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Old February 25, 2018   #15
rhines81
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Zone 5A, Poconos
Posts: 959
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bower View Post
I wouldn't advise to top a tomato seedling. You would be stuck with no leader just side branches and waiting for them to grow out. Usually seven sets of leaves before the first flowering node, sometimes up to ten depending on the variety. If you top it before it gets to the first flower zone, it will have to grow out a side shoot to the point where that shoot has seven (or .. up to ten) leaves before you will get any flowers or fruit on it.
Sure you can bonsai a tomato plant and it will still grow, but you can get a much better stronger shape using the natural leader (first stem).

Just don't worry too much - legginess is not a fatal condition requiring surgery, and seriously, if they're under a light it won't be a problem. You're in Virginia and the weather is nice, you can plant them out before they get too leggy. My seedlings get leggy when they're overcrowded and should have been spread out in the daylight with lots of room, but it was too cold to put them out.
I should have been more specific, thanks for the clarification. I was thinking more of the late stage growth.
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