Remember, after they've germinated, take the heat off 'em. They may have sprouted when you weren't looking and were reaching for the light. They only needed the heat to germinate. And if your lights are too high off the cell packs, they're stretching. Are your lights on a timer? Don't leave 'em on 24/7. Don't sweat the 'germination' estimates... things can go all over the place. Remember, also, that tomatoes are tall anyhow. You don't have to toss the tall fellas, once they stop reaching, they'll settle down. And if they get too big, I use old tin cans with 3-4 holes around the OUTER edge at the bottom and transplant up to their little necks. Good luck!

The lights are all but touching the tops - should I wait to see if they thicken up or go ahead and transplant? I'm afraid I won't have enough light for all of them.

Stems thicken out as they grow taller, not after. So once you have a long leggy stem about all you can do is transplant them deeply - bury the stem right up to the base of the top set of leaves - and then hope you have enough light to keep them from stretching out again. Cooler air temps also discourage leggy stems so lots of light and 65 degrees max if possible is the ideal.

Dave

Once again I am wrong-I thought they neede lots of hest so I've had it about 72. So lots of light (14 hrs?) and low heat, Rights?

Thanks so much!

Joy

Heat is needed just for germination. Once germinated cooler temperatures are needed for growing on to insure sturdy, stocky seedlings.

Dave

Thanks, again, Dave. You are very kind to help us all.

Joy

Additional heat is not *needed* for germination but it does help tremendously! Dad use to sow tomato seeds in the tobacco bed in the middle to end of March and we always had plants to set out in May. I can remember trying to fit 15-18" very bushy plants into the tobacco setter, making sure not much besides the heart was above ground.

Mike

Mike, that is very interesting. First was he in NC or Ga and second were the seed sown with the tobacco seeds under cover or in the field?.

YES Dave, thanks again, your information to Joy is helpful to me also.
Tim