Tomato plants deliver fruits that flare with abundant flavor. Cultivating the plants from seeds, however, is much less expensive than buying them from a greenhouse or nursery. After the seeds germinate, the seedlings emerge from the soil and have a set of small leaves which are called cotyledons.

About three to four weeks after arising from the soil, each seedling should generate its first bunch of true leaves but there are cases where the tomato seedlings do not grow.

Are you wondering why your tomato seedlings stopped growing? Well, if your tomato seedling won’t put off new leaves or grow, then it may not obtain the light, food, or water that it needs to develop and hence, it leads to tomato seedlings growing very slowly.

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Introducing Tomatoes & Its Importance to Grow at Home

India is one of the leading tomato producing countries in the world. We entered into the vicinity of organics, as recently, there are many people who are opting for homegrown vegetables because there are many places and many supermarkets where it is hard to find harvest that is not wrapped in plastic. Efforts are being made to forgo plastic and create a climate of fresh supply.

We all know that fruits and vegetables get ferried around the globe, and with this comes many drawbacks. By the time stock reaches us, the quality of the product gets hampered and it gets deteriorated. Coming back to tomatoes, it is jam-packed with nutritious values. A fact about this fruit-able is that When Europeans found this, they named it poisonous berry! 

Tomatoes are rich in minerals and natural vitamins. They are nutritious, and good for skin and bones. Tomatoes have iron, folate, magnesium, potassium, zinc, chromium, choline, and phosphorus along with Vitamin A, K, and C as well. Imagine producing this super healthy vegetable at home.The presence of fresh tomatoes in your garden is definitely a delightful experience.

Just a bite of your own grown ripe and fresh tomatoes can give you immense joy. It is a known fact that once you’ve tasted your homegrown tomatoes, there’s no going back. 

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What to Do When Tomato Seedlings Stopped Growing?

It is not easy to grow tomatoes. It takes a lot of efforts and patience. Seldom, it happens that tomato seedlings stop growing. In case you are wondering why your tomato seedlings not growing, do not fret. We are here to give you the solutions to your problem.

Avoid Excess Water

As a matter of fact, excess of anything is awful. Of course, a tomato seedling needs water to thrive but too much water can lead to hindering its growth or in the worst case kill the plant. Just like humans get diseases, plants do too. Tons of water can give a plant fungal diseases. It causes the plant to get all moistened which halts the further growth of the plant.

This condition is called damping off as per the farmers and this damage can’t be rectified. A seedling with the issue of damping slimes or rots from the core of its stem. In simple terms, a little bit of dehydration is fine with tomatoes.

The ultimate solution to this is to authorize the seedling’s soil to dry out before watering again. The soil should feel a little moist while touching but not at all soggy. 

It is also advised to water the seedling with clean tap water. Rainwater or any stored water may result tomato seedlings to grow very slowly. Your seedling should not become a house to fungi and bacteria, tomatoes are not friends with them!

Give the Right Temperature and Light 

The growth of tomatoes and Sunshine go hand in hand. Well, tomatoes need to be sun-kissed too!

A tomato seedling that doesn’t receive adequate heat and light may turn out to be dwarfed and leggy. You must be wondering how much light the seedlings need, and does a normal garden on the terrace and ground receive the exact amount of light?

It takes a minimum of six hours to generate fruit, but seven or more hours of sunlight will yield favorable results in terms of how many tomatoes you want to get. In case of limited light or too much temperature, the seedling becomes thin as it stretches towards the light. The tiny newborn seedling doesn’t have that much potential to put out more leaves.

Some science associated with this is that tomato plants are known to convert sunlight into energy. Hence, the more sunshine they get the more energy they possess further resulting in the production of more fruit. The best temperature that is suitable for the seedling is 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Say No To Early Transportation!

Wonder why my tomato seedlings not growing after transplant?

It is often observed that people transplant the seedling into a bigger container right after it starts to grow. However, it is considered safe to move a tomato seedling into a larger pot only when the plant grows it’s first two strong leaves.

The mistakes people commit is that they transplant it at the stage when the seedlings are cotyledons (the first to leaves grown right after emerging from the soil). Porting at this stage may directly lead to a barrier in growth, the development instantly stops. 

There are ways to right transplants that should be pursued. There should be a gentle lift of the seedling and it is essential to first check the root growth. The transfer should promptly be ceased in case the root growth is very small. The seedling is much delicate in it’s s initial stages and can easily get bruised during the transplanting. Hence, one is suggested to put the plant in a medium-sized container, so that no need to transfer should arise during the further stages.

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Fertilizer: Yes or No?

Tomatoes are heavy feeders and they need many nutrients for sustaining. They do better if provided with the proper kind of fertilizers. Having your seedling In a potting mix is fine for a few weeks because it already contains ample nutrients. Any type of fertilizers, organic, or chemical surely helps in a promising development of the seedling. 

Before going for any fertilizer, it is important to get your soil tested. A type of soil can tell what chemicals should be used. At start, if the plant is fed with coconut coir or peat, then there is a need for the same routine to be followed for 2 weeks. In that case, the plant might need its regular meal every day. An all-purpose fertilizer is a good fit but 1 gallon of water is necessary along with it. Moreover, if your soil doesn’t endorse this chemical, then it should be resisted. Overfeeding of both chemicals and food would lead to tomato seedling in a position where it won’t grow.

When fertilizing tomato plants, be cautious that you don’t employ too much nitrogen. This will ensure a lush, green tomato plant with very limited tomatoes. If you have encountered this problem in history, you might even want to consider simply furnishing phosphorus to the plant twice, instead of a full fertilizer for tomatoes.

These were the main issues and solutions to your tomato seedlings, but taking care of them is surely not a simple process. There’s a lot more to manage. It is advised to never over prune the leaves or stems from the tomato plant. Tomato plants need a sufficient and warm shelter. Moreover, the plant needs a substantial amount of leaves for adequate photosynthesis.

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A Perfect Guide To Grow Tomatoes!

There is one great misconception associated with tomato plants that they are tough to grow. However, that is not the case. Tomatoes grow easy, they just require good nourishment. Tomatoes are incredible and productive. Imagine cooking food without a tomato. The Earth would not be a good place to have food in. They are just versatile in the kitchen and super delicious.

Here are a few tips to grow the perfect tomatoes:

• Before growing a tomato, one should be aware of the variety of sizes that are available. Tomatoes are available from small grape size to giants. It depends on your use, you want to make ketchup, eat raw, for medicine, or for regular use in the kitchen. 
• The next step is to select your location. A site with good sun should be preferred. By good sun we mean, at least 7 hours of good sunlight specifically for northern regions. For southern regions, bright afternoon shades will keep tomatoes conserved from the harsh midday sun and enable them to grow.
• Choose the right soil. Tomatoes can grow in various soil types but it should not be put in high contact of water or excess chemicals. A slight acid soil including PH of 6.2 to 6.8 is suitable for the growth.
• Several gardeners begin with tomatoes from tiny plants or transplants that are purchased in the nursery as they are not simple for learners to start with a seed. If in case one grows tomatoes by using a seed, one must start with indoors for 7 to 8 weeks before the middle last spring frost date.
  Then, the seeds must transplant seedlings after the last spring frost when the soil has simmered. Sounds a lot to do but once done with zeal, the results can be super red and fresh.
• Two or three weeks before farming your tomato plants in the outdoors, stab the soil about 1 foot deep and mix in some old manure. The next step is to stiffen off the seedlings for 7 days before planting in the garden. One must fix young plants outdoors in the shadow for a couple of hours the first day, deliberately increasing the quantity of time the plants are outside each day to encompass some immediate and direct sunlight. The hardening of seedlings is a necessary step that cannot be missed.
• Another crucial thing to do is make a kind of cage called tomato stakes. This will avoid the damaging of roots later when the plant will be at the development stage. Staking keeps formulating tomato fruit off the ground while caging lets the plant carry itself upright. In the case of stakes, use a thick pole at least 7 feet tall and 1 inch in diameter. Fix the pole 1 to 2 feet deep and about 4 inches out from the plant. If you are willing to build a stake, then go for this or else you can get it made on orders.
• The next step is to apply fertilizers. Do not apply high nitrogen fertilizers. It will only lead to a delay in the further growth of fruiting.
• It is suggested to use a huge pot or container with drainage voids at the bottom. Ensure that the soil is moist. Containers will dry out quickly than the garden soil, so test and check daily and provide extra water during a heat surge.
• Once the tomatoes are brown, they must be left on the vine as long as feasible. They will fall when fully ripe. So, don’t tear them apart forcefully. They should further be placed in a paper bag with the stems in an upward direction and should be stored in a cool and shady place.
• There are cases when tomatoes rot before they are ripe because they are placed near a very sunny window left to ripen.

An excellent tomato for grabbing and snatching will be rigorous and very red in color, regardless of size, along with some yellow stains around the stem. If one grows orange, yellow, or any other color tomato variant, it is suggested to wait for the tomato to turn the correct color.

In a circumstance where the tomato plant still has some fruit left right after the first hard frost, then a wise decision would be to pull up the whole plant and dangle it upside down in the garage or cellar. 

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If temperature appears to go down and you still didn’t achieve the desired results, the proper method mentioned-above for transportation should be done carefully. 

As a concluding tip, the fresh tomatoes should never be refrigerated. The flavor and texture would get spoiled. The garden tomato taste that has developed in a tomato would get mixed up with the other bunch of fruits in the refrigerator. Hence, the perfect thing to do is to freeze the fresh ones in bags or containers. One can also seal them because the skin will appear to rip off once defrosted.