at the same time means that something (or multiple 'things') are causing problems.

I've seen the same thing in the past on a few varieties, but was never able to pinpoint the cause(s). I did notice that the curling down/inward happened after a deep watering... and was more pronounced if the young plant's pot had previously been fairly dry. But they were also under very intense (too close?) lights that potentially caused some level of photo-inhibition. Like you have experienced, all my plants that looked like that recovered after their final transplant outside.

Any year that I do happen to see that condition or conditions, I always try to tweak things to see if I can affect the stress indicators. I've pretty much ruled out fertilization as a cause (or at least as a major cause) and have narrowed the focus to too much, or fluctuating amounts of, water... as well as the potential of too much light intensity.

But I could be missing other factors as I only grow four or five plants a year. So the small numbers mean that it only pops up infrequently and then I rarely have two plants afflicted at the same time that I can run various concurrent A/B tests with them.

The only real suggestion that I can make is to grow multiple ones next year (or even run a test indoors later this spring after you plant out your current young tomato plants) and try to only alter one variable to see if you can induce or reduce the curling issues. Maybe then you can figure out some remedy, or at least, a mitigation strategy.

I wish you the best of luck as it is stressful to watch your babies suffer!


By the way, those ripe tomatoes looks awesome!

I know. It just bugs me because they are my favourites and the only ones suffering. I think they are just temperamental

[Salsacharley]

Shoot! After looking at your fantastic mature plants, who cares what the seedlings look like. They obviously didn't suffer permanent damage. My Feurwerks didn't look nearly as good as yours.

[gimmieToms]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

Shoot! After looking at your fantastic mature plants, who cares what the seedlings look like. They obviously didn't suffer permanent damage. My Feurwerks didn't look nearly as good as yours.

That was the best year I ever had. Last year I lost my whole crop to blight in August. I just wanted to cry.
If anyone says you can’t grow tomatoes in pots smaller than 10 gallons, show them this photo lol.
It was a mix of getting the fertilization perfect and a very hot and dry summer. I had to water these babies twice a day sometimes, but totally worth it.
My son called it my tomato store!