they look fine to me but would have repotted up to the leafs.

they were a bit to tall for the cups. Thanks for the reply.

SG

What did you have the seedlings germinating in? You've potted them up while they still have only the cotyledons sprouted! That's okay, but you'll need to keep them warm and well-lit until they develop real leaves, the next stage.

Your lighting looks okay if it's fluorescent shop lights and compact fluorescent bulbs, which is what I think you've done. But you need to get those tomato seedlings elevated so that they're only an inch or two under the lights or they'll be weak and leggy, probably won't survive. Watch them carefully and as they grow you can lower the seedlings so they have more growing room.

When the first set of leaves develops, you need to re-pot them again in deeper cups as TB suggested, up to the bottom leaves. It won't hurt to cover the cotyledons with the growing mix.

If you go to Dollar stores, you can get plenty of 16-oz. styrofoam cups for a dollar. They're great for writing the variety name on with a ballpoint pen. If you press down on the ball point, it indents the name as well as inking it. You'll never lose the name due to humidity or wear!

ok i elevated them. Does this look good to you?

my camera doesn't like my lights.
they were already 2 inches tall when I decided to re-pot them I had them in one of these. They were getting a little leggy.

On a side note I was wondering about how much water I should give them. Sorry for the large pictures. How long should it take for the true leaves to appear?

Yes, your seedlings appear to be close enough to the lights now. As for when the first set of true leaves will appear, I don't think I've ever noticed! I imagine it will be less than two weeks.

You don't need to worry about watering them as much now that you have them in cups. If they have good drainage, they'll have healthy roots, and you'll need to water them only when the soil is drier than a squeezed out sponge. How often is less important than the soil moisture since many factors impact how wet or dry the soil is.

Not very much light. You started your tomato seed already?

Agree you need a great deal more light for them - at least double - and no more than 1-2" above the tops of the plants. Also agree that it is awfully early to be starting seeds in Connecticut. Good luck.

Dave

Thanks for your help I really appreciate it. I will update the pictures on my photo bucket as things go along if you want to take a look now and then. Link under first post.

SG

I thought you were using fluorescent shop lights AND compact fluorescent bulbs, but apparently you are not. [Why didn't you tell me I was mistaken?] As jtcm and digdirt note, two compact fluorescent light bulbs aren't enough light at all. It appears that you have many seedlings, as well.

I suggest you Google "seed starting" and "seedling light" to get some ideas to see how much light seedlings need.

Touching upon what others have stated, there's not enough light - you'll need to pot them when they get their first true leaves. I wait awhile after that, actually, to pot up.

Second, you started way, way too early. The ground doesn't get warm in our parts until the end of May for the likes of the solanaceae family.

I know the big box stores start putting them out in April, but it's folly to put them into the ground before Mother's day, unless you use agribon row covers. Still cold soil is cold soil and only invites disaster.

Yea, anney & Dave got this one covered. I was thinking, move the light closer & anney said that...lol. They look fine to me, not leggy, but they were reaching for the light a bit. So, you've already moved it closer, but maybe should add more light, if possible. Also, regarding the watering, at their stage. I would fill a spray bottle & mist (not stream) each of them about 10-15 times a day around the surface of the soil trying not to touch the plant itself.

- Steve

Thank you for your help. I am using both types of lights I actually just got back from the hardware store. I got more lights. I was wondering when I should start the brandywine and jubilee seeds that I bought.

Here are the new lights I also put up some newer pics of the tomatoes on photobucket

I'm sorry but I guess we aren't conveying the point well. This is still FAR far far too little light.

If you are going to use fixtures like those round and spiral ones that rather than regular shop light that are 4 feet long and contain 2 super bright bulbs at least you will need many more fixtures. And they are still too far above the plants. They need to be almost touching the leaves.

As Anney suggested above look at some of the many photos folks have posted of their light set-ups. There is one currently on this forum but it has no photos but there are many over on the Growing from Seed forum.

This isn't a good pic but maybe it will help show what I mean - note the degree of brightness. There are 2 4 foot long fixtures hanging above those trays with a total of 4 bulbs. Note how close to the plants.

{{gwi:1300324}}

Dave

I am also trying to germinate and groow few things inside and I am learning along the way, as well.

#1: To germinate you do not need light but heat instead, which depend on the type of seed.

#2: once the seeds germinate you MUST have light. With florescent light, the tubes should be hung about 2" the top of seedlings. This way the seedling will get light and some heat too.

#3: Once the seedling grow some TRUE leaves, you transplant them to pots, cups.
HINT: Fill the cup with growth medium half way and transplant in it. later on, little by little fill the cup/pot.
This way your seedling won't be very leggy.

Ok I might be able to get hold of some shop light fixtures any idea why kind of bulbs I should get? By the way they are starting to put out their true leaves should I wait til the form or replant them now?

http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss157/Jacobsilken/Tomatoes%202010/kdk_0627.jpg

Don't be concerned with which kind of lamps. Just get the regular general purpose lamps that the manufacturer recommends. They usually come in a two-pack at homey despot or lowes. There is no need to pot those seedlings up for quite a while in those large cups.

Yeah the cheap 40 watt 2 pack bulbs work fine. $6.97 at Lowes last week - often on sale. I use T12's since that is what my fixtures use but there are also T5's (just a different type) that are discussed in the many previous discussions here on what type of bulbs to use.

They come labeled with all kinds of names - "Kitchen & Bath" or something called "Residential" of "Living Areas". "Cool", "Warm" etc. etc. Try a mix of a couple of different kinds.

Dave

If your shop light will take either T8 or T12 bulbs go for the T8s because they can put out the same amount of light as the T12 but only use 32 watts per bulb as opposed to 40 watts per bulb for T12s. Most what seem to be knowledgeable posters on the growing under lights forum recommend daylight bulbs which would have a color temperature of 6500K. There is something called CRI (color rendition index), the higher the number the closer the bulb comes to full spectrum sunlight, look for something around 85 or better. The Phillips Alto Deluxe Daylight bulbs I use in my own setup are T8s with a color temperature of 6500 and a CRI of 85 and put out 2800 lumens per bulb (which is more than most T12s) and have a life expectancy of 36,000 hours and cost $24.97 plus tax for a case of ten bulbs at Home Depot. I saw some generic cool white T8 bulbs that would also work, but with a worse spectrum, at Lowes for 99 cents each but you have to buy a case of 30 to get that price. Don't waste your money on special gro-lights that cost more and don't put out as much light and have a shorter useful lifespan.

Silken
Your original post shows you are from CT. I'm a little further south from you on Long Island and have to tell you, its way to early to be starting tomato seeds yet. If you do decide to use florescent lights, keep the lights very close to the seedlings, almost touching the leaves. Also once they have germinated you can keep the room they are in cooler. Did you use heat mats to germinate the seeds? I won't be starting my seeds until the end of March or possibly even the first week in April. Hope this helps you some, :)

Alberta

Well I went and got to of the double T12 shop light fixtures. With 2 daylight bulbs and 2 Cool white. Alternating.

The other thing I think I found a solution to my too early problem. If the ground is too cold I could always turn them upside down in black buckets.

Has anyone had any experience with upside down tomatoes?

My camera auto adjusts and makes them look dim but they are really bright I wish I had some sun glasses

Thanks for all the advise. Any more is really appreciated.