Propagating Tomatoes & Growing them on questions

vicwatson

Sown tomato seeds in a propagator but I have to grow them on as they've reached the roof. I took the lid off but within an hour they started to wilt and looked like they were drying out so I put the lid back on and they perked up again.

This was during the day on the inside of the kitchen window.

What's happening here please and how am I supposed to grow them on ??

Thanks for any advice in advance.

lk67

vicwatson wrote: »

Sown tomato seeds in a propagator but I have to grow them on as they've reached the roof. I took the lid off but within an hour they started to wilt and looked like they were drying out so I put the lid back on and they perked up again.

This was during the day on the inside of the kitchen window.

What's happening here please and how am I supposed to grow them on ??

Thanks for any advice in advance.

You're changing their environment - probably humidity - too quickly. Prop up the lid a little bit each day to let them acclimatise.

Supercell

Turn the propagator off and leave the lid on for a couple of days for them to get used to the temperature change gradually
Open the vents on the top if any, if not prop the lid up a bit with a stone or a peice of cardboard or something to reduce the humidity a bit but not in a shocking way.
Leave them in the house with the lid off for a few days after. Give them a good feed the day before lifting the lid completely with tomato feed.
Then move to the greenhouse during the daytime until last frosts are gone (usually by the end of this month here by the coast in Dublin, mid to late may if you live inland a good bit.

vicwatson

It's not an electric propagator I should have clarified. It's a regular seed tray with plastic lid.

Will try lift lid in a controlled way over next few days

vicwatson

That seems to be doing the trick thanks