What's the secret...

[luigiwu]

Originally Posted by Tom A To

In addition to what is mentioned above, I would pinch the plants above the fourth set of new leaves. This puts energy into the roots, stem and stimulates new shoots.

I thought when you pinch the top of a plant they stop growing from that "tip" and will only grow from alternate/sucker tip .. no?

[Hermitian]

Originally Posted by barryla61

...to getting thick stocky stems on plants that are started at home.

Is it best to have them in a dark room with fluorescent lighting only?

Is there a seed starting manual for dummies ?

I'm new to this so bear with me.

I used "Jiffy Organic Seed Starting Mix" topped with some Vermiculite. As in past years, I'm having great success: Richard's Indoor Propagation

[Tom A To]

Originally Posted by luigiwu

I thought when you pinch the top of a plant they stop growing from that "tip" and will only grow from alternate/sucker tip .. no?

They will grow from meristematic tissue that has not been pinched, on leaf nodes and in the root system.

[Barbee]

I don't use a fan but I run my hands over the flats each morning from the time the seedlings are about an inch tall and just starting to show the first true leaves. I do this up until I pot them into individual containers. Hubby tells people I pet the tomatoes but I actually rough them up pretty good.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barbee

I don't use a fan but I run my hands over the flats each morning from the time the seedlings are about an inch tall and just starting to show the first true leaves. I do this up until I pot them into individual containers. Hubby tells people I pet the tomatoes but I actually rough them up pretty good.

My husband tells people" She even massages them" while he has a smirk on his face!
The fancy word is Thigmotropism! Means a plants growth response to movement.

Marsha

[Tormato]

One thing I do is start with "medium" sized seeds. If a pack of seeds has small, medium and large seeds in it, the small seeds have a higher rate of stuck seed coats along with small seedlings, and the large seeds mostly produce leggy seedlings, for me.

Gary

[Barbee]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

My husband tells people" She even massages them" while he has a smirk on his face!
The fancy word is Thigmotropism! Means a plants growth response to movement.

Marsha

Tomato Massage Therapy!

[PA_Julia]

To add to this, I grow my seedling to have as thick a stem at the beginning as possible. After I get a good thick plant I will stretch it out to where the plant is very leggy and needs support.

I do this so I have a long stem for horizontal planting. I dig an eight inch deep trench that's approx twelve inches long into previously roto tilled soil then lay my plant horizontally in the trench while curving the top of the plant upwards leaving only two or three inches above the soil.

This promotes a large and prolific root system to develop along the horizontal part of the plant which of course aids in the uptake of nutrients.

My only focus is on growing giant tomatoes for competition.

[nnjjohn]

Originally Posted by PA_Julia

To add to this, I grow my seedling to have as thick a stem at the beginning as possible. After I get a good thick plant I will stretch it out to where the plant is very leggy and needs support.

I do this so I have a long stem for horizontal planting. I dig an eight inch deep trench that's approx twelve inches long into previously roto tilled soil then lay my plant horizontally in the trench while curving the top of the plant upwards leaving only two or three inches above the soil.

This promotes a large and prolific root system to develop along the horizontal part of the plant which of course aids in the uptake of nutrients.

My only focus is on growing giant tomatoes for competition.

I read that some where too,, never tried it.. the question I have is ..1) do you support the bend once you lay them horizontally? 2) do you trim the stems touching or close to the soil? 3) do you use plastic or any kind of mulch or hill the plants with this method?

[Doug9345]

The way I've planted tall tomato plants sideways is to stick a spading shovel into the ground 5" or so, pull back on the shovel to make a trench, drop the plant next to the shovel, pull the shovel out and step on the dirt to close it.

[nnjjohn]

Originally Posted by Doug9345

The way I've planted tall tomato plants sideways is to stick a spading shovel into the ground 5" or so, pull back on the shovel to make a trench, drop the plant next to the shovel, pull the shovel out and step on the dirt to close it.

Doug pardon me for asking for specifics, you lost me.. you saying you spade a hole on an angle about five inches deep and sneak the bulb and stem under between the spade and hole and as you pullup the spade the dirt on top of the spade falls over the plants roots and stem leaving a small portion of the top plant? I am not sure if I want to compact the plant with stomping using my foot .. my bed soil gets hard enough settling by itself by summer. But the concept is understood..just not sure about specifics,,guess it all depends on the plant and soil.

[taboule]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

My husband tells people" She even massages them" while he has a smirk on his face!
The fancy word is Thigmotropism! Means a plants growth response to movement.

Marsha

Right about now, I could use a bit of Thigmotropism.

[ssi912]

cooler temps coupled with more light, oh yeah, don't start to early. trial and error makes for healthy transplants. don't get discouraged.

[Doug9345]

Originally Posted by nnjjohn

Doug pardon me for asking for specifics, you lost me.. you saying you spade a hole on an angle about five inches deep and sneak the bulb and stem under between the spade and hole and as you pullup the spade the dirt on top of the spade falls over the plants roots and stem leaving a small portion of the top plant? I am not sure if I want to compact the plant with stomping using my foot .. my bed soil gets hard enough settling by itself by summer. But the concept is understood..just not sure about specifics,,guess it all depends on the plant and soil.

It's like planting a tree. I stick the spade straight in. I then pull it toward me. This leaves a hole on the back side of the shovel. I can drop the plant in that hole sideways while holding the hole open with the shovel. Once the plant is in I pull the shovel straight up the soil may close on its own or you may have to use you foot to push the soil together. Go to about 4:20 to see the actual technique. I've found that I usually don't need the spade to close the soil in a garden.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xqeKRsaa0E

[Delerium]

Windy conditions & growing in cooler temps in the (50-60F) will get you the thick stems. I put a zip tie around the plant with a chopstick and that seems to fatten up the stem.