Weird Tomato Germination

[Westi]

Weird things happening with some of my toms! They come up lovely but don't get any little leaves, it's almost like the plants with larger seeds where the seed gets stuck over the emerging seedling. I've continued with them and have a lovely little green stalk growing but no leaves.

Weird that the stalk is not dying but actually growing but obviously with no leaves so no use to man or beast - any idea clever people?

Westi

[Motherwoman]

Hi Westi,

This sounds similar to Primrose's problem with her runner beans. I've had this happen from time to time but not with whole batches. The thing I have come to associate it with is high temps and wet compost. Don't know if I'm right it's just an observation over the years. Temp in the greenhouse can zoom up on a sunny day at this time of year and the roots get very hot. I'm a great believer in placing a sheet of newspaper over seed trays having seen a real old gardener who taught me when I was an apprentice use this trick. It works well over newly pricked out seedlings on a bright day too, especially fragile plants like lobelia. Try to get the vents open on a sunny day, always tricky this time of year if it comes out sunny after you've gone to work.

MW

[FelixLeiter]

The seed is too hard for the seedling to shed the outer casing. it's a bit like a bird chick that cannot quite break out of its shell. Raising the humidity can soften the seed a little. Or you can, with great care, with tweezers or finger nails, squeeze open the seed casings to release and remove them.

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Felix, i think your answer is what Westi said the problem is like, but without the seed case being stuck on the seed leaves.

I have seen this before, and wondered if it is anything to do with maybe old seed, or seed that has not been stored cool enough.

When i have had this problem with outdoor sown runner beans, i have always noticed little eelworm like creatures near the seed!

[Westi]

OH Maybe that is right as I always take my seeds down to lottie after I've grown some at home - last chance saloon so to speak when the others fail! I've gone in the shed at times & instantly broken out in a sweat so probably too hot for the seeds as well!

Fortunately have non lottie friends who have lots of seedlings to pass my way - why do they always sow the whole packet?

Not complaining mind!

Westi

PS Time to replace my toms seeds then

[Ricard with an H]

Temp in the greenhouse can zoom up on a sunny day at this time of year and the roots get very hot. I'm a great believer in placing a sheet of newspaper over seed trays

Ok-Ok, i'm not backwards in coming forward though I do read a lot of forum content and learnt stuff. On the score of overheating and the comment by 'Motherwoman' it has just occurred to me to place a suitably sized piece of fleece over everything.

What-do-you-think ? will enough light get through ? At least the stuff is very lightweight and less likely to blow away if a breeze sneaks in.

My tomato plants are doing well, out of eight go-ers I have four strong ones with the remainder still go-ers but they have bendy stalks. All the seed is from an unknown though very tasty tomato from the Co-Op, or was it M&S. Maybe Lidl.

[Motherwoman]

Hi Richard,

Once they come up enough I take the paper off, likewise with pricked out seedlings; if it's dull weather the paper's off or if it's bright then after a day or two. Fleece would give some protection from strong sun whilst letting light in.

Your tomotoes may not be the variety you think they are if the tom from M&S was an F1 hybrid, but hey, life's a surprise!

MW

[Ricard with an H]

Your tomotoes may not be the variety you think they are if the tom from M&S was an F1 hybrid, but hey, life's a surprise!

MW

Does this mean a horrible surprise ? I had this warning once before though I did get nice tomatoes the exact replica. That was a Sainsbury small-plum and some years ago.

Yes, life (Particularly gardening) can a huge surprise. Did you see my last years carrot. Amusing and tasty.

[Primrose]

No I don't think your tomatoes will be much of a shock. If they're F1 hybrid, they may not be EXACTLY the same as the tomatoes from which you save the seed but they probably won't be hugely different, ie if the parents were cherry tomatoes, you'll almost certainly still get cherry tomatoes. You won't end up with giant beefsteak variety.

I've saved seeds from my F1 Ferline tomatoes, and to be honest, I couldn't tell any difference between the parents and the subsequent tomatoes grown. Whether they still retained their resistance to blight I don't know because fortunately it wasn't a bad blight year when I grew them.

[Ricard with an H]

I don't know if this might be encouraging for Westi, my tomato plants looked like a complete failure. They looked poorly in a sort-of droopy-way and had yellowing leaves. I didn't have a clue what I was doing wrong and whilst I have other seedlings that are sulking I have enough happy plants to make me happy.

I'm a bit torn between small toms and larger ones for slicing but I have committed myself to these larger type and though it sounds a bit mean I don't want to spend any more money this year.

Today is very hot in my greenhouse tent so I spread some fleece over the whole of my greenhouse seedlings.